Penn State has received one of the top facilities honors in the country -- APPA’s 2014 Sustainability Award. APPA is the professional association of educational facilities in the United States, Canada and abroad.

Penn State was recognized not only for its historic achievements in sustainability but also its ongoing strategies for a more sustainable future for the University:

-- 35 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020

-- 20 percent reduction in average energy usage over the next 10 years

-- 85 percent diversion of solid waste from landfills

-- $60 million investment in energy savings over five years

-- 60 percent of a $2.7 billion capital plan dedicated to renovation and retrofitting aging campus infrastructure

“Penn State educates more than 98,000 students, stewards 23,000 acres of land and services 32 million square feet of buildings,” said Ford Stryker, associate vice president for the Office of Physical Plant. “We are seizing an unprecedented opportunity to model a large-scale commitment to sustainability.”

“The Sustainability Award criteria measure the current level and effort of a facilities management department to integrate sustainable policies and "green" practices throughout all facets of the organization, ultimately embedding them within the educational institution,” said David Cain, APPA’s immediate past vice president, professional affairs, and the chairman of the Awards and Recognition Committee.

The award was introduced in 2012 to reflect APPA’s 2008 Sustainability Statement, which encourages the creation and maintenance of a sustainable campus environment. APPA has developed the criteria based on specific standards and processes applicable to management in educational facilities, including educational curriculum and research; leadership and administration; maintenance and operations; energy and utilities; planning and construction; sustainability indicators and sustainability innovations.

The categories were developed in collaboration with and support from the research and development work provided by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). Their Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) offers standards by which educational institutions may measure themselves for recognition of their campus environmental and sustainability achievements.

Penn State was recognized during the 2014 APPA Annual Conference and 100th Anniversary celebration on July 21 to 23 in San Diego.

For more information about sustainability at Penn State, visit www.sustainability.psu.edu.