Living Report
Organized around the domains of Culture, Purpose, and Practice the priorities defined by the SAC form the strategy and actions needed to make UW–Madison a leader in sustainability.
Our Culture
Make sustainability principles part of our day-to-day interactions, operations, and decision-making.
- Integrate sustainability
- Center social sustainability to support diversity, equity, inclusion, and access
- Recognize UW–Madison as a leader in sustainability
- COMPLETED:
- IN PROGRESS:
- Define institutional structures and/or staffing to advance the priorities defined by the SAC
- Develop and deliver regular schools / college / division / department (S/C/D) level sustainability progress reports and workshops
- ON-GOING:
- Deliver sustainability orientation presentation during SOAR, graduate student orientation, and employee onboarding
- Lead partnerships with other institutes of higher education that connects student sustainability leaders to share best practices and enable collaboration
- Advise the State’s Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy and Department of Administration on impacts of sustainability policies on UW–Madison and UW System
- Engage external advisory boards on sustainability priorities (e.g., Unions, WFAA, etc.)
Our Purpose
Elevate sustainability as a discipline, support collaborative research, and expand learning opportunities.
- Expand sustainability learning opportunities and collaborations
- Establish a distinctive home for sustainability research, education, and operations
- Champion sustainability research
- COMPLETED:
- IN PROGRESS:
- Establish criteria that define sustainability-related research
- Define processes to track and report sustainability-related research and campus experts
- Create faculty and staff resources and incentives for incorporating sustainability in new and existing courses
Our Practice
“Walk the talk” with policies, procedures, and systems that build a sustainable university.
- Plan and design for a sustainable and regenerative university
- Pursue carbon neutrality
- Achieve zero waste
- Build and operate a sustainable campus
- COMPLETED:
- Achieve Bee Campus USA certification
- Complete Campus Zero Waste Assessment (stage 1) and waste map project (phase 3)
- Complete Campus Zero Waste Assessment (stage 2)
- Electrify grounds equipment
- Expand solar generation at Gordon Dining Facility
- Install variable frequency drives at Elizabeth Waters Residence Hall
- IN PROGRESS:
- Complete analysis of fleet vehicle electrification needs
- Complete campus electric vehicle charging infrastructure plan
- Develop retrocommissioning team (internal + external)
- Establish an institutional definition of local food and plan for increasing procurement
- Implement an integrated pest management program
- Implement Ingraham Hall Bin Infrastructure Pilot study
- Install additional steam and chilled water building meters
- Install solar + smart bus shelters
- PLANNING:
- Complete Campus Facilities Utility and Energy Advanced Plan
- Deploy solar electric vehicle chargers
- Execute a Virtual Power Purchase Agreement
- Install a solar canopy on the Linden Parking Facility
- Install solar charging kiosks
- On-Going:
If you have questions, comments, or suggestions about the Sustainability Advisory Council, please email sac@sustainability.wisc.edu.