The development of the Yale Sustainability Metrics will enable
Yale to determine its current state of the campus and benchmark
progress into the future. Metrics reflect data that can be
reported from year to year, such as total energy use per capita
per year. Yale will be able to measure the successes and failures
of adapted recommendations and policies on an annual basis while
critically examining and evaluating the chosen course of action.
The grounding framework for the Yale Sustainability Metrics
stems from the sustainability indicators developed by other universities,
the US government, and the United Nations. We have attempted to draw
from these examples and tailor a framework for Yale. We were
challenged to strike a balance between developing an exhaustive
array of metrics and intentionally choosing the specific metrics,
which lead to a cohesive and concise account of the current state
of affairs.
The Yale Sustainability Metrics are categorized into three groups,
which reflect the Sustainability strategy and organizing principles
at Yale:
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Use of Natural Resources
The university depends upon the use of natural resources - water, air, land, food, and energy.
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Systems and Processes
The standard systems and processes of the university,
utilize the natural resources. These systems and processes
upon which the university relies on a daily basis are energy,
integrated waste management, procurement, landscape/land use,
food systems, transportation, and building design and construction.
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Culture
We will achieve and be able to maintain a sustainable system
once these principles have been integrated into the cultural
fabric of the institution. Within the walls of higher education,
the signs of cultural integration may be reflected in curriculum,
interdisciplinary research projects related to sustainable
development, related research dollars brought into the institution,
and governance structures - to name some examples.
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