Sustainability Risk Management: Where Local and Global Perspectives Meet

Brandon D. [email protected]

Development AnalystOffice of Sustainability, March 2010

Sustainability Risk Management:

Where Local and Global Perspectives Meet

UNT#1 University in Texas Connecting People and the Environment

• AASHE www.aashe.orgAssociation of Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education

– Institutional - colleges and universities in the U.S., Canada, Mexico– International Affiliate - colleges and universities outside U.S., Canada, Mexico– Business - businesses of any size– Other - system offices, K-12, higher education associations, government, non-profits

• ACUPCC www.presidentsclimatecommitment.orgAmerican College and University President’s Climate Commitment (UNT signatory February 2008)

1st large public university in Texas to sign5 of 7 tangible climate change actions

674 signatories nationwide as of this morning (3 March 2010)

Top 17% of signatories

Some current projects:• Green IT and Computing Management• Muenster Wind Farm near Gainesville – 40% of UNT energy is Wind!• Tree Policy and University Tree Committee• Degrees for undergrad and grad in Sustainability

• Books for Africa Initiative• Environmental media team• Chiapas Project • RecycleMania• Earth Week April 19-23, 2010

• Recycle Bin Infrastructure for Waste Mgmt• Cafeteria grease for biofuel• Outreach and marketing of UNT research

• Collaborative initiatives with regional orgs• Campus Commuter Challenge• Go Green EcoRep Program

• Green buildings and more!

Some future projects:• ReRev in Recreation Center• Solar and wind energy on New Stadium• Composting garden on campus• Sustainability live and learn center for girls

FMI www.sustainable.unt.edu

Sustainability at UNT

1) What is Sustainability Risk Management?

2) What is UNT doing? U.S.? World?

3) How does it save money and the planet?

Sustainability Risk Management: Where Local and Global Perspectives Meet

Sustainability….

I. Meeting the needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs…

II. With equal valuation of economic, environmental, and socio-cultural needs of a community…

III. Composed of both human and environmental systems…

Sustainability….

Sustainability Risk Management:

What are some risks related to environment and/or health issues?

UNT 2007 Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Total = 131,224 MTCO2e

Sustainability Risk Management: The assessment, identification, and prioritization of potential positive and/or negative economic effects and opportunities related to natural resources, public health, and public safety

John Elkington’s concept of “The Triple Bottom Line” = Financial Performance + Environmental Performance + Social Responsibility Performance

F + E + S = TBL

TBL – (E+S) = F

Maximize economic benefit, or profit, by minimizing environmental and social costs…. Like waste disposal, energy use, water quality, healthcare, preventative medicine, clean air, safe parks and playgrounds

(Dan Anderson, Risk Management and Insurance, University of Wisconsin School of Businesshttp://www.iifdc.org/symposium/2006/Anderson.pdf)

World Business Council for Sustainable Developmentwww.wbcsd.org

http://www.greenbiz.com/sites/default/files/Ceres_AssetMgrSurvey_Jan2010.pdf

Investors Analyze Climate Risks and Opportunities:A Survey of Asset Manager’s Practices

“Nearly half of the asset manager respondents – 44 percent – said that they do not consider climate risks at all because they do not believe that climate change is material to their investment decision making.

This stance, that climate risks are not material, stands in stark contrast from the increasing number of corporations who are identifying climate issues as material risks in their required financial reporting.”

Sustainability Consortium

MISSION STATEMENTThe Sustainability Consortium is an independent organization of diverse global participants that work collaboratively to build a scientific foundation that drives innovation to improve consumer product sustainability. www.sustainableconsortium.org

WHAT WE DOThe Sustainability Consortium develops transparent methodologies, tools and strategies to drive a new generation of products and supply networks that address environmental, social and economic imperatives. The Sustainability Consortium advocates for a transparent process and system, not individuals or organizations.

How does Safety and Risk Management relate to Sustainability???

Rule of thumb: In most cases, if its safe for humans, its safe for the environment.

Safety and Sustainability share common dynamics that influence our Economy, Environment, and Society:

1) Interdisciplinary - Work together to realize meaningful outcome

2) Campus and Community Goals - Vitally important to student life

3) Objective and subjective metrics - Not easy to quantify incremental progress

Balancing Security/Safety and Sustainability Objectives(Whole Building Design Guide)

(http://www.wbdg.org/resources/balancing_objectives.php)

Pentagon Renovation ProgramCalifornia's Office of Emergency Services Headquarters

In Sacramento, California's Office of Emergency Services Headquarters (picture):

Break out rooms surround the command and logistics room, shielding it from exposure to the outside, although clerestories allow a generous amount of daylight to enter the space.

Safety/Security and Sustainability Considerations for maximizing Occupant’s Health and Safety:

1) Access Control 2) Surveillance3) Blast Protection4) Chem-Bio-Radiological Protection5) Energy Source

Access Control

Building operating hours

- Safety: Secure facilities

- Sustainability: Energy savings

Transportation

- Safety: Bike helmets and bike lanes, parking lot lighting, and proximity to campus; Carpool Buddy System

- Sustainability: Reduce commuter carbon emissions and carpool buddy system; UNT-DCTA Bus and A-Train 12/2010

SurveillanceWindows and doors

- Safety: Security through visibility

- Sustainability: Natural lighting improves health and overall individual productivity

Landscaping- Safety: Avoid blocking lines of site

- Sustainability: Integrate native plants to enhance water savings

Security Cameras- Safety: Monitor campus safety

- Sustainability: Improve natural lighting to reduce energy usage; solar-powered cameras

Blast/Collision Protection

Building infrastructure- Safety: Design to withstand collapse

- Sustainability: Passive Solar (awnings and shade) to reduce energy usage

Transportation- Safety: Maximize distance between vehicle

access and buildings

- Sustainability: Integrate comprehensive alternative transportation program;

UNT-DCTA Bus System and A-Train coming to Denton 12/2010

Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Protection

Air Quality- Safety: Improve circulation to improve your health

- Sustainability: HVAC systems reduce energy and improve flow

Cleaning Products- Safety: Non-toxic, non-hazardous materials

- Sustainability: Improve environment quality

Waste management- Safety: Reduce exposure to organic contaminants that may spread disease

- Sustainability: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Energy SourcePollution

- Safety: Health-related diseases

- Sustainability: Air, land, and water quality

Security- Safety: Reliable source of energy, power outage response

- Sustainability: Renewable technologies on site to generate electricity

ExampleUNT Power Outage on September 15, 2009; ~20 buildings on campus without power.

- How many people were unable to work/go to class the other day?

- What if we had solar, wind, and geothermal technology generating 80% of campus electricity?

U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyRisk Management Research

• Air• Water• Land• Ecosystems• Sustainability• Technology

Mission:To advance the understanding, development and application of technologies and methods of prevention, removal and control of environmental risks to human health and ecology

(http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/std/index.html)

U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyRisk Management Research

State Office of Risk ManagementRisk-Tex Newsletter - October 2009Planning for an emergencyBy Joe Deering

• Emergency management is defined as a process to reduce loss of life and property and to protect assets from all types of hazards. An emergency plan is simply documentation of the elements in the program. A good program is essential if an agency wants to stay in operation during and after an emergency.

• What’s an emergency? It is any unplanned event that can cause deaths or significant injuries, shut down your business, disrupt operations, cause physical or environmental damage, or threaten the delivery of state services.

Fire, hurricane, tornado, flood, hazardous material incidents, and biological agent release (bioterrorism) are all examples of potential disasters.

• It is essential that all state agencies have an emergency management plan with established policies, procedures, and an organizational structure for response to a major emergency.

• UNT as a relief center for hurricane victims….. • Leading Emergency Management Program in PACS• Examples in Facilities?? ……. Power outages…….. Water pipelines

(http://www.sorm.state.tx.us/)

Resources for emergency preparedness are available online and focus on government agency resources:

U.S. Department of Homeland Securityhttp://www.dhs.gov U.S. Department of Health and Human Services http://www.hhs.gov/disasters Texas Division of Emergency Management http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem/pages/index.htm Centers for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.bt.cdc.gov/ Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/ National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/emergency.html Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/emergencypreparedness/index.html

State Office of Risk Management

(http://www.sorm.state.tx.us/)

Main website:http://web3.unt.edu/riskman

UNT Risk Management Services

More information and documents:http://wiki.unt.edu/display/RMS/Home

Mission Statement

Risk Management Services (RMS) functions to protect and conserve university resources from loss.

RMS has identified resources in four major categories of loss:1) Property2) Personnel3) Liability4) Net income

Types of risk:1) Strategic2) Financial3) Operational4) Reputational

The RMS department is organized into three major sections to identify and address these risks and apply control measures for any exposure in the categories of loss.

1) Environmental Services2) Insurance and Claims Services3) Health, Emergency & Safety Support Services

UNT Risk Management Services

UNT Risk Management Services:Environmental Services Policy

3 Primary Responsibilities

1) Moral (Environment): to provide a safe and healthful environment for students, faculty, staff, visitors, and the surrounding community

2) Legal (Social): to comply with state health and safety regulations and local and federal standards as they may apply

3) Financial (Economic): to minimize the number and severity of workers compensation, general liability, injuries, and property losses

www.unt.edu/policy/UNT_Policy/volume2/9_6.html

• Asbestos management• Fire protection• Construction plan review

• Radiation• Biohazards• Industrial hygiene

• Laboratory safety• Food sanitation • Water quality

• Waste management• Workers compensation• Biostatistics (ex. H1N1)• Accident prevention and investigation

UNT Risk Management Services:Campus Concerns

Biological Safety• Access to lab is limited while working with cultures or specimens• Mouth pipetting is strictly prohibited• Eating, drinking, Handling contact lenses, and applying makeup are

prohibited• All persons wash their hands after handling animals, after removing

gloves, and before leaving the laboratory• All procedures are carried out to avoid splashes or aerosols• Use of correct technique – sterile technique and decontamination of

work area• All wastes are placed in durable containers marked "Biological Waste"• Work surfaces are decontaminated after spills and end of every

laboratory

UNT Risk Management Services:Campus Concerns

Art Safety• Art materials can cause physical injury, illness, or initiate fires.• Some people may be more or less sensitive to the chemicals, depending on

physical condition, obesity, medical conditions, drinking and smoking, and pregnancy.

• Examples of sensitizers include epoxy resins, nickel salts, isocyanates and formaldehyde. It is essential for the artists, employees, and students to understand art hazards and prevent danger.

• Labor and environmental laws extensively regulate these areas.

UNT Risk Management Services:Campus Concerns

Waste Management Safety:

• Recycle programs- Single-stream in Residence Halls (tin, glass, batteries, ink cartridges)- Sorted system in classroom buildings- Chiapas Project – Recycle to Eradicate Poverty- Books for Africa Initiative with Rotary International

• ORCA composter in Clark

• Compost management system on campus

• BYOB program

UNT Risk Management Services:Campus Concerns

1) Home insurance: - fire, flood, tornado, hurricane, etc

2) Health insurance- Flue shots; H1N1 “swine flu”- Access to low-cost medication

3) Preventative Healthcare- Exercise, walk, bicycle

4) Efficiency measures:- Weather strips- Insulation and radiant barrier- Covered awnings over windows- CFL’s

5) Recycle (waste management program in city??)- Lightbulbs, old electronics, hazardous waste like automotive oil or oil-based paints

Risk Management at Home

(Utah State University http://www.usu.edu/fpw/schedule/ppt/Ins_FPW_Nov_05.ppt)

Safety & Sustainability at American Universities

University of Colorado at Boulderhttp://colorado.edu/insidecu/editions/2009/8-25/chancellor.html

Cornell Universityhttp://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Sept08/sherm.html

Texas A&M Universityhttp://sustainability.tamu.edu/CampusInitiatives/EnvironmentalHealthSafety/tabid/70/Default.aspx

University of Pennsylvaniahttp://www.publicsafety.upenn.edu/DPS_Sustainability.asp

University of Michigan http://www.sustainable.umich.edu/main/health_and_safety/occupational_safety_and_environmental_health/

University of Colorado at Colorado Springshttp://www.uccs.edu/~pusafety/sustain

Brandeis Universityhttp://www.brandeis.edu/campussustainability/transportation/deisbikes/safetytips.html

Purdue Universityhttps://engineering.purdue.edu/Engr/AboutUs/News/Publications/EngineeringImpact/2009_1/SafetySustainabilityCommunityPeople

Brandon D. [email protected] AnalystOffice of Sustainability

www.sustainable.unt.edu

www.sustainable.unt.edu

[email protected]