Building Level Sustainability Program
The Office of Sustainability, in collaboration with the Woods Institute, various units in Sustainability and Energy Management, and Zones Management, launched the Building Level Sustainability Program (BLSP) as a platform for Stanford's Schools and Departments to educate occupants and implement sustainability practices at the building level. The program harnesses individual, action-based resource conservation to achieve consumption reductions that complement efficiency improvement at the infrastructure level and jointly accomplish carbon footprint reduction goals. BLSP serves as a sustainability communication, education, and implementation tool that addresses the triple bottom line of sustainability – environment, economy, and social engagement. Essential BLSP components and resources are described below:
- Program Description & Toolkits: Starting with the connection of individual action to the larger vision of sustainability at Stanford, the program description and toolkits document guides users through the design process and critical steps to launch a successful behavior-based conservation program at the building level. The program incorporates building audits, user surveys, and occupant-led resource conservation actions via a collaboratively developed "Green Action Menu" that can be tailored for the specific School or Department’s building.
- Pilot Project Results: Pilot projects completed in 14 buildings showed a sustained reduction in electricity consumption between 3% and 20% with an average simple payback period of less than 11 months. At present there are 2 additional buildings with implementation underway, and 91 buildings have been identified as future program candidates. The pilot project results document catalogs each project and provides critical lessons learned that further informed program development.
- Funding Opportunity: ERP Express for Office Equipment offers rebates to the Stanford community to incentivize the purchase and installation of appliance timers and Smart Strips. Eligibility requirements, terms, and conditions are detailed on the online application form.
- How To Guides: Developed to answer the most common questions posed during BLSP implementation, electronic "how to guides" walk users through everything from setting up office composting to applying for rebate funding.
- Student Engagement: The service learning course CEE/ES 109: Greening Buildings & Behavior allows students to become active participants in BLSP deployment and implementation on campus. The course features an overview of operations-based sustainability via presentations from faculty and staff experts on energy, water, buildings, waste, and food systems, as well as hands-on, practical training to enable students to become sustainability coordinators for their dorms or departments.
- Candidate Buildings: Almost 100 buildings have been identified as future program candidates. To see if your building is among them, please review this list and contact the Office of Sustainability with any questions.
