Master Plan (adopted March 2001)

Considered sustainability and the natural environment as a major component of the Plan.

• Environmental responsibility is one of seven values
• Self-mitigation is a planning and design principle
• Future land use decisions are based on environmental constraints and opportunities analysis
• Natural Environment element provides for environmental protection
• Public Facilities and Utilities element emphasizes sustainable campus planning and design
• Alternative Transportation element encourages a culture shift away from automobile dependence.

1. Awareness

Recurring activities and events

• Waste Awareness Week (annual)
1. Joint venture with local community organizations
• Earth Day (annual)
1. Joint venture with local community organizations
• Brochures
• "Environmental Resource Guide For Cal Poly"
• Joint project with ECOSLO, Sage Technical Communications Student, and Facilities
• Advertising Quarterly2

2. Commuter Services

• SLO Transit Subsidy
• Ride Sharing
• Vanpool
• Alternative Commuting Poly Card Incentive Program

3. Conservation

Energy Conservation Projects

Lighting

• Number of Fixtures Retrofitted 27,702
• Total kW Saved 1,131
• Total Annual kWh Saved 4,242,202
• Equivalent energy to 350 homes in the USA, 830 homes in Europe, 2700 home in Mexico.
• Pollution Reduction: 610,000 lbs of CO2, 1,450 lbs of SO2, 1,230 lbs of NOx.

Dairy Cogeneration Project

• Takes methane gas from the Dairy pond and burns it to create electricity and hot water. Provides energy and reduces air and water pollution.

Refrigeration Heat Recovery

• This unit takes waste heat from the dairy refrigeration units and preheats domestic hot water. The result is that the refrigeration system doesn’t work as hard to cool and the water heater doesn’t work as hard to heat water.

Alternative Fuel Vehicles

• Cal Poly has over 60 electric carts and 1 propane truck.

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

• Uses solar energy to create electricity for electric vehicles — To be installed summer 2002 near Building 70.

Electric Bicycle Charging Station

• Uses solar energy to create electricity for electric bicycles — located at Building 13.

Energy Efficient Motors

• All new purchased motors are high efficiency motors. The level of motor efficiency is based on life cycle costing

Utilidor

• Reduced natural gas consumption by 30%, with proportionate decrease in air pollutants. Equivalent energy to 240 homes in the USA, 575 homes in Europe, 1900 home in Mexico. Pollution Reduction: 421300 lbs of CO2, 1,000 lbs of SO2, 850 lbs of NOx.

Recycling

The Cal Poly recycling program recycles all materials that can be recycled. Presently 42% of its total material is diverted from the landfill.

• Commingled Program
• Composting
• Food Recycling
• Green Waste Program (Chipper Grant ~ $22,000)
• Purchasing
• Purchasing requires recycled content products be purchased.

Water Conservation

• Cal Poly has a water irrigation management system that monitors weather and water consumption and adjusts irrigation accordingly.
• Low water use Mediterranean type of plant materials are selected for the majority of plantings.
• Most shrubs and trees in new plantings are drip irrigated.
• Shrub beds are heavily mulched to keep the soils protected.
• Grounds workers areas are broken up into zones giving the grounds worker a more individualized approach to the irrigation management in their area.
• Because of the heavy clay soil, multiple start times with low run times are incorporated.
• Most plumbing fixtures are water efficient and have electronic controls to minimize water consumption.

4. Design

1. CSU Design and Energy Guidelines

• These guidelines require a design team to develop two design concepts and provide lifecycle cost analysis. The designs must also use performance based Title 24 energy design (whole building design) vs. prescriptive (equipment based) design. Cal Poly was instrumental in developing the new guidelines and energy standards.
• Designer selection: Cal Poly requires the selection of a design team instead of individual architect. Part of the selection criteria is that the team has experience with Sustainable Design.
• Cal Poly requires investigation of sustainable design in the feasibility Study.

2. New CSU Sustainable Design Guidelines

• The following will go before the CSU Executive Deans for formal approval at their next meeting. The new guidelines were designed meet minimum LEED requirements:
• Title 24 be exceeded by a minimum of 10%.
• The campus will hold air balance funding from contractor until a verification by 3^rd party be established.
• Cal Poly was instrumental in developing these new guidelines.

5.Land and Water Management

Water Quality Master Plan

Cal Poly has developed a Water Quality Master Plan that requires best management practices for daily activities. Training is also performed on an annual basis. This plan has been approved on campus and is being implemented, although the Regional Water Quality Board has not yet endorsed it.

Creek Enhancement Projects

Cal Poly faculty and staff have worked with the Land Conservancy and Coastal Resource Institute to enhance the creeks running through the campus. They include obtaining grant funding for projects and developing new animal grazing practices that enhance appropriate vegetation and wildlife habitat. Projects in the last five years include:

• Bank stabilization of Stenner Creek by Parker Barn,
• Planting of Stenner Creek Banks at Chorro Ranch and Parker ranch,
• Boulder placing in Stenner Creek to create pools and slow down current,
• Weir removal in Stenner Creek to remove fish barriers,
• Planting of Brizzolara Creek banks along Highland Drive,
• Moving fences away from Brizzolara, Stenner and Chorro Creeks edges,
• Removal of plants that are unhealthy to the creek environment at Stenner and Brizzolara Creeks and tributaries,
• Short intensive and selective creek grazing practices schedule for specific animals and plants to enhance creek heath,

College of Agriculture Programs Sustainable Farm Project

Students use this farm to practice sustainable farming practices.

6. Joint Ventures with the City and County of San Luis Obispo

• Recycling
• The City and County attends and participates in recycling meetings at Cal Poly to insure coordinated efforts.
• Awareness Programs
• Cal Poly and the City participate in joint recycling, water and energy conservation awareness programs, including advertising and presentations.
• Water Conservation
• Cal Poly and the City work together to insure water conservation programs are coordinated and keep up on shared water levels.

 

COMMITTEES

Campus Planning Committee

• This committee is chaired by the President and is reviews and approves all major capital projects on campus.

Master Plan Committee

• Reviews all projects to assure compliance with the Master Plan.

Landscape Advisory Committee

• They review all major projects that effect landscape on campus. Part of their charge is to ensure appropriate and sustainable soft and hardscape.

Biological Sciences Advisory Committee

• The charge of this committee is to ensure the viability of flora and fauna on campus through habitat protection.

Alternative Transportation Committee

• This committee was formed to find ways to implement master plan principles with respect to reducing dependence on the automobile, including increased availability of alternative transportation and changes in parking policies.

Brizzolara Creek Committee

• To address critical issues concerning the enhancement of Brizzolara Creek as charged by the Campus Master Plan Committee

College of Agriculture Land Use Committee

• The College of Agriculture Land Use Committee is a committee that reviews land use issues internal to the college. Facilities Planning has a liaison with this committee.

Cal Poly Sustainability Initiative

• The mission of the Cal Poly Sustainability Initiative (CSI) is to demonstrate and put into action our campus’s commitment to the future: to conservation of resources, to protecting our health and environment, and to the education of our students through modeling socially aware behavior. CSI will develop, with active participation from the campus community, an environmentally responsible campus that is economically viable and reflects the values of campus community members.

CENTERS and INSTITUTES

Coastal Resources Institute

• The Coastal Resources Institute (CRI) at California Polytechnic State University is dedicated to resolving issues involving the management of natural resources such as land, water, timber, flora and fauna. These resources hold great significance for our state’s future economy and the welfare of its people. CRI assembles interdisciplinary teams as needed to address specific concerns related to natural resources.

Irrigation Training Research Center

• The first commitment of the ITRC, which is housed in the BioResource and Agricultural Engineering Department, is to enhance the strong irrigation teaching program at Cal Poly through outside activities in training and research. Irrigation faculty members comprise the board of directors; an industry advisory board provides guidance and support.

 

Renewable Energy Institute

• The Renewable Energy Institute (REI) is a non-profit organization established to promote teaching, research, development, and community service in solar and renewable energy technologies and sustainable community infrastructure. Its teaching and research programs are of an applied and interdisciplinary nature involving students, faculty, staff and off-campus persons from the fields of Agriculture, Architecture, Science and Engineering. The Institute is engaged in the collection, development, and dissemination of information and research about renewable energy and sustainability for the improvement of environmental quality, economics, and human life.

 

Evelyn and Harold Hay Fund

• The Evelyn and Harold Hay Fund was established at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in the early 1990s to support research and teaching related activities of students and faculty in the areas of passive solar building design and water in architecture. Through the generous gift of Mr. Hay and his late wife, Evelyn, Cal Poly has revitalized research and teaching interests to promote the scientific and design-oriented study of passive solar architecture including water as a building material to modulate interior temperatures.

Bioremediation Institute