This is the third in a series of blog articles highlighting many of the excellent case studies AASHE has received for our campus sustainability case study database (AASHE Member-only resource). Virtually all of the case studies in the database have been submitted as part of our annual awards program. Although we can only recognize a few campus submissions as "official winners," there are many exemplary case studies in the database worthy of recognition and wide dissemination (this is also a reminder to our campus readers to submit to our awards program and database. We know you have great case studies to share!).

This week's highlight comes from Yale University and provides a roadmap for successfully creating departmental/unit specific sustainability action plans.

Authored by Amber Garrard, Education and Outreach Coordinator for the Yale Office of Sustainability, the case study describes a unique program designed to guide departments within a larger institution in creating department/unit-specific Sustainability Action Plans.

The case study overview and background is included below;
"The Yale Office of Sustainability developed the Roadmap manual and tools in 2011 and piloted the program with nine University departments over the academic year. The Roadmap is designed to become an online program that departments can use with minimal direct support and cost to develop a sense of ownership over sustainability planning. Roadmap provides a crucial component to institutional sustainability—allowing more effective research, assessment, and strategic planning to occur on the ground level.

The Roadmap to Sustainability was originally conceived of as a complement to Yale University’s Sustainability Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan, endorsed by Yale’s President Levin in 2010, synthesized overarching goals and policies in sustainability for the entire University; the Roadmap was designed to support on-the-ground realization of these goals through individual departments. During the summer of 2011, a summer research fellow in the Yale Office of Sustainability created an elaborate set of tools, templates, and guidelines for department leaders, with the ultimate goal of creating a Departmental Sustainability Action Plan. The following school year (2011-2012), another undergraduate Research Assistant and the Assistant Director of the Office of Sustainability piloted these materials with nine departments from across campus."

To read the full case study including sections on project implementation, timeline, financing, results and lessons learned please visit, "Roadmap to Sustainability for Departmental Planning".

Additional information is also available from the Yale Office of Sustainability website.