UCSF Forms Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Sustainability

By Lisa Cisneros UCSF Chancellor Mike Bishop, MD, has formed the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Sustainability (CACS) to be co-chaired by Senior Vice Chancellor Steve Barclay and Tomi Ryba, chief operating officer of UCSF Medical Center. The CACS will examine UCSF's effect on the environment, evaluate and propose policies and programs, as well as coordinate the actions of groups and individuals who are concerned about the environment. See the list of committee members below. The formation of the CACS demonstrates the University's ongoing efforts and long-term commitment to reduce its impact on the environment while fulfilling its mission of advancing health worldwide™. To celebrate this commitment, the campus community is invited to participate in UCSF's fourth annual Earth Fest/Bike to Work Day on Thursday, May 15. The event, to run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Millberry Union Gymnasium on the Parnassus campus, will feature representatives from nonprofit groups and environmentally responsible businesses, electronics recycling, organic food tasting, music and more. Accomplishments to Date UCSF has been working toward environmental sustainability for years. These efforts were jump-started in 2004 through an ad hoc, staff-initiated sustainability committee led by former Associate Vice Chancellor Steve Wiesenthal, who recently left UCSF for the University of Chicago. The committee, with members representing a cross-section of the campus and medical center, championed and orchestrated a number of earth-friendly efforts and events. Read the story. Among UCSF efforts toward sustainability are expanding recycling, reusing, composting, boosting the number of bike lockers/racks/cages, investing in the campus shuttle system, and promoting water and energy conservation and ride sharing -- all of which clearly reduce UCSF's overall impact on the environment. In recent years, UCSF also has increased the use of environmentally friendly custodial and landscaping products, introduced waterless urinals, installed efficient lightbulbs, added organic produce in the medical center's food service program and deployed hybrid and electric vehicles. Among the important achievements:
  • • UCSF recently installed solar panels on the roofs of Genentech Hall and the parking garage, which combined are generating 249 kW of electricity at the Mission Bay campus.
  • • UCSF Transportation Services, led by director Jon Gledhill, increased the number of vanpools from 30 in 2003 to 46 in 2008 and the number of cars in car sharing from three to 17 during the same period. These efforts earned UCSF a place on the inaugural 2006 national list of Best Workplaces for Commuters from colleges and universities, awarded by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Read the story.
  • • UCSF's recycling rates have increased from 14 percent in 1999 to 43 percent in 2007 in the recycling program co-led by Kathryn Hyde and Susan Bluestone, both in Capital Programs & Facilities Management.
  • • And the renovation of a sixth-floor UCSF School of Dentistry laboratory in Health Sciences West in 2005 was the first lab in the country to be recognized for its sustainable design and construction by the US Green Building Council. Read the story
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Moving Forward Many of the current construction projects, including the Institute for Regeneration Medicine building and the cardiovascular research building at UCSF, will pursue similar standards and recognition. The medical center at Mission Bay will be certified by the US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) construction standards. The new medical center will incorporate and integrate the best green practices into the design, construction, operations and purchasing strategies. Read the story. The formation of the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Sustainability at UCSF builds on ongoing momentum throughout the UC system, which has been lauded recently for its policies and practices to protect the planet. Read the story. In fact, UCSF will have to rise to the challenge of several mandates. The University of California Office of the President has enacted an aggressive policy on sustainable practices, which asks that all campuses become climate-neutral as quickly as possible by evaluating their current greenhouse gas emissions. Campuses are expected to have a climate action plan by the end of 2008. For more information about sustainability efforts at UCSF, email [email protected]. Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Sustainability
Steve Barclay, co-chair, senior vice chancellor
Tomi Ryba, co-chair, UCSF Medical Center chief operating officer

Bruce Adams, postdoctoral scholar
Dorie Apollonio, School of Pharmacy
Joseph Castro, Student Academic Affairs
John Fecondo, Graduate Student Association
Barbara French, University Relations
Elena Fuentes-Afflick, Academic Senate
John Greenspan, School of Dentistry
Stella Hsu, Campus Life Services
Nancy Milliken, School of Medicine
Susan Moore , UCSF Medical Center
Afie Murray, School of Nursing
Tom Newman, Academic Senate
David Odato, UCSF Medical Center
Clifford Roberts, Office of Research
Eric Vermillion, Finance
Shirley Wong, Associated Students of UCSF Related Links: University of California Sustainability Policies and Best Practices UCSF Works Toward a Healthy Environment
UCSF Today, Feb. 14, 2008 UCSF Names Environmental Sustainability Manager
UCSF Today, Dec. 14, 2007 Campus Establishes UCSF Sustainability Committee
UCSF Today, May 4, 2004