Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility Sustainability at UWF | University of West Florida
Skip to main content
Logo of University of West Florida

Sustainability at UWF

Utilities, Energy & Sustainability manages the sustainability program goals to assure program alignment with the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment.

Projects

Completed Projects

  • Building 40 utility plant chilled water system upgrade providing an annual energy cost savings of $60,900
  • Building 72 gym and fitness areas LED lighting retrofit providing an annual energy cost savings of $15,590

Proposed Projects

  • Buildings 22 and 58 multi-zone air handling unit (AHU) variable frequency drive (VFD) installation providing an annual energy cost savings of $38,253
  • Building 54 main gym LED lighting retrofit providing an annual energy cost savings of $16,290 

Reports

The University works closely with environmental agencies and other partners to ensure all new development is built according to code, and that the environmental footprint is managed responsibly. The following reports and surveys were administered for the University Park project:

  • 2015 Tree Inventory Report: The University hired a certified arborist from the International Society of Arboriculture to conduct a Tree Inventory Report in January 2015. This report is an effort to provide the scope of the environmental footprint of the project and analyze the possible implications.

  • 2015 Threatened and Endangered Species Survey: The University hired Edmisten & Associates to conduct a Threatened and Endangered Species Survey in December 2014. A Threatened and Endangered Species Survey includes visual inspection, community and habitat assessment and identification of listed species or potential presence of listed species by walking appropriately spaced transects in accordance with habitat types and conditions. This report found that no endangered species inhabit the area.

Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design

LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is a green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices. To receive LEED certification, building projects satisfy prerequisites and earn points to achieve different levels of certification. Prerequisites and credits differ for each rating system, and teams choose the best fit for their project. The US Green Building Council (USGBC) maintains an online directory of U.S. LEED-certified projects and can provide further detail in LEED construction requirements.

Several UWF facilities have received the U.S. Green Building Council LEED certification status. The rating scale includes “Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum” in order of lower to higher designation.

UWF LEED Certified Buildings

LEED Gold Certification

  • College of Business Education Center (Building 76A) - 2012

  • President’s Hall (Building 922) - 2012

  • Heritage Hall (Building 921) - 2010

  • Student Wellness Center (Building 960) - 2011

  • Science and Engineering Building (Building 4) - 2009

  • Applied Science and Technology Renovation (Building 70) - 2010

  • College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities - CUTLA, Marketing, and Economics Renovation (Building 53) - 2016

  • Darrell Gooden Center (University Park) (Building 234) - 2020

LEED Silver Certification

  • College of Business, Pat Dodson - Renovation (Building 76) - 2014

  • Laboratory Sciences Annex (Building 58C) - 2020

  • Educational Research Center for Child Development (Building 99) - 2008

LEED Certification Pending

  • Nothing at this time

"Green College" Recognition

In partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council, The Princeton Review produced "The Princeton Review's Guide to 322 Green Colleges: 2013 Edition" and recognized The University of West Florida as "one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in the USA and Canada." On April 20, 2013, this guidebook profiled 322 higher education institutions in the U.S. and Canada. This was UWF's third time being recognized.

In order to receive "Green College" Recognition, institutions must receive a Green Rating of 80 or higher on a scale from 60-99.

  • The percentage of food expenditures that goes toward local, organic or otherwise environmentally preferable food
  • Whether the school offers programs including free bus passes, universal access transit passes, bike/sharing/renting, car sharing, carpool parking, vanpooling or guaranteed rides home to encourage alternatives to single passenger automobile use for students.
  • Whether the school has a formal committee with participating from students that is devoted to advancing sustainability on campus
  • Whether new buildings are required to be certified LEED Silver
  • The school's overall waste diversion rate
  • Whether the school has an environmental studies major, minor or concentration
  • Whether the school has an "environmental literacy" requirement
  • Whether the school has produced a publicly available greenhouse gas emissions inventory and adopted a climate action plan consistent with 80 percent greenhouse gas reductions by 2050 targets.
  • What percentage of the school's energy consumption, including heating/cooling and electrical, is derived from renewable sources (this definition included "green tags" but not nuclear or large scale hydropower).
  • Whether the school employs a dedicated full-time (or full-time equivalent) sustainability officer