The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) awarded UTSA a Gold rating on its Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS). “AASHE empowers higher education faculty, administrators, staff and students to be effective change agents and drivers of sustainability innovation.” STARS “is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance.”
UTSA has made substantial efforts to contribute to the overall well-being of the campus communities. “These efforts include enhancing campus walkability and bikeability, increasing renewable energy infrastructure, retrofitting buildings for optimal efficiency and establishing a LEED Silver standard for all new construction exceeding $10 million,” Veronica Salazar, UTSA Executive Vice President for Business Affairs and Chief Enterprise Development Officer, said. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievements. “LEED certification provides a framework for healthy, highly efficient and cost-saving green buildings, which offer environmental, social and governance benefits.”
In 2023, San Pedro I, home of the UTSA School of Data Science and the National Security Collaboration Center, earned a LEED gold status, the second highest certification tier you can achieve. San Pedro I earned this ranking because the building was “Designed and constructed with thoughtful attention to energy efficiency and sustainable site development, the building features indoor/outdoor connections and reconfigurable spaces for multipurpose use, facilitating an adaptable environment suited to serve occupants for many years to come.”
As San Pedro II, also known as the Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Careers building, is being built, San Pedro I has become the blueprint for a “more sustainable approach to new campus buildings.”
UTSA earned the silver STARS rating in 2020 with the help of The Office of Sustainability. The Office of Sustainability was reestablished in 2019 through the Supporting University Sustainability through Action, Initiatives and Narrative (SUSTAIN) fund. SUSTAIN is a university program that funds projects that advance campus sustainability. “The Office of Sustainability seeks to make our campus more sustainable through policies and practices that align with the president’s strategic initiatives in academics, research and operational excellence. These policies and practices support ecological, human and economic health and vitality.”
UTSA has demonstrated its dedication to sustainability through the Campus Master Plan. The UTSA Campus Master Plan “serves as a roadmap to guide UTSA’s physical growth in alignment with its academic mission and strategic priorities over the next decade.” As an institution of higher education, UTSA is committed to being a “responsible steward of its unique environmental and cultural assets. Across the university, UTSA will leverage data-driven approaches and promote knowledge to ensure a sustainable future for UTSA and the wider community.”
