Paper Conference

Proceedings of Building Simulation 2021: 17th Conference of IBPSA

     

A critical review of the effectiveness of the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) framework on campus sustainability

Lauren E. Doocy, Arash Zarmehr, Joseph T. Kider Jr
University of Central Florida, United States of America

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26868/25222708.2021.31030
Abstract: Ratings, certifications, and assessments provide sustainability goals for design, construction, and operation for the built environment. This paper is a critical review of the effectiveness and credibility of current university campus sustainability assessments. The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) is a self-reported, global sustainability standard and a framework for higher education institutions to track and measure campus sustainability progress across education, engagement, operations, and planning measurements. This study quantitatively evaluates over 300 participating institutions by analyzing the sustainability performance and environmental impact of their physical campuses. Finally, it considers STARS from a LEED-based perspective by integrating operations-centric criteria to enhance the true environmental and comprehensive impact of participating institutions.
Keywords: Urban Sustainability, Campus Sustainability, Higher Education, Sustainability Networks, Community Assessment
Pages: 629 - 635
Paper:
bs2021_31030