Facilities Planning & Management

Sustainability

 

The University of South Florida has established an Office of Sustainability with a mission to coordinate and build partnerships for university-wide initiatives that advance the University of South Florida’s strategic goal of creating a sustainable campus environment. In support of this initiative, former USF President Judy Genshaft has signed the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment.

USF Sarasota-Manatee campus Facilities Planning and Management is committed to operate and maintain the physical resources in a manner that promotes sustainability and provides the maximum stewardship of the natural environment. While the goal of improved sustainability is the responsibility of all departments at USF Sarasota-Manatee campus, Facilities Planning and Management stands uniquely positioned to lead the effort by implementing an expansion of its current initiatives related to mass transportation improvements, energy conservation, green cleaning and recycling.

Energy Management

Energy management is the responsibility of the Facilities Planning and Management operations staff. Facilities Planning and Management utilizes web-based HVAC controls software to track energy consumption and manage our campus-wide chilled water system. Our central energy plant features high-efficiency chillers and an ice storage system which generates ice during off-peak hours to be used for cooling during peak hours. This reduces electrical demand and consumption and results in lower utility bills and reduced carbon emissions.

USF Sarasota-Manatee campus routinely upgrades to LED lighting during renovation projects and recently converted all parking and walkway lighting to LED. This initiative both improved light levels on campus and lowered energy consumption.

Waste & Recycling

USF Sarasota-Manatee campus recently converted to single stream recycling which eliminates the need for sorting recyclables into various categories.  Each office now contains a blue recycle bin and a smaller black trash container.  Items that can be placed in the blue recycle bin include flattened cardboard, magazines, office paper, brown paper bags, newspapers, junk mail, plastic bottles and containers #1-7, glass bottles and jars, and aluminum cans and foil that are cleaned of any food residue. 
Items that cannot be recycled and must be placed in the black trash containers include food waste of any kind, paper plates containing food waste, plastic bags, and polystyrene foam cups and containers.
Recycling and trash is removed by the custodial staff on a daily basis and placed in large outdoor dumpsters and compactors.

Paper products are to be placed in the blue “WE RECYCLE” containers in your office. Scrap paper, magazines, paper plates or cups (void of any food residue), and cardboard boxes are examples of what you should place there. Cardboard boxes are to be broken down if possible. If the broken down box is too large for the container, place it on top or to the side of the container and mark it as trash. Paper products are routinely removed from the facility by the Custodial Staff and stored in a larger outdoor bin pending pick up by a contracted paper recycling company.

Plastic bottles and aluminum cans are to be placed in the tall green and white cylindrical recycling containers located throughout the facility. Bottles and cans are removed from the facility on an as needed basis by the Custodial Staff and stored in a larger outdoor bin pending pick up by a contracted glass/aluminum recycling company.

Other discarded office waste is to be placed in the black trash container in your office. This material is removed by the Custodial Staff on a daily basis and placed in a large outdoor trash compactor. The compactor is pulled and returned by a contracted waste management company on an as needed basis.

It is extremely important that we keep paper products, plastic bottles/aluminum cans, and office waste separated. Our ability to effectively recycle is hampered by commingled materials in any of the distinct containers noted above.

Fluorescent bulbs are routinely replaced throughout the facility.  The bad bulbs are placed in special recycling boxes and shipped to a contracted bulb recycling facility.

Batteries are collected in a special cylindrical container in the Student Lounge and shipped to a contracted battery recycling company on an as needed basis. Please feel free to place your bad batteries in this container.

Electronic equipment such as computer towers, monitors, small printers, battery back-up devices, etc., are collected by Technology Services and delivered to the main campus in Tampa for proper recycling and disposal.