Operations

Temple embraces transformative operations in order to fully meet our climate commitment.

Temple is comprised of more than 40,000 individuals, making personal choices that affect how the university operates on a daily basis. Each person will decide how they travel to campus, what they will consume, how they will connect with technology, and how they manage their waste. Goals in the Operations category push Temple Owls to rethink individual and departmental choices and to inspire the integration of sustainability into decision making process.

Learn more about our goals and the progress we've made.

Waste Minimization and Recycling Goals and Progress

Achieve a 50% diversion rate by 2020.

IN PROGRESS: In the 2021-2022 academic year Temple recycled 46% of its total waste.

Increase the core recycling rate to 30% by 2020.

ACHIEVED: In the 2021-2022 academic year Temple recycled 38% of core recycling.

Dedicate a staff person in university housing to achieve compliance with the university’s waste minimization and recycling initiatives by fall 2019.

ACHIEVED: The Office of Sustainability has been working with dedicated staff in university housing to achieve compliance with the University’s waste minimization and recycling initiatives.

Develop a comprehensive Materials Management plan and implementation schedule to achieve City of Philadelphia's Zero Waste partner status by 2020.

IN PROGRESS: A draft Materials Management Plan was completed and will be submitted the plan as part of Temple University’s Zero Waste Partnership application.

Grounds Goals and Progress

Develop and implement a plan for sustainable landscape management that builds on recommendations in the Verdant Temple Landscape Master Plan and incorporates plantings, soil management, water conservation, and integrated pest management by 2022.

ACHIEVED: The Office of Sustainability finalized a sustainable landscape management document. Temple University's Sustainable Landscape Practices published on the Office of Sustainability's website.

Reduce the amount of water required for landscape management by 25% by 2025 from the 2006 baseline.

IN PROGRESS: Irrigation meters were installed to provide more accurate data regarding water use on campus. Temple will use this data to baseline and reevaluate our water use goal.

Reduce the use of inorganic fertilizers and chemical pesticides, fungicides and herbicides by 75% by 2025 from the 2010 baseline.

IN PROGRESS: In FY 2022, Temple University reduced inorganic fertilizers and chemical pesticides, fungicides and herbicides by 33% from the 2010 baseline.

Transportation Goals and Progress

Increase the number of commuters who utilize a sustainable form of transportation to the campus to 75% by 2025.

IN PROGRESS: According to the results of the 2022 Transportation survey, 67% of Temple students, faculty, and staff utilize a sustainable form of transportation when traveling to campus.

Reduce fleet-based emissions from 2006 baseline by 20% by 2030.

IN PROGRESS: In FY 2022, fleet-based emissions from Temple’s vehicles have increased by 14% since a 2006 baseline.

Reduce the number of single occupancy vehicles on campus by 10% by 2025.

IN PROGRESS: Temple is unable to report on the progress of the single occupancy vehicle goal in FY 2022.

Increase the percentage the university’s fleet that is alternatively fueled to 50% by 2030.

IN PROGRESS: In FY 2022, 20% of Temple's fleet was alternatively fueled.

Indoor Air Quality Goals and Progress

Temple University will ensure that 100% of its paint, adhesives and sealers are third party verified as VOC free by 2019.

IN PROGRESS: Temple University paint standard specifies that all paint is third party verified as VOC free.

Sustainable IT Goals and Progress

ITS team will develop a comprehensive strategic plan for sustainable IT at the university by the end of 2019, and begin to implement its recommendations by 2020. The plan will look at procurement, operations and engagement.

ACHIEVED: The steering committee made up of individuals in IT and the Office of Sustainability identified priority initiatives and have determined an implementation strategy.

Dining Goals and Progress

Temple University’s dining services will ensure that a minimum of 20% of its procurement spend is used on food that meets STARS definition of locally sourced by 2020.

IN PROGRESS: Less than 2% of dining services procurement spend was used on food that meets STARS definition of locally sourced.

Temple University will reach a 50% food waste diversion target by 2022 in its four largest dining facilities (J&H, Morgan Hall Food Court, Morgan Hall Dining Center, and Student Center).

ACHIEVED: Aramark generates food waste from production, service, and storage. In FY 2022, Aramark diverted 64% of food waste from J&H and 74% of food waste from Morgan Dining.

Temple University will require its dining services provider to submit annual procurement reporting consistent with the STARS assessment program by 2018.

ACHIEVED: Aramark, Temple University's dining service provider, has submitted annual procurement reporting consistent with STARS assessment program.

Office of Sustainability