HKUST Annual Report 2016-17

57 reduction of landfill waste of 6.6% compared to last year. The University saw its annual greenhouse gas emissions shrink by 1.5%, thanks to continued energy efficiency upgrades, such as the installation of LED lighting and more efficient air-conditioning systems. The building of sustainable operations within the University took place across many departments and groups. The Cleaning Steering Committee identifies waste reduction opportunities at major events and formulates recycling strategies for resources. The Green Lab Working Group monitors energy performance in labs through real-time metering and designs energy reduction initiatives for lab equipment and recycling programs. The Energy Performance Review team regularly studies energy consumption data and builds energy-saving capacity through operations and newly invested projects. SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES The Office of the President launched the HKUST Sustainability Network to infuse sustainability initiatives into offices and departments across the University and develop green practices campus-wide. Led by staff and students dedicated to improving campus sustainability, the HKUST Green Team undertook several projects to promote sustainable food choices over the year. The Shanghai Commercial Bank-HKUST Sustainable Campus Leadership Program continued to support students in designing green campus projects and learning about eco-project management and problem- solving by collaborating with administrative and operations departments at HKUST. SUSTAINABILITY DEMONSTRATION To advance sustainable practices and experiential learning, the University invested in a series of real-time energy meters and monitors to enable the HKUST community to track the inner workings of the campus from their desktops. Events and educational campaigns throughout the year encouraged members of the University to become greener, including the first E-waste Recycling Day, No Straw Day, a Green Products Fair, numerous urban gardening workshops, and “Tap It Forward”, an innovative collaboration between students and staff to promote a plastic water bottle-free campus. SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION The Sustainability Education Advisory Group is tasked with consulting widely with the University community to find ways to actively advance sustainability education at HKUST. In parallel, the Sustainability Education Network provides a platform for faculty and instructors to engage in multidisciplinary dialogue, collaboration, and support for sustainability education and practice within the University. HKUST became one of the founding members of the Global Consortium for Sustainability Outcomes, a network of universities dedicated to scaling sustainability solutions with like-minded partners around the world.