Claire Jackson and Sameera White display UAH’s STARS Bronze Certificate
Courtesy LeeAnn Darling
Once again, The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of The University of Alabama System, has earned a STARS Bronze rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education.
UAH’s STARS report is publicly available on the STARS website.
The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)
UAH is committed to the promotion of a more sustainable campus focused on energy, environment and engagement through its commitment to energy conservation, environmental stewardship and social engagement. UAH first earned its STARS Bronze rating with its first submission in 2019 with score of 27.06 points. UAH has since improved upon that score with its 2022 submission resulting in a new score of 34.89 points.
“We are very proud to have achieved a STARS Bronze rating for our sustainability accomplishments. We look forward to watching our sustainability efforts grow and improve through the STARS program,” says Claire Jackson, Director of Utilities & Sustainability.
The STARS program provides a framework for understanding sustainability in all sectors of higher education through a transparent and inclusive process. With more than 900 participants in 40 countries, AASHE’s STARS program is the most widely recognized framework in the world for publicly reporting comprehensive information related to a college or university’s sustainability performance. Participants report achievements in five overall areas: 1) academics 2) engagement, 3) operations, 4) planning and administration and 5) innovation and leadership.
The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS) is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance.
The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)
“STARS was developed by the campus sustainability community to provide high standards for recognizing campus sustainability efforts,” says AASHE Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser. “UAH has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS Bronze rating and is to be congratulated for their efforts.”
Unlike other rating or ranking systems, this program is open to all institutions of higher education, and the criteria that determine a STARS rating are transparent and accessible to anyone. Because STARS is a program based on credits earned, it allows for both internal comparisons as well as comparisons with similar institutions.
For more information about the UAH Sustainability Program, visit www.uah.edu/sustainability.
