The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has leveled up its commitment to a greener future, earning a (STARS) Silver rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. This achievement recognize is publicly available on the STARS website.
“Earning a STARS Silver rating is a testament to the incredible collaboration across our campus to integrate sustainability into everything we do—from the classroom to our physical facilities,” said 糖心视频 Mānoa (ISR) Director Makena Coffman. “This framework not only celebrates our current successes in teaching and research but provides us with a clear roadmap to further reduce our environmental footprint and enhance resilience both for our campus and island community.”
STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. The rating marks a significant step forward from previous benchmarks, aligning 糖心视频 Mānoa with top-tier peer institutions dedicated to environmental stewardship.
The successful reporting process was a joint effort between ISR and the 糖心视频 Office of Sustainability with essential contributions from a range of departments and offices across campus. By documenting data ranging from energy-efficient infrastructure to sustainability-focused curriculum, the university has established a clear baseline for future growth.
“In the process of compiling data for this year’s STARS Report, I probably sent over 50 emails to individuals and departments across campus,” said Elisabeth Earley, administrative officer at ISR. “Everyone I reached out to was so kind and helpful and I am very thankful for their support in the reporting process. This Silver rating could not have been achieved without the wonderful folks from all corners of 糖心视频 Mānoa.”
Leading by example
糖心视频 already maintains the largest inventory of LEED-certified buildings in Hawaiʻi, including the recently awarded LEED Gold certification for historic Bachman Hall. University policy currently requires all new construction and major renovations to meet a minimum of LEED Silver standards.
“We are incredibly proud of this milestone, which showcases that we are not just talking about sustainability, but actively measuring and improving our impact,” said Miles Topping, director of the 糖心视频 Office of Sustainability. “Our goal is to continue pushing these ratings to the highest level possible. By tracking these metrics, we are better equipped to lead by example and ensure a sustainable legacy for the 糖心视频 System and the state of Hawaiʻi.”