About Us
Welcome to the Sustainability Office website, hosted by Facilities Management. Our role is to support UNC Charlotte’s mission as the state’s urban research university and its particular commitment to addressing the cultural, economic, educational, environmental, health, and social needs of the greater Charlotte region. We strive to ensure the university is meeting the standards and expectations for institutional sustainability generated by university leaders as well as those set under the University of North Carolina Sustainability Policy.
What is Sustainability?
A widely used definition of sustainability comes from the World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987: “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” In addition to this call for intergenerational equity, the commission also maintained that sustainability encompasses three areas of human needs: environmental, social, and economic.
UNC Charlotte is a member of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), which offers their definition of sustainability “in an inclusive way, encompassing human and ecological health, social justice, secure livelihoods and a better world for all generations.”
The most comprehensive assessment of sustainability at UNC Charlotte is completed using AASHE’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). STARS was developed by the higher education community through a transparent and inclusive process, to provide metrics in four main categories: Academics, Engagement, Operations, and Planning & Administration.
What Can I Learn from this Website?
The Sustainability Office uses this website to provide the UNC Charlotte community with: contact information for our staff; a summary of current priorities; listings of events and organizations; and a catalog of sustainability-related recognition and accomplishments.
Sustainability Office:
