Institutionalizing Sustainability Performance Metrics

Smart & Sustainable Campuses Conference 2013Presented by

Keri Enright-KatoYale Office of Sustainability

IndicatorSignal that reveals progress (or lack thereof) towards objectives; means of measuring what actually happens against what has been planned in terms of quantity, quality and timeliness. An indicator is a quantitative or qualitative variable that provides a simple and reliable basis for assessing achievement, change or performance.Source: Handbook on monitoring and evaluating for results. UNDP, Evaluation Office, New York, 2002.

MetricStandard of measurementSource: Merriam Webster Dictionary

Selecting Meaningful Sustainability Indicators

Five Key Questions:

1. What is your intended sustainable outcome? What do you

value?

2. Do the indicators you’ve selected measure progress toward

your goal/outcome?

3. Is your indicator clear and easy to understand?

4. Is the indicator based on accessible data?

5. Are you collecting too many indicators?

Selecting Meaningful Sustainability Indicators

Often considered unverifiable and subjective. However, if properly developed and interpreted, qualitative indicators play a significant role in identifying constraints to implementation and obstacles to success, which may not be readily apparent. i.e. conducting focus groups with targeted questions leading to insightful responses.

QuantitativeObjective and verifiable metrics that are represented by a number. Typically easier to collect. i.e. campus greenhouse gas emissions.

Proxy/Indirect An indirect measure that can represent the impact. i.e. Number of people that subscribe to our campaign emails or number of green office certifications indicate levels of engagement.

Qualitative

Yale University: Sustainability Metrics Timeline

2006 20082005 2010 2012 2013

Yale Office of Sustainability Founded

Metric collection commences

Formal analysis of trends presented to AVP of Facilities

Sustainability Strategic Plan Developed

First Progress Report & Transition metrics to a cloud based data software program

Second Progress Report and Strategic Plan 2.0

Yale Office of Sustainability

2005 2006 2008 2010 2012 2013

Tips for Standardizing the Data Collection Process

Face to Face Meeting

Automated System

Email Request

Frequency

Storing Your Metrics

Storing Your Metrics

Strategic Planning & Setting Targets

Communicating Metrics: Website

Communicating Metrics: Reports

Communicating Metrics: Campaigns, Posters, & Fact Sheets

Communicating Progress: Annual Progress Report

Communicating Metrics: Equivalencies

Communicating Progress: Equivalencies

Communicating Metrics: Equivalencies

Communicating Metrics: Presentations

Questions?