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Sustainability

Sustainability at Ivy Tech Community College

Ivy Tech will achieve comprehensive sustainability by exploring the rational use of renewable resources and the conservation of non-renewable resources.  We will pursue self-supporting initiatives that allow for growth, improved efficiency, and stability while positively impacting our students, employees, and communities.

  • Ivy Tech has a single stream recycling program. Our goal is to divert 50% of our waste from the landfill by the end of CY2023.  Recycling bins are located in each building where the following items can be thrown in the same container:

    • Cardboard boxes (broken down)
    • Magazines, newspapers, and inserts
    • All white, colored, and coated papers
    • Brochures and pamphlets
    • Correspondence papers (letterhead, mail, and adverting)
    • Envelopes (even with plastic windows or labels)
    • Folders (manila, coated, or colored)
    • Manuals with glued bindings
    • Paper from legal pads, memo pads, note pads, scratch pads, and steno pads
    • Posters
    • Store receipts
    • Self-adhesive notes
    • Soft covered books
    • Cereal boxes
    • Frozen food boxes
    • Plastic containers #1 thru #7 (Examples: food and beverage bottles and containers)
    • Stretch film
    • Aluminum beverage and food containers
    • Steel beverage and food containers

    *Single stream recycling does not accept glass containers, Styrofoam, or paper products that are food contaminated.

    **Confidential papers should not be placed in single stream recycling containers. They are picked up by Facility Operations and destroyed per department request.

  • Facilities and Capital Planning has initiated several energy conservation programs and projects in an effort to reduce utility costs across our campuses. These initiatives include:

    • Performing energy audits and building retro-commissioning to identify opportunities for reducing energy consumption in existing buildings.
    • Replace and update older building HVAC systems. This includes new efficient equipment, converting to natural gas, and adding computerized energy management system controls to more precisely regulate building systems across campus.
    • Update and replace window and door systems in buildings to improve building envelope.
    • Replace exterior lights with LED fixtures.
    • Replace interior lighting with LED fixtures.
    • Installation of low flow restroom fixtures.
    • Turn off all lights when leaving an office, classroom, or lodge room, even if equipped with occupancy sensors.
    • Do not use space heaters.  These heaters interfere with building control of HVAC equipment and present a significant safety hazard due to the possibility of overheating equipment and overloaded electrical circuits.
    • Report any plumbing leaks or drips to conserve water.
    • Utilize reusable water bottles and bottle filling stations to reduce the number of empty water bottles generated.