PURSUING FAITHFUL

STEWARDSHIP
A Sustainability Report
Bluffton University
For the 2014-2015 School Year
Written: Fall 2015

*This report was printed on paper from renewable wood

and harvested from responsibly-managed forests

CONTENTS
Acknowledgments....................................................................................................................2
Statement of Purpose................................................................................................................2
Analysis................................................................................................................................3
Improvements Made..............................................................................................................3
Projects in Progress...............................................................................................................3
Bluffton University Sustainability Commitment............................................................................3
Potential Improvements..........................................................................................................4
2014-2015 Utility Data..............................................................................................................5
Weather Data.......................................................................................................................5
Usage Data..........................................................................................................................5
Costs ($).............................................................................................................................7

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The data was organized by, and this report was written by Ryan Johnson-Evers, a 2016 Bluffton graduate as part
of his Honors Project; the report reflects the views of its author. Creation of this report would not have been
possible without assistance from Mustaq Ahmed and the buildings and grounds staff. Dr. Ross Kauffman
provided valuable and essential guidance. Dr. Robert Antibus and Dr. Ross Kauffman edited the report. The
report is inspired by and based off of a Community Task Force project done by Darin Gundy, Jon Tumblin,
Johnny Erevia, Tyler Johnson, and Stephen Torres, 2012 Bluffton graduates. The statement of purpose was
drafted by Josh Storrer.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
Sustainability is a call to action that exceeds the involvement of the individual. As the Bluffton community, we
have come to understand the adverse effects on the environment that people have had as a result of their failure
to act as faithful stewards of Gods creation. Therefore, we seek to approach environmental issues within a
critical context where innovative ideas can be put into place to reduce our environmental footprint and decrease
our exploitation of natural systems. Our commitment is to work toward achieving climate neutrality and
encouraging all members of our community to take on the role of faithful stewards of creation. In order to
achieve these goals, we must better understand how we as a community are using resources. This report, a
continuation from work done during the 2011-2012 school year, presents information on our current use of
electricity, water, and natural gas. It will help provide a baseline measure by which we can determine the
success of our efforts to reduce the environmental impact of Bluffton University. The report can also be a tool to
provide a perspective on sustainability efforts at the institution and to identify areas where change has happened
or is needed.

ANALYSIS
Making an institution sustainable is an ongoing process. Bluffton University has made many adjustments to
reduce its carbon footprint and become sustainable in other areas. As we make changes and learn more, there
will always be more work that can be done. Accordingly, the following lists are not comprehensive, but instead
offer a sample of changes already made and potential improvements. Many changes involve spending money.
This can cause difficulties and requires wise fiscal policies. However, changes that improve environmental
impacts are generally fiscally responsible long-term.
Improvements Made
During the past year there were changes made that improve the sustainability of the institution.
Administrators met with two different companies to investigate solar energy. No arrangement was found that
made sense with the existing infrastructure and financial situations, but the interest remains. Solar panels and a
green roof are part of the plan for the new science building.
Two engineers from Brewer-Garrett were brought to campus and they conducted an energy audit. This audit will
show ways to make our campus more energy efficient and could even involve state funding.
The Sommer Center was built to be L.E.E.D. certified. The certification will be coming following the final
steps of the process that the engineers must carry out. Although the certification is not yet official, President
Harder expects it to easily qualify for the Silver rating, with a slight possibility of being Gold.
Projects in Progress
Autumn Young, a Junior Biology major, has been working to get a composting system implemented on campus.
She developed a plan for the construction and installation. Her project is ready to move forward once funding is
secured.
Katey Ebaugh is working on extending more recycling services to the Marbeck kitchen. The kitchen recycles
cardboard, but not cans or plastic. This would be a meaningful improvement because of the high amount of
resources that the kitchen must go through to supply for the whole student body.
Ryan Johnson-Evers, a Senior Biology major, has been working on a yearlong honors project that aims to
improve the sustainability of Bluffton University. His work includes raising awareness among students,
advocating for sustainable campus wide projects, and making sustainability efforts and awareness a permanent
part of Blufftons environment.
A new Sustainability Club has been approved. This club will provide students a place to take on projects,
encourage, support, and learn about sustainable living.
Bluffton University Sustainability Commitment
President Harder signed the Bluffton University Sustainability Commitment in 2011. It was an important
statement which publicly outlined our priority on being sustainable and also gives a document on which to rate
our progress. When reading the report in the context of Bluffton today, it is easy to find many areas where we
have improved and many where we need to make more progress. Approximately half of the proposals included
in the Commitment have been addressed to some extent. (For a more detailed breakdown, see Appendix I.)
Some successes include the installation of more efficient lightbulbs across campus, the installation of new
energy efficient washing machines, and the construction of the Sommer Center that meets LEED Certification
standards. Although about half the proposals have been addressed, only a few goals have been completely met
and there is lots of work left to be done. Four years after committing to sustainability, it is disappointing that
only a few areas have been appropriately addressed.
One important area where improvement is necessary is being accountable to the Sustainability Commitment. It
calls for reports to monitor progress every two years. However, after the first report in 2011-2012, there was no
3

report or work in that area. Hopefully, the new Sustainability Club will follow this report with reports every
year. Furthermore, the committee outlined by the Commitment dissolved when student interest dropped. The
committee is important for offering an institutional voice for sustainability. It is possible that under the
leadership of a dedicated faculty/staff member rather than a student that the committee would persist.

Potential Improvements
Bluffton University does not have a sustainability coordinator. We rely on faculty and staff members to use their
expertise and their time to do their own part to make us sustainable. This system offers some benefits, yet there
is still room for improvement. Approximately three-quarters of educational institutions employ a full-time staff
member who works to improve environmental sustainability. If a full-time sustainability coordinator is hired at
Bluffton University, they would help by providing consistent, focused, and dedicated work and advocacy for
sustainable improvements.
Hundreds of colleges and universities across the United States, including Goshen College and Eastern
Mennonite University, have committed to going carbon neutral in the near future. Making this commitment at
Bluffton would entail focused efforts and hard work, but it would be a significant and worthwhile improvement.
Bluffton University currently gets their energy in the standard way from the grid. By utilizing renewable energy
sources such as the sun or wind, we could significantly reduce our carbon footprint.
Bluffton University prides itself on enabling students to make the change that they want to see. Students are
encouraged and empowered to take on projects with tangible and important outcomes. Students who take action
can make improvements on this campus.
Educating students on conscious living would improve sustainability. Students continually throw out
recyclables, throw trash, food, and liquids in recycling bins, and use energy without regard for cost or
environmental impact. Many people across campus already work to inform and educate, but there are many
students who do not hear or do not internalize the message.

2014-2015 UTILITY DATA

The following data were gathered from Bluffton utility bills supplied by Buildings and Grounds. The billing
periods for each utility and each month were variable. The bills were assigned to the month corresponding to the
start date of the billing period (e.g. July 18-August 19 would be considered July data). The data should be
considered approximations, as inaccuracies and inconsistencies are inherent to this process.
Full data, including exact usage, costs, and more is available. Contact Ross Kauffman if interested.
Weather Data
This information is important to take into account when comparing utilities over different years, as different
weather necessitates differing levels of usage.
Table 1 shows weather data for each month.
Table 1

Usage Data
Figures 1-3 show the levels of electric, gas, and water usage in comparison to other years for which data is
available.
Figure 1

Electric Usage
600000
500000
400000

KWH

300000
200000
100000
0
Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

2014-2015

Dec

Jan

2012-2013

Feb

Mar
2011-2012

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Figure 2

Gas Usage
6000
5000
4000

MCF

3000
2000
1000
0
Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan

2014-15

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

2011-12

Figure 3

Water Usage
160000
140000
120000
100000

Usage (units)

80000
60000
40000
20000
0
Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

2014-15

Jan
2011-12

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Costs ($)
Figures 4 shows the costs of each utility.
Figure 4

Costs
70000
60000
50000
40000

Amount ($)

30000
20000
10000
0
Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Electric

Gas

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Water

Figure 5 shows a breakdown of the costs by building.

Figure 5
Yoder Hall
Stadium
Sommer Center
Shoker Hall
Sauder
Ropp Hall
Riley Court
Ramseyer Hall
Other Residence
Other
Office
Nature Preserve
Mosiman
Marbeck
Maintenance
Lincoln Hall
Library
Hirschy Hall/Annex
Founders/Burcky
College Hall
Centennial Hall
Bren-Dell Hall
Berky Hall
B&G

Water
Gas
Electric

20000

40000

60000

80000 100000 120000 140000 160000

Cost ($)

Appendix I- Analysis of our adherence to the Bluffton University Sustainability Commitment

The following proposals are either directly taken or paraphrased for simplicity from the Bluffton University
Sustainability Commitment. The proposals are scored based on success, earning either an empty cell, + or ++.
An empty cell represents that we have failed to work toward the goal or have made minimal progress. A +
represents that some progress has been made. A ++ indicates that the goal has been reached, or that significant
progress has been made.
It is important to note that these ratings were assigned largely based on personal experience and word of mouth
and do not necessarily reflect quantitative research. However, it is the belief of the author this this
approximation is an important step toward accountability in regards to the commitments that have been made.