2010 Bentley University: A Plan for Carbon Neutrality
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Bentley
January 15
University:
A Plan for
Carbon 2010
Neutrality
Bentley University‟s Climate Action Plan
Contents Executive Summary .................................................................................................................................. 1 Authors and Process.................................................................................................................................. 3 Bentley University‟s Sustainability Vision ............................................................................................... 3 The American College and University Presidents‟ Climate Commitment ............................................... 3 Manager of Sustainability and the Sustainability Task Force ................................................................... 4 Green House Gas Emission Inventory ...................................................................................................... 4 Projected Greenhouse Gas Emissions ....................................................................................................... 9 About Bentley ............................................................................................................................................. 11 Academics & Research ............................................................................................................................... 11 Natural & Applied Sciences Department ................................................................................................ 11 Accounting Department .......................................................................................................................... 13 Computer Information Systems Department .......................................................................................... 13 Economics Department ........................................................................................................................... 14 Finance Department ................................................................................................................................ 14 Information & Process Management Department................................................................................... 15 Law, Taxation & Financial Planning Department .................................................................................. 15 Management Department ........................................................................................................................ 16 Mathematics Department ........................................................................................................................ 17 Service to the External Community ............................................................................................................ 18 The Bentley Alliance for Ethics and Social Responsibility .................................................................... 18 Service-Learning Center ......................................................................................................................... 18 Center for Business Ethics ...................................................................................................................... 19 Global Business Ethics Symposium ....................................................................................................... 19 Bentley-TIME Leadership Forum........................................................................................................... 20 Career Development ................................................................................................................................... 21 Green Careers for Bentley Students ........................................................................................................ 21 Sustainability Strategies .............................................................................................................................. 22 Campus Culture .......................................................................................................................................... 22 Mission.................................................................................................................................................... 22 Vision ...................................................................................................................................................... 22 Current Sustainable Practices.................................................................................................................. 22 Short Term Goals (0-1 years).................................................................................................................. 23 Intermediate Term Goals (1-5 years) ...................................................................................................... 24 Long Term Goals (5-10 years) ................................................................................................................ 26 Landscaping ................................................................................................................................................ 27 Mission.................................................................................................................................................... 27
Vision ...................................................................................................................................................... 27 Current Sustainable Practices.................................................................................................................. 27 Short Term Goals (0-1 years).................................................................................................................. 28 Intermediate Goals (1-5 years) ................................................................................................................ 28 Long Term Goals (5-10 years) ................................................................................................................ 30 Recycling and Waste Management ............................................................................................................. 31 Mission.................................................................................................................................................... 31 Vision ...................................................................................................................................................... 31 Current Sustainable Practices.................................................................................................................. 32 Short Term Goals (0-1 years).................................................................................................................. 33 Intermediate Goals (1-5 years) ................................................................................................................ 35 Long Term Goals (5-10 years) ................................................................................................................ 37 Transportation ............................................................................................................................................. 38 Mission.................................................................................................................................................... 38 Vision ...................................................................................................................................................... 38 Current Sustainable Practices.................................................................................................................. 38 Short Term Goals (0-1 years).................................................................................................................. 39 Intermediate Goals (1-5 years) ................................................................................................................ 40 Long Term Goals (5-10 years) ................................................................................................................ 42 Information Technology ............................................................................................................................. 44 Mission.................................................................................................................................................... 44 Vision ...................................................................................................................................................... 44 Current Sustainable Practices: ................................................................................................................ 44 Short Term Goals (0-1 years).................................................................................................................. 46 Intermediate Goals (1-5 years)................................................................................................................ 46 Long Term Goals (5-10 years) ................................................................................................................ 48 Purchasing, Administrative and Campus Services...................................................................................... 49 Mission.................................................................................................................................................... 49 Vision ...................................................................................................................................................... 49 Current Sustainable Practices.................................................................................................................. 49 Short Term Goals (0-1 years).................................................................................................................. 50 Intermediate (1-5 years) .......................................................................................................................... 51 Long Term Goals (5-10 years) ................................................................................................................ 52 Dining Services ........................................................................................................................................... 53 Mission.................................................................................................................................................... 53 Vision ...................................................................................................................................................... 53
Current Sustainable Practices.................................................................................................................. 53 Short Term Goals (0-1 years).................................................................................................................. 56 Intermediate Goals (1-5 years) ................................................................................................................ 57 Long Term Goals (5-10 years) ................................................................................................................ 58 Utilities and Energy Management............................................................................................................... 60 Mission.................................................................................................................................................... 60 Vision ...................................................................................................................................................... 60 Current Sustainable Practices.................................................................................................................. 60 Short Term Goals (0-1 years).................................................................................................................. 63 Intermediate Goals (1-5 years) ................................................................................................................ 67 Long Term Goals (5-10 years) ................................................................................................................ 69 Built Environment....................................................................................................................................... 71 Mission.................................................................................................................................................... 71 Vision ...................................................................................................................................................... 71 Current Sustainable Practices.................................................................................................................. 71 Short Term Goals (0-1 years).................................................................................................................. 71 Intermediate Goals (1-5 years) ................................................................................................................ 73 Long Term Goals (5-10 years) ................................................................................................................ 74 Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Options and Reductions Estimates................................................................. 75 Third Party Assessment .......................................................................................................................... 75 Methodology ........................................................................................................................................... 75 Carbon Mitigation Options ..................................................................................................................... 75 Summary of Mitigation Options and Greenhouse Gas Reductions ........................................................ 79 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Target ........................................................................................ 82 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................................. 85
Executive Summary
Bentley University has made a commitment to become carbon-neutral by the year 2030. This ambitious
goal reflects an institutional response to growing concerns over the negative effects of climate change. In
2007 President Gloria Larson signed the American College and University President‟s Climate
Commitment (ACUPCC) a move which committed Bentley to developing a plan to achieve carbon
neutrality. It is Bentley University‟s objective to establish institutional practices that promote
environmental sustainability, including measures to increase energy and water efficiency while decreasing
waste generation, with the ultimate goal of shrinking both our carbon and ecological footprints. The
actions needed to achieve these goals are outline in this Climate Action Plan.
Bentley University has elected to model an aggressive scenario to accomplish carbon neutrality. The
preliminary targets set forth are as follows:
Fiscal Year Reduction Over 2008
Base year
2015 50%
2020 70%
2030 100%
Although ambitious, these targets are achievable. Bentley‟s emissions reduction goals will be achieved
via a multi-pronged approach which includes implementing a building retro-commissioning and energy
efficiency upgrade program, continuously upgrading building controls for more efficient operation of
heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, educating and engaging Students, Faculty, and Staff in
sustainability efforts, and purchasing renewable energy via Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs).
It is Bentley‟s goal to examine campus operations and invest in making the University‟s buildings and
operations as energy efficient as possible prior to purchasing RECs. The eventual purchase of RECs will
allow Bentley to effectively offset the remaining greenhouse gas emissions and invest in the U.S.
renewable energy market.
The chart on the following page shows the projected impact of retro-commissioning, building energy
efficiency upgrades and the purchase of RECs on Bentley‟s carbon footprint. The aggregate result is
that emissions are reduced by 58 percent in 2016, exceeding the 2015 goal of 50 percent reduction.
Along with the continuously upgrading building controls and installing energy efficiency
technology, projects outlined in the Sustainability Strategies section of this report must be
completed to reach the goal of a 70 percent reduction by 2020 and 100 percent reduction by 2030.
1
While electricity use is the biggest contributor to Bentley‟s carbon footprint, greenhouse gases
resulting from employees commuting to and from Bentley must not be ignored, as they represent the
second largest piece of Bentley‟s carbon footprint. Pursuing the action items listed in the
Transportation section of this report will be imperative to achieving the greenhouse gas emissions
reduction goals.
Sustainability efforts are most successful when they include engagement of individuals within every level
of an organization. Through education and awareness campaigns Students, Faculty, and Staff will
become more engaged in Bentley‟s efforts to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and will work to make
this effort in itself more sustainable. Education, engagement and awareness will also help students to take
their new found sustainability knowledge beyond Bentley University and with them into the working
world and their lives in the future. Encouraging Students, Faculty and Staff to become engaged in solving
environmental issues on campus is imperative for Bentley to reach its goal of carbon neutrality by 2030
and will ensure that Bentley‟s sustainability efforts are not simply the actions of a small group of
administrators but the accomplishments of the entire community.
2
Authors and Process
The Bentley University Climate Action Plan is a collaborative effort of the Sustainability Task Force and
the Manager of Sustainability. Sustainability Task Force meetings occur quarterly and convene a diverse
group of constituents from the Bentley community. At the commencement of work on the Climate
Action Plan, Sustainability Task Force members were split into committees representing different areas of
the University, such as Academics, Facilities Management, Information Technology, and Dining
Services, and were tasked with drafting sustainability goals for each campus operational group.
After compiling each committee‟s outline of sustainability goals, Bentley collaborated with Sightlines,
LLC to create models of Bentley‟s current and forecasted carbon footprints. Sightlines teamed with van
Zelm Engineers of Hartford, CT, to examine current data and recent engineering studies conducted at
Bentley and together with Bentley developed several feasible carbon footprint reduction strategies. The
estimated cost and impact on Bentley‟s future carbon footprint was delineated for each proposed strategy.
The result of the efforts described above is a Climate Action Plan which includes proposed strategies and
target dates for carbon footprint reduction and an outline of sustainability action items ranging from
education and outreach to increased recycling and green procurement policies.
Bentley University’s Sustainability Vision
It is Bentley University‟s ambition to establish institutional practices that promote environmental
sustainability, including measures to increase energy and water efficiency while decreasing waste
generation, with the ultimate goal of shrinking both our carbon and ecological footprints. In the 1987
Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development, the United Nations General
Assembly defined “sustainability” as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability
of future generations to meet their own needs.” Bentley University is committed to increasing its use of
sustainable practices. As a testament to this pledge, in October 2007 President Gloria Larson signed the
American College and University Presidents‟ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC or “the Commitment”),
which committed Bentley to developing a plan to achieve carbon neutrality and spurred the creation of the
Manager of Sustainability position and the Sustainability Task Force.
The American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment
As a signatory of the ACUPCC, Bentley University has acknowledged that global warming1 is taking
place on an unprecedented scale and that scientific consensus is that contemporary climate change is
caused in large part by human activity. The ACUPCC recognizes that institutions of higher education
have a unique role in society as both role models in their communities and as hubs of research and
innovation. As such, Bentley and other signatory institutions are committed to achieving carbon
neutrality on their campuses. Specifically, the ACUPCC requires the following actions:
Within one year of signing, complete a comprehensive inventory of all greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions (including emissions from electricity, heating, commuting, and air travel) and update
the inventory every year thereafter.
Within two years of signing, develop an institutional action plan for becoming climate neutral
(the Climate Action Plan).
1
The terms “global warming” and “global climate change” are used interchangeably to describe the contemporary
warming of the earth‟s surface as the result of increased accumulation of GHGs in the atmosphere, largely due to
human activities such as burning fossil fuels in power plants and automobiles.
3
Initiate two or more “tangible actions” to reduce greenhouse gases while the Climate Action Plan
is being developed.
Since signing the Commitment, Bentley has, with the help of Sightlines, created carbon footprint models
for the Fiscal Years (July 1– June 30) 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. As this report was being
prepared, Bentley and Sightlines were in the process of completing the carbon footprint model for fiscal
year 2009.
Bentley has committed to the following tangible actions:
Establish a policy that all new campus construction will be built to at least the US Green
Building Council‟s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver standard
or equivalent.
Adopt an appliance purchasing policy requiring purchase of Energy Star certified products in
all areas for which such ratings exist.
Establish a policy of offsetting all greenhouse gas emissions generated by air travel paid for
by our institution.
Encourage use of and provide access to public transportation for all faculty, staff, students
and visitors at our institution.
Participate in the Waste Minimization component of the national RecycleMania competition,
and adopt three or more associated measures to reduce waste.
Manager of Sustainability and the Sustainability Task Force
The Manager of Sustainability‟s mission is to lead Bentley in setting and achieving sustainability goals
aimed at reducing the University‟s environmental impact. The Manager of Sustainability works within the
Facilities Management Department and convenes stakeholders University-wide to develop campus
sustainability policies that address pressing global environmental issues. The Manager of Sustainability
directs the Sustainability Task Force to develop campus-wide sustainability initiatives and facilitate the
adoption of new policies.
The Sustainability Task Force is a coalition of faculty, staff, students and alumni dedicated to fostering
sustainability initiatives. The Task Force‟s mission is to:
Develop, and assess initiatives to improve sustainability on campus;
Educate and inform the Bentley community about sustainability efforts; and
Promote environmental consciousness across campus operations.
Green House Gas Emission Inventory
During FY2008, Bentley contracted Sightlines to calculate the University‟s carbon footprint (or net
greenhouse gas emissions)2 for FY2004 through FY2008. The FY2008 carbon footprint was completed
and reported to the ACUPCC in November 2008.
2
A carbon footprint is presented in units of “carbon dioxide equivalent” and is a measure of an institution‟s net
GHG emissions to the environment. The main greenhouse gases in the earth‟s atmosphere are carbon dioxide,
nitrous oxides, methane, and ozone. Each gas has a different global warming potential (GWP), which is a measure
4Bentley‟s carbon footprint accounts for greenhouse gas emissions from a number of different sources
associated with the institution‟s operations. These sources are categorized as Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.
The World Resources Institute (WRI) defines Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions in their Greenhouse Gas
Protocol as the “direct” and “indirect” GHG emissions from an institution‟s operations. Scope 1, 2, and 3
emissions as defined by the WRI are detailed in the diagram below.
Bentley‟s Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions are described in the following table.
Scope 1 Emissions Scope 2 Emissions Scope 3 Emissions
“Direct” emissions from “Indirect” emissions from “Indirect” emissions from
activities on the Bentley campus. utility energy production. transportation and waste disposal.
Emissions from driving Emissions generated at regional Emissions from vehicles driven by
University-owned vehicles. power plants associated with Faculty, Staff and Student
supplying the University with commuters.
Emissions from on-site electricity from the electrical grid.
combustion of natural gas for heat Emissions from employee airline
and hot water boilers. travel.
Bentley‟s carbon footprint for FY2008 totaled 21,994 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent
(MTCDE). This number includes Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. As detailed in the chart below, the
majority of Bentley‟s greenhouse gas emissions from FY2004 through FY2008 resulted from Scope 2
activities (purchased electricity). Electricity purchased and used onsite accounted for approximately 57
percent of Bentley‟s total carbon footprint for FY2008. This is not surprising, as most of Bentley‟s Main
of how much a given mass of a GHG is estimated to contribute to global warming. GWP is a relative measure
which compares the GHG in question to that of the same mass of carbon dioxide (whose GWP is by definition 1).
5campus is heated with electricity. Another 13 percent of emissions are the result of fossil fuels (mostly
natural gas) used for heating. In aggregate, 70 percent of emissions are tied to building-based utilities.
Scope 3 emissions (faculty, staff, and student commuting and employee airline travel) are the second
largest contributor to Bentley‟s carbon footprint, accounting for 30 percent of the FY2008 footprint. The
calculation assumed that 100 percent of Bentley‟s faculty and staff commute to campus in automobiles.
An average commute of 12 miles each way was calculated using a database of employee zip codes, and it
was assumed that faculty travel to campus 150 days per year, while staff make 250 trips per year. All
part-time undergraduate as well as full- and part-time graduate students were included as student
commuters (approximately 30 percent of the student population). It was assumed that student commuter
trips averaged 21.61 miles each way, 150 days per year.
As can be seen in the chart below, in a series of years that included physical expansion and increased
student enrollment, Bentley‟s emissions remained largely level. This trend can be attributed to sound
energy management for both electricity and fossil fuels.
6Sightlines‟ analysis compared Bentley‟s FY2004 – FY2008 carbon footprints to a group of peer
institutions. According to this analysis, Bentley‟s average consumption over this five-year period is
nearly 25 percent lower than similar institutions. The chart below shows Bentley‟s energy consumption
as BTUs per gross square foot (GSF) compared to its peer group.
Inventory Benchmarks
For summary purposes, Sightlines analyzed Bentley‟s greenhouse gas emissions based on two
benchmarks that are widely used within higher education: GHG emissions per 1,000 gross square feet and
GHG emissions per FTE student. Looking at emissions from a square-foot perspective provides an
analysis of building operations, energy management and fuel choices.
Emissions per 1,000 GSF FY2004 FY2005 FY2006 FY2007 FY2008
Scope 1 MTCDE 1.78 1.54 1.56 1.69 1.74
Scope 2 MTCDE 7.44 7.52 7.35 6.96 6.75
Scope 3 MTCDE 4.86 4.67 4.48 4.27 4.31
Total Gross MTCDE 14.08 13.73 13.39 12.92 12.80
Emissions
Offsets MTCDE - - - - -
Total Net MTCDE 14.08 13.73 13.39 12.92 12.80
Emissions
7The single year benchmark chart below shows the performance of each comparable institution for the
most recent year of data both as energy used per 1,000 square feet (BTU/1,000 square feet) and tons of
carbon dioxide emitted per 1,000 square feet (MTCDE/1,000 square feet).
The institutions are arranged in order of increasing energy consumption per square foot (schools using
more energy are on the right side of the chart). Of the group of comparable institutions listed below,
Bentley is next to the lowest consumer of energy per square foot (represented as BTUs/1,000 square feet).
However, Bentley is slightly above the group average of 11.74 MTCDE per 1,000 square feet. This is
most likely due to the fact that although Bentley uses less energy per square foot, high Scope 2 emissions
related to the use of electric heat in Bentley‟s buildings drive up the MTCDE totals.
8Analyzing emissions per student takes into account space utilization and allocation.
Emissions per FTE FY2004 FY2005 FY2006 FY2007 FY2008
Student
Scope 1 MTCDE 0.57 0.50 0.53 0.58 0.60
Scope 2 MTCDE 2.37 2.44 2.50 2.38 2.33
Scope 3 MTCDE 1.55 1.51 1.52 1.46 1.49
Total Gross MTCDE 4.49 4.45 4.55 4.42 4.42
Emissions
Offsets MTCDE - - - - -
Total Net MTCDE 4.49 4.45 4.55 4.42 4.42
Emissions
Projected Greenhouse Gas Emissions
After completing the greenhouse gas emissions inventory, Bentley collaborated with Sightlines to project
the Universities future greenhouse gas emissions. The Clean Air–Cool Planet Campus Carbon Calculator
has a projection module that allows for the estimation of future emissions as well modeling of prospective
mitigation options.
The Campus Carbon Calculator defaults to a “business as usual” scenario. This means that there are no
overarching changes institutionally or politically in the way that energy is purchased and consumed. The
model also assumes a moderate and continual rate of growth for space and student body. However this is
unlikely for Bentley University; therefore Sightlines customized the future space numbers based on the
following assumptions:
Spiritual Life Center – A new 12,000-square-foot student Spiritual Life Center is under consideration.
Jennison Addition – A 24,000-square-foot addition to Jennison is under consideration.
Increasing enrollment is the other component of campus growth. Bentley University anticipates growth
in graduate enrollment to reach 10 percent of current student totals over the next three Fiscal Years. No
growth is expected in undergraduate admissions in the near future. Beyond the next three Fiscal Years,
Sightlines anticipated a growth rate of 0.5 percent per year. In the chart on the following page, energy
inputs are projected using Bentley‟s building square footage as the normalizing factor. Most Scope 3
components, including travel and waste disposal, are normalized by Bentley‟s enrollment.
9Since Bentley has modest energy consumption, the increase in GHG emissions shown is quite gradual.
With the two proposed buildings accounted for, gross emissions rise from roughly 22,000 MTCDE in
FY2008 to just over 24,000 in FY2030. The source of these increases is increased commodity
consumption and the transportation impact of new students.
10About Bentley
Academics & Research
As indicated in Bentley University‟s Strategic Plan 2009–2013:
“The overarching context for thoughtful leadership established by business, the arts
and sciences, and their intersection is an essential component of the education
portfolio. Additionally, as is reflected in its two broad interdisciplinary research
domains, ethical and socially responsible enterprise and leadership, and information
and communication technology, Bentley must develop informed executives and future
business leaders who are creative, ethical, socially responsible, politically savvy,
skilled in issues of diversity, and committed to environmental and related forms of
sustainability. “
Bentley‟s undergraduate curriculum combines business study with a strong foundation in the arts,
sciences and technology. Environmental courses offered under the Liberal Studies Major provide
students with a background in earth or environmental science, together with global perspectives on the
business challenges of sustainable development.
McCallum Graduate School of Business programs are designed to develop leaders who flourish in a
world facing increasingly complex social, ethical, political, economic, and environmental challenges.
The Global Leadership MBA is intended to differentiate Bentley as a leader among MBA programs
internationally. It will recruit exceptional candidates with diverse professional backgrounds from around
the world and offer them an integrated curriculum that prepares them to be creative, knowledgeable, and
socially and environmentally responsible leaders.
Natural & Applied Sciences Department
The Natural & Applied Sciences Department contains two emphasis areas, one of which is the Earth,
Environment, and Global Sustainability domain. This domain provides students with an understanding of,
and appreciation for, their physical environment and the complex interactions of the physical, biological,
and human environment. The core focus of this domain is the role that local, regional, and global
environments will play in both the students‟ personal and professional lives. The domain builds
scientific literacy in core fields of geology, environmental biology, oceanography, chemistry, and
planetary science.
Curriculum and scholarship in this domain l emphasize Global Sustainability and Resources in the 21st
Century, including the availability, development, and extraction of physical resources within socially
responsible parameters. The threat of global warming in response to human activities as well as
strategies for environmental remediation and societal response are emphasized. The “Environmental
Risk” class examines the risks and hazards inherent in certain environmental settings within the context of
personal needs, professional applications, and societal responsibilities. The “Evolution of Earth and
Universe” class is for students with a broad interest in the physical sciences.
The Department of Natural & Applied Sciences provides coordination and advising for the Earth,
Environment & Global Sustainability (EEGS) Liberal Studies Major (LSM) at Bentley. A number of full-
time faculty, instructors, staff, and adjuncts contribute to the curriculum of the LSM and are involved in
research related to environmental sustainability. Faculty expertise, teaching, and research interests include
global climate change, alternative energy, global and public health, water quality, water resource
management, environmental geology, natural hazards, ecosystems and green-biology.
11Faculty Involved in Sustainability initiatives
Full-time Faculty
P. Thompson Davis, Professor, Glacial Geology & Paleoclimates, Advisor – EEGS LSM
Nancy Eyster-Smith, Associate Professor, Green Biology, Coordinator – EEGS LSM
Anthony Kiszewski, Assistant Professor, Global Health, Advisor – EEGS LSM
Steven J. Nichols, Senior Lecturer, Physics & Alternative Energy
Rick A. Oches, Associate Professor, Geology & Environmental Sciences, Advisor – EGS LSM
Liane M. Stevens, Lecturer, Geosciences
Anna K. Tary, Instructor and Lab Coordinator, Glacial Geology
Elva Wohlers, Senior Lecturer, Water & Environmental Chemistry, Advisor – EEGS LSM
Adjunct Faculty
Janette M. Gartner, Adjunct Instructor, Geology & Environmental Science
Barbara Keller, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Ecology & Ecosystem Services
Ralph J. Reda, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Physics & Nuclear Power
Stanley D. Tannenholtz, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Physics & Alternative Energy
Curriculum
Twenty-six courses are offered as core requirements or electives that apply to the EEGS LSM
(see attached course listing).
Research
Prof. Thom Davis is an internationally recognized expert in glacial geology and climate change research
in Arctic and alpine environments. He has an extensive publication record in the peer-reviewed
geosciences literature and a track record of securing federal funding to support his research.
Asst. Prof. Tony Kiszewski has published extensively on malaria intervention, vector ecology, and
environmental management associated with malaria risk and transmission in Africa and Latin America.
He has received funding from the Rockefeller Foundation to support his research. He is currently
collaborating on a National Science Foundation proposal to investigate sustainable malaria intervention
practices in Belize.
Assoc. Prof. Rick Oches maintains an active research program in terrestrial records of past climate
change in Europe and North America; reconstructing human and environmental response to climate
change in southern Arabia; and coastal geologic environments and processes.
Adj. Asst. Prof. Barbara Keller has published on the interaction of heavy metals and marsh plant
communities and on the effects of invasive species on biodiversity. As a foundation for teaching biology
to business students, she uses the concept of ecosystem services that provide humans with life support and
resources for all economic endeavors.
12Consulting, Outside Activities, Community Engagement, and Other Scholarly Activities
Prof. P. Thompson Davis is a founding member of Waltham Recycling Group, a New Hampshire
Professional Geologist, and instructor of outreach geology classes and workshops at Mount Washington
Observatory.
Asst. Prof. Tony Kiszewski acts as a consultant for a forestry products supplier concerned about
minimizing the importation of destructive exotic insects to New England. He also acts as a commissioner
representing the town of Concord in the East Middlesex Mosquito Control District, and advises the State
Board of Reclamation and Mosquito Control on mosquito intervention practices and their potential impact
on sensitive wetlands.
Assoc. Prof. Rick Oches is incorporating Service Learning in the Science of Sustainability class, in
partnership with Waltham Fields Community Farm, a nonprofit Community Supported Agriculture
(CSA) sustainable farm.
Asst. Professor David Szymanski joined the faculty in fall 2009. He will teach courses and advise
students in the EEGS LSM.
Accounting Department
Academic
Elliott Levy and Karen Osterheld – Tools and Concepts in Accounting and Finance. This course,
offered in fall 2009, used an integrated case focused on a wind turbine consulting company. The life-
cycle of the wind turbine company, from beginning to public offering, was the context for the teaching of
introduction to business, introductory financial reporting, managerial accounting, and introductory
finance.
Mahendra Gujarathi - In International Dimensions of Accounting. The topic of non-financial reporting
is addressed. The triple bottom-line concept - profits, people and planet - is discussed at fair length.
During the 2009 Winter Session, students were asked to examine the sustainability report of a corporation
and present their findings to the class.
Research
Mahendra Gujarathi is researching the issue of sustainability disclosure and its effectiveness. The
objective of his research is to review extant literature in the area of environmental reporting, describe
difficulties faced in analyzing and comparing environmental disclosures in general and GHG disclosures
in particular, provide an assessment of US disclosures in the climate control area, and develop
recommendations to improve their usefulness
Computer Information Systems Department
Research
David Yates is researching Green IT. The need to control human impact on the environment has led to a
call for green information technology, or Green IT. Yates‟ research explores three major issues in green
computing and communication, referred to as the "three Ps": pollution, power management, and
processing of decommissioned equipment. His research examines how these issues have grown in
importance with the emergence of applications and services such as grid computing, cloud computing,
and mobile computing and communication.
13Curriculum Development Opportunities
Introduce and develop understanding of Green IT in IT 101. For 2009-2010, this might provide
background and support for Bentley‟s Complex Problems/Creative Solutions (CPCS) study. One goal of
CPCS is to educate Bentley students on the consequences of consumer choices and electronic waste.
Teach best practices of Green IT in IT Infrastructure courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Economics Department
Academics
Scott J. Callan and Janet M. Thomas - Environmental Economics and Management: Theory, Policy
and Applications. A portion of this course is devoted to “Environmental Economics.”
Professor Bryan Snyder - addresses the question of economic and environmental sustainability in both
his EC111 Principles of Microeconomics and EC112 Principles of Macroeconomic classes in the context
of consumption, growth and GDP analysis. Professor Snyder pays considerable attention to
environmental and economic sustainability in the area of Urban Congestion and Transportation Policy in
his EC341 Urban and Regional economics course. He writes and edits on the subject for Dollars & Sense
magazine.
The department may offer a graduate course on Environmental Economics in the future.
Research
Scott Sumner and Aaron Jackson are conducting research on how futures markets may impact
environmental issues, and how predicting markets can help with climate change. Professor Leeth
recommended that an event be scheduled in early 2009 to enable Bentley faculty to present research
conducted on Sustainability. The first of these Sustainability Research Forums to took place on February
25, 2009.
Finance Department
Academics
Donna Fletcher is working on a teaching case with Lou Chin, Management Department, on New
England Wood Pellets, a bio-fuel company in Jaffrey, NH. The owner, Steve Walker, is a sustainability
advocate who has international interests in Sweden and serves on the New Hampshire Sustainability
Policy Council.
Chip Wiggins has developed and delivered FI 402, Seminar in Microfinance, a reading seminar
designed to help students better understand the world of micro-finance and micro-enterprise funding
through a study of “best practices.” Students examine these practices from the perspective of the bank,
other funding agencies, and first-time entrepreneurs who may have their first opportunity to earn an
income. The course examines the impact that micro-lending has on economic development by extending
the borrowing opportunities available to a constituency that would typically be overlooked, as well as the
interdisciplinary or cross-functional nature of micro-banking (e.g., finance, accounting, management,
economics, service learning, behavioral science, etc.).
Research
Jay Sultan is working on a study that examines the trading of allowable carbon emission units in the
United States and Europe. This trading represents a significant step towards global pollution abatement.
Under the Kyoto protocol, a cap and trade policy implemented in several countries allows utilities, steel
plants, and other pollution emitters to buy spot contracts from those with surplus emission permits. To
hedge carbon exposure, market participants use carbon futures contracts traded in the United States and in
Europe. It is estimated that by 2030, trading on carbon emissions products is expected to reach $3
14trillion. Despite its significance for reducing global warming and encouraging pollution abatement, very
little academic attention has been placed on the risk management issues of carbon market participants.
Strategic
Chip Wiggins founded the Bentley Microcredit Initiative (BMI), which is composed of the
undergraduate seminar the Bentley Microfinance Club and a fund that currently has $125,000 available to
lend. The BMI is pursuing microfinance opportunities in the Greater Boston area with four key focuses:
Education: Provide Bentley students, faculty and staff with practical experience; encourage their
awareness of microfinance practices; empower them to develop a framework for change; and facilitate the
education of the BMI borrowers;
Community Development: Promote development of the local community by providing credit and
services to those excluded from traditional financial markets; Operational Sustainability: Operate and
maintain a cash-flow neutral/positive loan portfolio, covering or exceeding operational expenses with
interest income and student sweat equity; and
Innovation: Develop a new microfinance paradigm locally and openly scale the model globally.
Information & Process Management Department
Academic
Janis Gogan, course coordinator for Strategic Information Management, which is a required course for
all evening MBA students, has several ideas for incorporating sustainability issues. The principle of
moving information rather than moving "stuff" - which requires depletion of resources - can be more
strongly positioned as addressing a sustainability goal. Examples include NetFlix's plans to move from a
company that sends customers DVDs to a company that delivers movies to the desktop; telemedicine as a
means of treating patients in their local communities (saving travel time by either the doctor or the
patient), and social networks such as NeoPets, Cambrian Facebook and LinkedIn, that bring people
together in virtual worlds rather than traveling to meet. In addition, the course often includes a project or
speaker on server farm energy issues and Green IT. This is useful because we teach that IT is always a
double-edged sword, bringing both opportunities and challenges. While IT helps solve sustainability
issues, it creates new ones.
Law, Taxation & Financial Planning Department
Academics
Prof. David Missirian teaches Environmental Law and is a resource for legal issues associated with wind
power and solar energy.
Prof. Mystica Alexander teaches Legal & Ethical Environment of Business, which includes a chapter on
environmental law.
Prof. Gerald Ferrera, Executive Director of the Bentley Global CyberLaw Center, suggests that
business executives prioritize environmental concerns. The CyberLaw Center suggests that students and
business executives should prioritize environmental concerns and inform their customers of social
responsibility by developing an environmental website, trademarking environmental slogans, and
establishing environmental nonprofit foundations. Prof. Ferrera has required students in undergraduate
and graduate Cyberlaw classes to create an environmental foundation involving these topics.
15Management Department
Academics
Susan Adams. Associate Professor, supervises a consulting class project team examining the gas
distribution process in a large energy delivery company to identify sources of carbon release and make
recommendations for prioritizing reductions.
Research
Mike Bravo, Senior Lecturer, is developing a Sustainability Plan for a local small business named All-
Terrain.
Tony Buono, Professor, organizes the annual Global Business Ethics Symposium which since 2009 has
included a more explicit focus on Sustainability. The sixth symposium program will take place in China
in 2010. Professor Buono is also a member of Bentley‟s Sustainability Task Force.
Lou Chin, Assistant Professor, is writing a case with Donna Fletcher on New England Wood Pellet, a
company that makes wood pellets for heating stoves from scrap wood.
Euthemia Stavrulaki, Assistant Professor, has students study sustainability in the supply chain in an
Operations Management course.
Hans Thamhain, Professor, teaches Project Management, in which students develop sustainability plans
for local nonprofit groups.
Natalia Gold, Adjunct Assistant Professor, supervises a student in the graduate Organizational
Behavior class developing a sustainability plan for a local nonprofit, The Edinburg Center.
Marketing Department
The Marketing Department has been involved in sustainability from a thought leadership and global
perspective, including identifying paradigm-changing innovations in the field of sustainability. The
Marketing Department is looking at ways to collaborate with other departments, particularly on “green
marketing.”
Research
Pierre Berthon and Philip DesAutels are chairing a Selection and Evaluation Committee for the
prestigious Globe Award for Sustainability, which recognizes achievement worldwide in sustainability
and is sponsored by the Swedish government. The two presented “Green Washing and the Post-Emotional
Self” at the annual Conference on Corporate Reputation in Vancouver.
Pierre Berthon and Ian Cross wrote “The Green Index: Changing the World One Recycle at a Time,”
which was submitted to a leading peer-reviewed academic journal.
Visiting professor Shubhro Sen, who has expertise in green marketing, recently joined the Marketing
faculty.
16Mathematics Department
The Mathematical Sciences Department offers a wide range of courses on both mathematical modeling
and statistics, often with subject matter based on sustainability themes. This can range from population
models discussed in a class on differential equations to statistical confidence intervals for atmospheric gas
concentrations based on a number of measurements. The courses listed below are ones that consistently
have a significant sustainability component, but many other courses in the department do make use of
sustainability examples.
Academics
Case Studies in Mathematics for Honors Freshmen: This course follows a sequence of in-depth examples
of mathematical modeling that invariably contain environmental themes such as air pollution and the
spread of disease.
Mathematical Modeling in Environmental Management : This course provides an in-depth treatment of
quantitative aspects of groundwater contamination, air pollution, and hazardous materials handling. It
uses the book Mathematical Modeling by Professor Charles Hadlock of the Math Department, and
includes field trips and research projects. This course is part of the Liberal Studies Major.
Honors Capstone: This is an interdisciplinary capstone course that can be taken by honors students in all
majors. Led by Professor Hadlock, it usually consists of a consulting project for an outside client
addressing some important current issue with a sustainability theme. Examples of recent projects include
an assessment of preparedness in Eastern Massachusetts for a possible flu pandemic; an evaluation of
modifications to the state's bottle deposit law; and an analysis of electricity rates and energy sources in
New England. An alternative model for this capstone is occasionally an interdisciplinary seminar, such as
one conducted in spring 2009 evaluating the appropriate role of nuclear power.
17Service to the External Community
Bentley University has a rich history of service to the community in which sustainability is an integral
part. Some examples of these activities are outlined below.
The Bentley Alliance for Ethics and Social Responsibility
In January 2004, the college formally launched the Bentley Alliance for Ethics and Social Responsibility
(BAESR), a collective effort to encourage and promote an institution-wide sense of ethics, civic
engagement and social responsibility. The Alliance„s ongoing mission is to amplify and extend the work
of autonomous centers and initiatives on campus, supporting and encouraging greater awareness of,
respect for and commitment to ethics, service, social responsibility and sustainability in faculty research,
curricula and campus culture.
A unique feature of the Alliance is its integrative focus on ethics, social responsibility, civic engagement
and sustainability. BAESR„s efforts focus on:
Supporting and encouraging collaborative and applied trans-disciplinary research that has the
potential to significantly affect current practice;
Influencing curriculum development and pedagogical innovations intended to make our students
more ethically sensitive, socially aware and focused on sustainable business practice;
Ensuring a broader application of these principles and ideals in campus life;
Attempting to foster lifelong civic engagement and a commitment to responsive corporate
citizenship among our students;
Seeking to partner with academic and professional associations, corporations and not-for-profit
organizations in pursuit of these goals.
Service-Learning Center
Established in 1991, the Bentley Service-Learning Center (BSLC), which has built a national reputation
(recognized by US News & World Report), seeks to promote academic learning; to develop socially
responsible working professionals; and to assist community partners in serving the human needs and
interests of their constituencies.
Several sustainability programs are incorporated into the work of BSLC. Most prominent are those that
involve research, analysis, and consulting with state and local government. Below are several studies that
have been completed by faculty and students engaged in service-learning at Bentley.
A report on Sustainable Programs prepared for the Leading by Example Program of the
Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs;
A report on the causes of and potential solutions to the high cost of electricity in Massachusetts,
prepared for the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging
Technologies;
18 A report on the sustainability of Waltham‟s downtown business district, prepared for the City of
Waltham and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development;
A stakeholder analysis on the proposed Massachusetts Container Deposit Law prepared for the
Chief of Environmental and Energy Services for the City of Boston; and
An analysis of economic and environmental issues related to building deconstruction prepared for
the City of Waltham.
During 2008, Bentley initiated, as part of a graduate Business Sustainability course, a service to assist
local organizations with sustainability planning. As part of this program, sustainability plans were
completed for the Edinburg Center, Mother Caroline Academy, Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center,
Ben Franklin Institute of Technology, the Highlands Center at Cape Cod National Seashore and other
nonprofit organizations. In addition, recycling plans were developed for City of Boston employees and
residents.
Center for Business Ethics
Founded in 1976, the internationally recognized Center for Business Ethics (CBE) promotes ethical
leadership, conduct and culture as critical to an effective and legitimate role for business in society. As
part of the Center for Business Ethics and Alliance for Ethics & Social Responsibility programs,
Bentley‟s Business Ethics Symposium and Teaching Workshop invites scholars from around the world to
examine these issues. The Business Ethics Teaching Workshop now has over 50 faculty alumni from
other colleges and universities. The 2008 Workshop group included: Carolyn Erdener, Middle East
Technical University (Northern Cyprus); Hamidullah Farooqi, Kabul University (Afghanistan); Obaid
Nejati, American University of Afghanistan (Afghanistan); Francy Milner, University of Colorado; Bruce
Paton, San Francisco State University; Anne Reino, Tartu University (Estonia); Isidoro Talavera, Franklin
University (Ohio); and Maaja Vadi, Tartua University (Estonia).
Global Business Ethics Symposium
In 2005, the State Street Foundation Inc. became the program sponsor of the Teaching Business Ethics
Faculty Workshop. As an extension of this program, a day-long symposium on ethical issues that is open
to other academic institutions and the corporate and not-for-profit sectors was added to the symposium.
The intent of the symposium is to bring together international experts for in-depth discussions of current
practices and challenges in business ethics and corporate responsibility. The purpose of the daylong event
is to both learn and inform by:
Exploring current practices in other institutions, countries and cultures;
Identifying ways to enhance issues of ethics, corporate responsibility and sustainability in
business education and in outreach to the corporate community;
Disseminating this experience throughout the academic and practitioner worlds; and
Uniting business and higher education in the common goal of building a strong ethical foundation
from which to serve our many constituencies and communities.
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