History

Timeline of Sustainability at Miami

2009

  • Miami’s first sustainability coordinator (partial faculty release time) was appointed. David Prytherch, professor of geography, served 2009 through 2012.
  • Sustainability Committee formed.
  • Sustainability Education Coordinator, half-time position created. Position is filled by MEn graduate students annually.
  • Miami’s first LEED-certified building, Farmer School of Business, opened.
  • The Miami University Revolving Green Fund, for student-sponsored projects, established (it has been used for one project to date).

2010

  • First Sustainability Commitments and Goals (SCAG) drafted by the Sustainability Committee; signed by Miami University President David Hodge in 2011.
  • The positions of director of sustainability, sustainability coordinator, and energy systems are within Miami’s Physical Facilities Department.

2011

  • First Director of Sustainability and Energy Conservation position created. Yvette Kline served 2011-2016. The position was half-time duties in sustainability, half-time in energy conservation.
  • Stormwater Master Plan, which earned national recognition, developed by PFD. 

2012

  • Major geothermal heating and cooling system planned, Utility Master Plan (UMP) created. 

2013

  • Director of Energy Systems position created. Doug Hammerle director, 2013-2020.

2016-2017

  • 2010 SCAG revised and updated (See 2016 SCAG). Signed by Miami University President Crawford in 2016.
  • Director of Sustainability and Energy Conservation retires 2016. Position vacant July 2016 through July 2018.
  • The part-time Sustainability Education Coordinator served as the key sustainability liaison while a search for the new Director commenced, 2016-2017.
  • Utility Master Plan updated to plan for transitioning Oxford campus buildings off steam and onto geothermal, Heating Hot Water and Simultaneous Heating and Cooling systems. 

2018

  • Sustainability coordinator position vacant 2017-2018.
  • Full-time Sustainability Director within Physical Facilities Department position created, filled July 2018 by Adam Sizemore.
  • Sustainability coordinator position filled July 2018. IES graduate student Kelsey Forren served as coordinator.

2019

  • Sustainability coordinator Kelsey Forren graduates; IES graduate student Olivia Herron, 2019-2020 coordinator.
  • Cecil Okotah, IES graduate student, served in new position of recycling coordinator, 2019-2020. 
  • Received Gold STARS status from AASHE.

2020 

  • Historic COVID-19 pandemic.
  • September 2020: President Gregory Crawford signed the Presidents' Climate Leadership Commitments - Climate Commitment. 

2021

  • President Crawford adopts the Sustainability Pillars; 2016 Sustainability Commitments and Goals (SCAG) have been met and are retired. 

2022

  • Adam Sizemore, Sustainability Director in PFD, moves to USI; new director, Olivia Herron, begins in October. 
  • New Director of Energy Systems, Malcolm Drane, begins in April.
  • Received Gold STARS status from AASHE.