This document summarizes a presentation given by Heather Henriksen, Director of the Office for Sustainability at Harvard University, about campus planning for climate preparedness, health, and well-being. The presentation discusses Harvard's efforts to assess climate change vulnerabilities, develop preparedness standards and policies, and partner with other institutions. It also outlines initiatives to improve operations, promote wellness, source sustainable food, and integrate health considerations into building materials selection.

1. ISCN
Working
Group
II
Campus
Planning:
Climate
Preparedness
&
Health
and
Well-­‐being
Heather
Henriksen,
Director,
Office
for
Sustainability
Tuesday,
June
3,
2014

2. “Preparedness” framing aligns
public action on climate change with
core community values (protecting our
families, protecting our homes, protecting
our communities…)
- Professor Dan Schrag
Director, Harvard Center for the Environment

3. Robustness PROTECTS
from damage.
Resilience is
RECOVERING from
damage

4. Current Conditions

5. 5 ft. Flooding

6. 7.5 ft. Flooding

7. Examples of Climate Resilient Policies
• Build infrastructure to withstand flooding/storm surge.
• Flood proof below 100-year flood elevations (or higher).
• Non-mechanical strategies to support building functionality during climate events
(e.g. key-operable windows for ventilation).
• Locate critical facilities above basement or ground levels.
• Design facilities to reduce urban heat-island effect.
• Green or white roofs to reduce summer cooling loads.
• Design stormwater management for extreme precipitation events.
• Diversification of energy supply and incorporation of renewable energy to hedge
against grid outages

8. Harvard Climate Preparedness Working Group
Goals:
1. Vulnerability Assessment to determine impacts of climate change on critical
infrastructure.
2. Preparedness Standards & Policies for facilities and infrastructure in high risk areas.
3. Severe Weather Emergency Preparedness Initiatives
Partners:
• Environmental Health & Safety
• Office for Sustainability
• Energy & Facilities
• Planning & Project Management
• Risk Management & Audit Services
• School Representatives

9. Harvard Climate Preparedness Summit
1. Over 100 emergency officials from Schools, administrative
departments, peer institutions and city/state/federal
agencies.
2. Expert presentations.
3. Preparedness exercise emphasizing collaboration, forward-
thinking.
4. Co-hosted by EVP, Sustainability & Emergency Management.

10. 1. Vulnerability assessment lays
foundation for a preparedness
plan.
2. Three Harvard professors (FAS,
GSD, HSPH) and MIT
professors providing expertise
advise. Commission.
City of Cambridge Technical study:
Population, Infrastructure, Public Health &
Local Economy
3. Currently analyzing
coastal storm
surge flooding in
coordination with
MassDOT and
Boston Water and
Sewer

11. Climate
Preparedness
How
is
your
ins4tu4on
thinking
about
climate
preparedness
and
adapta4on
strategies?
Does
your
ins4tu4on
have
building
guidelines
or
standards
that
address
future
climate
concerns
(flooding,
heat,
etc.)?
If
so,
what
are
your
standards?
Do
you
work
with
other
local
ins4tu4ons
regarding
preparedness
planning
and
strategies
(if
so,
who)?

12. ISCN
Working
Group
II
Campus
Planning:
Health
and
Well-­‐being
Heather
Henriksen,
Director,
Office
for
Sustainability
Tuesday,
June
3,
2014

13. Healthy
OperaLons
and
Maintenance
1. Over
90
acres
of
organic
landscaping.
2. More
than
10
million
sq.
K.
of
cer4fied
green
cleaning.
3. 4
Schools
with
School-­‐wide
compos4ng.
500
tons
of
landscape
waste
composted.
4. Trash
tonnage
dropped
by
2,600
tons
from
FY04
–
FY13

14. Improved
Well-­‐Being
and
Community
1. Model
Seafood
Purchasing
Program.
2. Harvard
on
the
Move
and
Healthy
Harvard.
3. Local
and
Organic
Food
Dining
Budget.
4. Two
Farmers
Markets.
5. Four
Community
Gardens.

15. Translating
Research and
Teaching Into Action
1. Student
Sustainability
Grants.
2. Classroom
Connec4ons.
3. Engineering,
computer
science,
biology,
and
public
health
projects.

16. 4.
HEALTH
AND
WELL-­‐BEING
Goals
Current
Status
A. Reduce
exposure
to
toxics
• Building
materials
toxic
disclosure
and
phase
out
2
chemicals
• Chemicals
used
on
campus
and
personal
products
• Enhance
Indoor
Air
Quality
• Addressed
in
Green
Building
Standards
2014
Review
Healthy
Harvard
• Increase
par4cipa4on/access
to
wellness
programs
• On-­‐going
Tobacco
Smoke
• Con4nue
to
develop
and
implement
policies.
• Longwood,
HKS
=
smoke
free.
• Other
loca4ons
=
Policies
in
development
B. Sustainable
and
Healthful
Food
• Develop
standards
• Green
Restaurant
AssociaLon
• Low
environmental-­‐impact
food
• Local
food
• HSPH,
HBS,
HLS,
and
College
Residen4al
Dining
are
Green
Restaurant
Cer4fied

17. The
Living
Building
Challenge

18. IntegraLng
Toxic
Materials
Reviews
in
Buildings:
1.
Require
LEED
credits
revolving
around
environmental
and
health
product
disclosures.
2. Project
teams
are
required
to
document
a+empts
to
find
products
that
are
Red
List/
Cer4fica4on
compliant.
1
8

19.
Detailed Examples of Chemicals to Avoid
Chemicals
LEED
v4
&
LBC
Red
List
Key
Building
Materials
Halogenated
Flame
Retardants
(HFR)
(includes
PBDE,
TBBPA,
HBCD,
Deca-­‐BDE,
TCPP,
TCEP,
Dechlorane
Plus
and
other
retardants
with
bromine
or
chlorine)
x
! Duct
liner
! Carpet
and
carpet
backing
! Building
insula4on
! Resilient
flooring
! Ceiling
4les
! Composite
wood
products
! Wood
products
! PVC
! Furniture
! Upholstery,
acous4c
wall
panels
! Paints,
primers,
adhesives,
sealants,
wood
preserva4ves,
floor
wax,
epoxy
products
Heavy
Metals
(i.e.
cadmium,
lead,
mercury)
x
Perflourinated
compounds
(PFCs),
including
PFOA
and
PFOS
x
(LEED)
Phthalates
x
Formaldehyde
x
Chlorinated
Building
Materials
Polyethylene
and
Chlorosulfonated
Polyethlene
(includes
PVC)
x
VOCs
x
CFCs
and
HCFCs
x
Asbestos
x
(LBC
Red
List)
Petrochemical
FerLlizers
and
PesLcides:
PesLcides,
Herbicides,
Fungicides
x
(LBC
Red
List)
Wood
treatments
containing
Creosote,
Arsenic
or
Pentachlorophenol
x
(LBC
Red
List)
Chloroprenet
(neoprene)
x
(LBC
Red
List)

20. Increase of Health Product Disclosure
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
Oct-­‐13
Nov-­‐13
Material
Info
on
GreenWizard
Pre-­‐
and
Post-­‐
Greenbuild
Conference
159%
Growth
in
One
Month
Red
List
Free
Declare
Label
EPDs
HPDs
2
0

21. Health
Are
issues
of
human
health
related
to
chemical
exposures
from
building
products
or
consumer
products
an
area
of
concern
or
focus
at
your
ins4tu4on?
Is
your
ins4tu4on
taking
any
ac4on
rela4ng
to
toxic
chemical
exposures
on
campus
from
building
products
or
personal
care
products
(beyond
chemicals
in
labs,
but
you
can
discuss
lab
chemicals
too)?
If
yes,
please
briefly
describe

22. LEARN
MORE
green.harvard.edu
green.harvard.edu/report
@GreenHarvard
#GreenHarvard