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The California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) recently reported on its sustainable business program achievements along with new solutions to continue to improve its overall sustainability.
During its Finance & Administration Committee meeting, CalPERS provided an informational Sustainability Report announcing that it has exceeded mandated, minimum targets for waste reduction and the purchase of recycled content products as set forth by the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery.
“CalPERS is a committed leader in sustainable business operations,” said Anne Stausboll, Chief Executive Officer, at CalPERS. “Over the last few years, we have implemented a variety of initiatives to support this objective and bring value to the enterprise. As new sustainable business laws, best practices and innovative ideas expand, we will continue to broaden our approach to sustainable operations.”
In the report, CalPERS also highlighted its efforts to integrate Governor Brown’s Executive Order B-18-12, issued in April 2012, which set aggressive new sustainability standards for the operation of state buildings.
CalPERS already meets many of the standards of the executive order, including electric vehicle charging stations, indoor environmental quality, reduction in water usage by 20 percent from the 2010 baseline year, environmentally preferable purchasing, Energy Star Portfolio Manager monitoring measures and verification that new construction meets subsystems requirements.
CalPERS also plans to recertify the Lincoln Plaza complex through the U.S. Green Building Commission’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
“In preparation for the LEED certification, CalPERS conducted American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers surveys, which concluded that the use of electricity is our single largest opportunity for improvement,” said Douglas Hoffner, Deputy Executive Officer for Operations and Technology, at CalPERS.
According to Hoffner, the surveys pointed out a variety of measures CalPERS is considering that will help the enterprise become more energy efficient. Measures are identified from Tier I ‘No Cost Measures’ to capital intensive measures identified in a Tier V category.
Even before the executive order, CalPERS has maintained best practices to reduce its carbon footprint, such as going to 50 percent lighting during the summer months, mecco shades to reduce sunlight coming into the building, installation of low-flow water fixtures in restrooms, and the implementation of commingled desk-side recycling.
A copy of the CalPERS Sustainability Report can be found online.
CalPERS is the largest public pension fund in the U.S. with approximately $261 billion in assets. The retirement system administers retirement benefits for more than 1.6 million current and retired California State, public school, and local public agency employees and their families on behalf of more than 3,000 public employers in the state, and health benefits for 1.3 million enrollees. For more information about CalPERS, visit www.calpers.ca.gov.
