Washington, DC (April 10, 2014) – This week STAR Communities and Arizona State University’s Sustainability Solutions Services announced an official partnership to support local governments who are interested in benchmarking and tracking sustainability performance.
Communities who are pursuing certification through the STAR Community Rating System must demonstrate sustainability across economic, environmental, and social performance indicators. Universities are able to facilitate the data collection and reporting process, which requires coordination and cooperation across both local government and community actors. Once certified, communities will receive national recognition for their local efforts.
“We are excited to work with ASU to advance sustainability reporting in Arizona and beyond through our new University STAR Affiliate program,” said Hilari Varnadore, STAR Communities’ executive director. “The program provides tools and a common framework for universities to use when they convene cities, towns, or regional partnerships.”
As the consultancy arm of ASU’s Walton Sustainability Solutions Initiatives, the Solutions Services bring together custom teams of faculty, experts and students to analyze and solve sustainability challenges. Through the University STAR Affiliate program, other universities like ASU can assist local governments that are working through the STAR Community Rating System with the goal of becoming certified sustainable communities.
“STAR allows the ASU Solutions Services group to help communities conceptualize how their current activities fit into a larger sustainability framework as well as plan, prioritize and measure progress toward their goals,” said Mick Dalrymple, practice lead for the Solutions Services. “By becoming a University STAR Affiliate, we can better share, promote, implement, and extend solutions that address sustainable approaches to complex community challenges at both a local and global scale.
To learn more about the program or to register your community and begin using STAR Communities’ tools today, visit the “Get Started” section of our website at www.STARcommunities.org. If you would like to work with ASU to become a STAR community, contact Solutions Services practice lead Mick Dalrymple at [email protected].
STAR Communities advances a national framework for sustainable communities through the delivery of standards and tools built by and for local governments and the communities they serve. The organization administers the STAR Community Rating System (STAR), the nation’s first framework and certification program for local sustainability. For more information, visit www.STARcommunities.org. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @STARCommRating.
The Rob and Melani Walton Sustainability Solutions Initiatives is a program of Arizona State University’s Global Institute of Sustainability. Within the Walton Sustainability Solutions Initiatives, diverse teams of faculty, students, entrepreneurs, researchers and innovators collaborate to deliver sustainability solutions, accelerate global impact and inspire future leaders through eight distinct initiatives. For more information, visit http://sustainabilitysolutions.asu.edu/programs/solutionsservices/communities/, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
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Published Apr 10, 2014 4pm EDT / 1pm PDT / 9pm BST / 10pm CEST