STARS (AASHE)
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| Name | STARS (AASHE) |
| Type | Sustainability reporting framework |
| Founder | Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education |
| Established | 2006 |
| Headquarters | Philadelphia |
| Region | Global |
STARS (AASHE) STARS is a sustainability assessment, rating, and performance tracking system developed by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. It provides a standardized reporting framework used by colleges and universities to disclose Harvard University-scale sustainability practices while aligning with initiatives such as United Nations Environment Programme, United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and regional networks like European University Association. Institutions use STARS to compare metrics across peers including University of Oxford, Stanford University, University of Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and public systems such as the California State University and University of California.
Overview
STARS is administered by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education alongside collaborations with organizations like Second Nature (organization), International Sustainable Campus Network, and funders similar to the Rockefeller Foundation and Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The framework enables reporting on operations at institutions including Princeton University, Yale University, Columbia University, University of Toronto, and University of Melbourne. STARS reports are used in benchmarking exercises involving peers such as Cornell University, Duke University, University of Michigan, University of British Columbia, and policy dialogues with bodies like World Resources Institute and International Energy Agency.
History and Development
STARS was launched by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education in the mid-2000s as universities such as Arizona State University and University of California, Berkeley expanded sustainability offices. Early development involved consultations with stakeholders including representatives from Syracuse University, Auburn University, University of Colorado Boulder, and advocacy groups like Environmental Defense Fund and Natural Resources Defense Council. Iterations paralleled global movements reflected at summits such as the Rio+20 Conference and were informed by standards-setting organizations including ISO, Global Reporting Initiative, and regional accreditation agencies such as the Higher Learning Commission.
Rating System and Methodology
STARS employs a points-based rubric similar in intent to tools used by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and aligns with data frameworks used by CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project), Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, and sustainability indices like the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings. Methodology components draw on greenhouse gas protocols referenced by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and measurement approaches familiar to practitioners at EPA, UK Environment Agency, and research centers such as Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Credits are awarded across performance indicators, with scoring and reporting procedures paralleling evaluation methods used by ABET and reporting guidance from The World Bank.
Assessment Categories and Criteria
STARS organizes criteria into categories investigated by sustainability officers at institutions like Ohio State University, Penn State University, University of Washington, and McGill University. Categories include operations and planning, mirroring initiatives by ICLEI—Local Governments for Sustainability and practices found at Princeton University campus programs; academics and research, connecting to centers such as MIT Media Lab and Oxford Martin School; engagement and collaboration reflecting partnerships with organizations like Sustainability Consortium and The Nature Conservancy; and innovation, resonating with grantmakers such as Gates Foundation. Specific credits assess areas comparable to standards used by ASHRAE, APPA, and other technical bodies.
Participation and Adoption
Adopters span public, private, and community colleges including Norfolk State University, City College of New York, University of Florida, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and international institutions such as National University of Singapore and University of Cape Town. Networks promoting STARS-like reporting include the Association of American Universities, European University Association, Association of Commonwealth Universities, and consortia like Big Ten Academic Alliance. Adoption is often supported by funding and technical assistance from entities such as Department of Energy (United States), philanthropic partners, and regional sustainability alliances like Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System-aligned groups.
Impact and Criticism
Proponents cite transparent benchmarking that enabled colleges such as Portland State University and University of Vermont to set measurable targets, informing campus projects akin to those funded by DOE grant programs and partnerships with Siemens AG and Johnson Controls. Critics from think tanks and scholars at institutions including George Mason University and London School of Economics have argued about metric selection, comparability with rankings like QS World University Rankings and Times Higher Education, and resource burdens similar to critiques leveled at LEED certification. Debates reference methodological concerns raised in reports from National Audubon Society, policy briefs by Brookings Institution, and analyses from Stanford Sustainable Finance Initiative.
Governance and Funding
Governance is conducted by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education and guided by advisory groups comprising representatives from schools such as Brown University, University of Chicago, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and organizations like AASHE Advisory Council-affiliated partners. Funding sources have included philanthropic foundations similar to Kresge Foundation and programmatic support from higher-education networks including Coalition for Urban Transitions and governmental grant programs administered by agencies like National Science Foundation. Technical support and updates have involved collaborations with consultants and research partners such as ICLEI, World Wildlife Fund, and university-based sustainability research centers.