The Green Office Certification Program at the University of Washington encourages staff and faculty to help make their office or workplace at UW sustainable. Staff and faculty members from campus departments can participate in an informal audit process about their office practices. The certification is based on work place practices that help decrease energy consumption and waste in each office using several action areas, such as paper conservation, alternative transportation, waste diversion, energy conservation, and purchasing.
A student intern at the UW Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability (ESS) office initiated the program, and brought together staff members from various departments on campus who have expertise in different aspects of sustainability. This committee developed the framework and criteria for the program. Through the Program on the Environment, two students worked with the Green Office Certification program as part of their capstone project. These students worked together with the ESS intern to develop resources, and pilot and implement the program. After piloting, the program was launched University wide ini October 2011 with intent of setting a sustainability standard for UW offices, accomplishing goals set in UW’s Climate Action Plan.