The University of Oregon campus planning office was awarded a platinum Green Office Certification by the Office of Sustainability.

President Michael Schill delivered the award to the office April 26 and celebrated over conversation and cookies.

The program, created in 2012, unites the numerous entities on campus under a common framework to measure, promote and identify sustainable offices on campus.

Offices in the program can be awarded bronze, silver, gold or platinum certification depending on its performance. Each year the office with the highest score is deemed the winner, but this year’s winner scored so high it became the first office to achieve every credit in the program plus the bonus credits.

Participants are graded on seven sustainability-focused criteria: prerequisites, energy, materials management, purchasing, transportation, events and disaster preparedness.

The Office of Campus Planning office not only completed all possible actions in all seven categories and a bonus category, it also challenged another office to participate and was open to problem-solving for new policies.

Since the program’s conception in 2012, more than 50 offices have achieved certification; other winners from this year’s certification include a gold award for the Center on Teaching and Learning and a silver award for University Catering.

– Bryan Dorn, University Communications