The University of Colorado at Boulder today announced another major step toward greening its campus by naming Moe Tabrizi director of campus sustainability. The appointment was effective Dec. 2, 2010.

Currently CU-Boulder’s energy conservation officer, Tabrizi will continue to work in collaboration with the CU Environmental Center, Housing and Dining Services and CU Student Government to further CU’s many campus sustainability initiatives.

“As a university, we’ve already made large strides in achieving goals in sustainability,” said Frank Bruno, vice chancellor for administration. “In order to get beyond what we’ve already achieved, there will be a need for greater collaboration and innovative ideas. Elevating Moe’s current position will help to facilitate and coordinate these efforts.”

As CU-Boulder’s first sustainability director, Tabrizi is charged with the task of meeting the “Greening the Government” Governor’s Energy Orders, as well as campus initiatives that include:

–Reduce energy consumption by 20 percent by 2012
–Reduce water consumption by 10 percent by 2012
–Reduce petroleum use by 25 percent by 2012
–Reduce paper use by 20 percent by 2012
–Utilize energy efficient and sustainable design standards on all new construction and applicable renovation projects. All such projects shall seek to meet or exceed LEED Gold Certification.

CU-Boulder recently was awarded the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, or STARS, Gold rating. The Gold rating is the first to be awarded to a college campus. With more than 230 colleges and universities registered with STARS, this rating accurately compares colleges and universities around the nation, and is a key measurement of CU’s national leadership on sustainability issues.

Tabrizi will spearhead CU’s combined efforts on a number of challenging long-term tasks, such as achieving carbon neutrality. He will serve as the campus’s chief sustainability coordinator and spokesperson on issues of sustainability. He will interface with key campus leaders, as well as with officials from state and local government and from other universities, to ensure that CU-Boulder maintains its national leadership position on sustainability issues.

“I am honored by this appointment,” said Tabrizi. “I look forward to working with valued campus partners – including our amazing student leadership at the Environmental Center – and to making new progress on a bold sustainability agenda.”

In addition to moving the campus forward on many goals and initiatives, he will continue in his role as the assistant director for engineering in the department of planning, design and construction.

For more information about CU-Boulder’s sustainability efforts visit Resource Conservation and http://ecenter.colorado.edu/index.php.