Purchasing Policies and Procedures
NIU seeks to support sustainable purchasing policies and procedures across campus. Some of the ways we strive for sustainability in this area include:
- Janitorial operations: 68% of cleaning products used on campus are environmentally friendly, and ionized water is increasingly being used to replace chemical-based products.
- Grounds maintenance: Herbicides and pesticides are used sparingly, generally after nonchemical approaches have failed.
- Greenhouse gas management: Building Maintenance and Operations manages and tracks hundreds of pieces of equipment containing about 10,000 pounds of regulated refrigerant.
Goals and Actions
The university’s goals related to purchasing policies/procedures focus on creating policies that promote sustainability, getting those policies approved and ensuring they are followed. NIU will work to:
- Develop procurement policies that support sustainable purchasing across the university, addressing categories such as chemicals/cleaning supplies, office products, IT equipment, transportation/fuels and garments/linens
- Develop a process for evaluating products, systems and building components that use energy and/or water (for example, HVAC systems) to inform the use of more sustainable options
- Monitor and assess compliance with policies that promote sustainability