Goa Institute of Management: campus water sustainability projects

Abstract

Learning outcomes ▪ Students learn how an educational institute impacts water resources on the campus and its surrounding community. ▪ Students acquire knowledge on how decision-making, related to natural resources, is influenced by the institute’s obligations towards surrounding communities and the long-term sustainability of the resources. ▪ Students become acquainted with the decision-making process adopted by an educational institute for achieving resource-efficient development on the campus. ▪ Students learn how to design evaluation methods for investments related to water conservation at an educational institute. ▪ Students become proficient with the payback method specifically when evaluating water-enhancing projects at an educational campus. Case overview/synopsis Dr Ajit Parulekar, Director at Goa Institute of Management (GIM), Goa, India, was evaluating options to improve the sources of water at GIM at the beginning of 2021. He was reviewing the projects proposed to meet the water requirement at the campus for the next five years (2021–2025). The projects were recommended by consultants (ENV Consultants Pvt Ltd) who proposed a total expenditure of US$68,667 which involved storage enhancement and water table upgradation (See Case Exhibit 11). The maintenance department had studied the plans but their projections showed that the execution of these projects and initiatives would still lead to a deficit of water in the future. Dr Parulekar reviewed the reports and weighed the expected tangible and intangible benefits from the proposed projects. The projects had to be carefully selected, keeping in mind the multiple objectives to be met: an increase in water supply within a short time, a financially optimum investment and a minimum impact on the surrounding community. The selected projects had to meet the long-term sustainability objective of resource efficiency at the campus. Complexity academic level Students studying finance, project appraisal, campus sustainability at graduate or postgraduate management programs. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 4: Environmental Management.