Masdar, U.S. Dept of Energy Partner for Solar PV Coating Research
The Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (Abu Dhabi) has announced a collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy to test the performance of specially coated solar photovoltaic modules designed to avoid the moisture and cementation problems currently faced by PV module producers. Developed by the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the coatings will be tested at a solar field in Masdar City following exchanges of scientific and technical information with the Masdar Institute.
Newcastle U Hosts Carbon Speed Dating Event for 'Go Green Week'
The People & Planet student group at Newcastle University (UK) recently hosted "Go Green Week 2011," to raise sustainability awareness on campus. Events included a night of Carbon Speed Dating, free smoothies for students made out of fruit and vegetables from the local farmers market that were destined for the trash, and a showing of the movie, "Food, Inc."
Persian Gulf Universities Study Alternative Energy
Governments across the Arabian Peninsula are establishing programs and institutes dedicated to research into alternative energy and environmental sustainability, reports The Chronicle of Higher Education in a January article. The carbon-based wealth that fueled the growth of countries including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar has created a dependence on oil-powered desalination plants for water to a degree that salinity levels in the Persian Gulf have risen noticeably in the past few decades. More efficient desalination processes is just one environmental problem being tackled in new research centers around the Persian Gulf. Scientists and graduate students from around the world are also working on green technologies including more-affordable solar cells and new biofuels for aviation. Governments hope that new green technologies will spur commercial innovation and bring diversity to these oil-dependent economies.
Queen's U Belfast Library Earns Sustainability Award
The McClay Library at Queen's University Belfast (Ireland) has received the 2010 Sustainability Award from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. The new library features sustainable strategies based on natural ventilation and low energy use including a thermal mass that acts as a heat sink, regulating the temperature profile of the internal environment by absorbing heat during the day and releasing it to the space at night. A rainwater harvesting system uses recycled rainwater for toilets and internal environmental conditions from lighting to temperature and fresh air levels are monitored.
Saint Paul U Dumaguete Implements 'Nature-Friendly' Technology
Saint Paul University of Dumaguete (Phillipines) has opened a "nature-friendly" campus facility for mushroom, fruit and vegetable drying. The facility includes a waterless toilet, recycled indigenous materials and the use of solar power and green roof technology.
Shanghai Normal U Installs Solar Powered Street Lights
Shanghai Normal University (China) has installed eight solar energy street lights on its Fengxian campus that can be complemented with wind power. With an average daily use of 10 hours, the solar street lights are expected to save 7,304 kilowatt hours per year.
Texas A&M U at Qatar Students to Compete in Shell Eco-Marathon
College of Engineering students at Texas A&M University at Qatar are set to compete in this year's Shell Eco-Marathon. Since 1985, the global competition has challenged student teams to design and build fuel-efficient cars. The 2011 European edition will be held at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz track in Germany from May 26-28, 2011. Vehicles can use various fuels and energy sources including gas-to-liquids, petrol, biofuels, hydrogen and solar. Two teams at the university will compete in the Urban Concept category, one team with gas-to-liquids fuel and the other with a vehicle powered by petrol.
The Hong Kong U Science & Tech Holds Carbon Neutral Commencement
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology recently achieved carbon neutrality with its 2010 university commencement, held for more than 10,000 students and parents. Carbon reduction measures included additional recycling bins, used cups and plates composting, a carbon-friendly menu and recycled paper and environmentally friendly ink for the commencement program printing. The post-event carbon audit revealed the achievement of carbon neutrality based on British Standards Institution's PAS 2060 protocol.
U Adelaide Provides Bike Commuting Support to Staff, Students
The University of Adelaide (Australia) recently implemented the Ecorider program, an 11-week behavior change effort to increase cycling trips to campus, improve fitness, save money, and reduce traffic congestion and campus emissions. The program provided 20 student and staff members with support in becoming regular commuting cyclists to campus with individual email communication and feedback, group training sessions and a communal blog. Improvement was measured through reported cycling trip data and monthly fitness testing. The Ecoriders completed 803 trips to the university in total and saved 25,890 minutes and $4,000 in transportation time and money.
U Belize Receives Government Funding for Solar Project
The University of Belize’s Central Campus has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the nation’s government for a photovoltaic solar project. The funding for this project comes from the government of Belize and the Japan International Cooperation Agency. The government of Belize will own and manage the PV system for the first decade and then transfer its ownership to the university at no charge.
U Canberra Bans Bottled Water Sales on Campus
The University of Canberra (Australia) has banned the sale of bottled water on campus. Bottled water will be replaced in campus cafes and shops by water vending machines that refill reusable water bottles at a cheaper price than bottled water. The university has also installed six water bottle refill stations on campus. The ban is estimated to reduce water bottle sales by 140,000 bottles per year.
U Exeter Receives Recycle Zones Donation
Part of Coca-Cola's nationwide "Keep It Going" campaign to increase recycling on college campuses, airports and hospitals, the University of Exeter (UK) is the latest campus to implement on-campus Recycle Zones. The company has provided the university with 200 specialized bins for card, paper, cans and bottles in popular areas on campus.
U Gloucestershire Wins Green Gown Award
In recognition of its Sustainability Team's work to facilitate change in teaching and learning for sustainability across departments, the University of Gloucestershire (UK) earned a 2010 Green Gown Award for Continuous Improvement. The first time that an educational initiative in sustainability has won in the Continuous Improvement Category, the award recognized new strategies and institutional support mechanisms instituted by the university that seek to transform student sustainability learning. The awards are administered by the United Kingdom's Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges. Applications for 2011 Green Gown Awards will open in April 2011.
UN Secretary Recognizes Renewable Energy Efforts of Masdar Inst
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recently recognized the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology's (Abu Dhabi) commitment to advancing and commercializing innovations in renewable energy and clean technology. "The future is showcased in Masdar," the Secretary-General said following a tour of the campus. "The technology on renewable and future energy will help economic growth, achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) targets, and bring healthcare, while benefiting the entire planet." The graduate school dedicated to clean energy research and education, developed with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, began classes in fall 2009. The campus is designed as a living energy efficiency laboratory with rooftop solar electric and thermal panels; building automation software and meters to monitor and control air conditioning and other energy use; and a fleet of driverless pods powered by onboard batteries for traveling around campus.
U Southern Queensland Offers Global Reporting Initiative Degree
The University of Southern Queensland (Australia) has partnered with City University of Seattle to offer an undergraduate accounting degree designed around the Global Reporting Initiative, the international standard for businesses to report against a range of protocol categories including economic, strategy and profile, product responsibility, society, labor practices and decent work, human rights and the environment. The new courses are offered through the University of Southern Queensland's existing accounting and sustainable business bachelor's degree program.
U Western Sydney Converts Food Waste to Energy with 'Pulpmaster'
The University of Western Sydney (Australia) has installed a food waste to energy recycling system dubbed the "Pulpmaster." The seed fund for the pilot project came from the university's green revolving fund, which provides upfront financing to staff and students for sustainability projects. The Australia-patented Pulpmaster system converts food waste into pulp that is transformed into green energy and/or fertilizer.
U Western Sydney Highlights Research for World Wetlands Day
The University of Western Sydney (Australia), which is home to three forested wetlands that form part of a critically endangered ecological community on its Hawkesbury campus, recently celebrated 2011 World Wetlands Day by highlighting wetland research activities. The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, known as the Ramsar Convention, is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. Australia has been a member country since 1975, with 65 wetland sites.
American U Urges Congress to Cut Bottled Water Spending
American University's (DC) Office of Sustainability administered a "Tap Water Challenge" to attendees at a recent news conference at the Capitol. The conference was held to announce a Corporate Accountability International Report that revealed that the U.S. House of Representatives spends nearly $1 million on bottled water per year. The university challenged attendees including Takoma Park Mayor Bruce Williams to correctly identify tap water among popular brands of bottled water while blindfolded. The university reports that no one succeeded. In addition to urging Congress to renew investments in public water systems and cut spending on bottled water, the university will also ramp up on-campus efforts to discourage bottled water purchases including the addition of more than a hundred water bottle filling spigots on water fountains throughout campus.
Cal Poly Pomona Students Design Homes to Replace Wildfire Losses
Students at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona are working to design and build sustainable prototype homes for structures that were lost to southern California wildfires in 2007. Owned by the City of San Diego and leased to ranchers who maintain the land, the destroyed homes qualified for emergency assistance funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Known as the Pamo Valley Project, the City of San Diego has teamed with the university's Department of Architecture to engage students to design two low-cost structures for the site. The homes will feature water, energy and waste conservation strategies that will augment passive and active system performance. The Pamo Valley Project was recently awarded the 2010 National Council of Architectural Registration Boards Grant, which is designed to help architecture schools implement new programs that merge the practice of architecture and education in a studio or classroom setting.
Campus Sustainability Planning: A February Update
The University of California System reports that University of California campuses increased their number of LEED certified building projects during 2010 from 33 to 49. These projects contributed to the system's energy cost savings, which increased from $15 million to $21 million last year due to efficiency initiatives on all campuses. Also reported to AASHE in the recent past, Johns Hopkins University (MD) has released its first sustainability report. Though campus water consumption rose by 9 percent in fiscal year 2010, the university made progress with green building efforts including collecting, conserving and treating stormwater; the expanded use of green materials and cleaning products; and an increase of locally sourced and organic campus dining options. In related news, College of the Holy Cross (MA) has announced that it has reduced campus carbon emissions by 23.5 percent, four years ahead of its scheduled goal of 20 percent by 2015. A few of its strategies include the purchase of a long-term contract for electrical power from renewable energy provider TransCanada, a fuel switch from oil to natural gas in its boilers, and the intent to meet LEED certification for all new major construction and buildings. In more related news, Bowdoin College (ME) has pledged to become carbon neutral by 2020, removing from the atmosphere as much of the gases associated with climate change including greenhouse gases as it puts in. In addition to an expanded solar hot water system, plans to buy $35,000 this year in renewable energy credits and the launch of a building dashboard that provides real-time measurements of energy use of campus facilities, the college has plans to add a $3 million steam turbine generator to its central steam plant, saving $230,000 per year and trimming greenhouse emissions by 18 percent.
Cornell U Greek System Implements Sustainability Rating System
Cornell University's (NY) Greeks Go Green has launched LEAF, a new rating system that grades Greek chapters on their sustainability efforts. Through LEAF, chapters can receive up to 100 points for their sustainability practices. LEAF awards points in categories such as water conservation, energy conservation and green purchasing. Every 20 points represents a leaf, making the highest achievement earning five leaves. The system also recognizes environmental awareness education and sustainability-related service events, so chapters that do not have physical houses can still gain points.
Cornell U Power Plant Wins EPA Energy Efficiency Award
Cornell University's (NY) combined heat and power plant has received a 2011 ENERGY STAR CHP award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The award recognizes highly efficient CHP (combined heat and power) systems that reduce emissions and use at least 5 percent less fuel than comparable, state-of-the-art, separate heat and power generation. Operating since December 2009, the university's system requires about 29 percent less fuel than the separate production of thermal energy and electricity and prevents an estimated 89,300 tons per year of carbon dioxide emissions.
Cornell U Students Improve Water Treatment in Honduras
The student engineering team AguaClara at Cornell University (NY) is working on adding three more water treatment plants to the five they have already built in Honduras. The six-year-old team researches and designs gravity-powered, non-electric water treatment plants for Honduran communities and works with the Honduran nonprofit Agua Para el Pueblo to help bring their designs to life. Based on home stays with Honduran families to learn how the existing plants were serving their communities, the team is now working on a stacked rapid sand filtration system, which would be a final cleaning step before the water is chlorinated and sent to taps. The new system does not require electricity.
Delta College Printing Certified by Forest Stewardship Council
After conducting an internal assessment to determine how they could make their operations more sustainable including detailing processes related to purchasing, Delta College's (MI) Printing Services Department has received a Chain-of-Custody certification from the Forest Stewardship Council. This certification ensures that the paper used for printing is guaranteed to have been harvested, manufactured and distributed only by organizations that also have Chain-of Custody certification.
Denison U, St. Charles CC Named Tree Campus USA Institutions
Denison University (OH) and St. Charles Community College (MO) have each been recognized as a 2010 Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation for their dedication to campus forestry management and environmental stewardship. Both campuses are earning the status for the first time, having met five required core standards of tree care and community engagement. Those requirements include the establishment of a campus tree advisory committee; evidence of a campus tree-care plan; verification of dedicated annual expenditures on the campus tree-care plan; involvement in an Arbor Day observance; and the institution of a service-learning project aimed at engaging the student body. Denison University's 900-acre campus features a 550-acre Biological Reserve and St. Charles Community College is now home to more than 2,000 trees, 30 of which were planted last fall in a tree planting ceremony hosted by the college's Tree Advisory Committee.
Elon U Expands Composting Efforts
Elon University (NC) has added another campus cafe to its list of campus composting locations. The Office of Sustainability has organized volunteers to stand near the composting bins during high traffic hours in an effort to educate students about the benefits of composting. During the 2009-2010 school year, the university diverted more than 100,000 pounds of waste from the landfill through food composting initiatives.
Emory U Sets World Record to Raise Sustainable Seafood Awareness
Emory University (GA) set a world record for the longest taco line in an effort to raise awareness for sustainable seafood. Dining Services set out a line of 260 tacos filled with over 80 pounds of fish, including wild Alaskan cod, which is sustainably harvested. In related news, Emory University's student-run Rollins Environmental Health Action Committee has coordinated with Moore Farms and Friends to offer a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) option of local produce, meat and cheese to the campus community.
Northern Arizona U Green Fund to Support Sustainable Landscaping
With the help of a $26,952 student Green Fund award, students at Northern Arizona University will conduct a pilot project to study sustainable landscape methods for campus lawns based on organic principles without the use of chemical herbicides. The grant will cover material, labor and student internships for the project and is expected to start this spring. Students at the university overwhelmingly voted to create the Green Fund last month, a $5 per semester fee.
Northwestern U Ranks Fifth Among Green Power Buying Institutions
Northwestern University (IL) has announced that it ranks fifth among colleges and universities represented in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recent list of the largest green power purchasers. The university supports green power by matching 30 percent of its total annual electricity use with Green-e Certified Renewable Energy Certificates. The EPA's Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program encouraging organizations nationwide to buy green power as a way to reduce the environmental impacts associated with purchased electricity use. Green power refers to renewable sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and low-impact hydropower. The University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University (PA), Drexel University (PA) and Pennsylvania State University round out the top five.
Rice U Students Initiate Campus Composting
Rice University's (TX) Baker College servery has expanded its locally sourced food efforts to include composting, thanks to student efforts. During the fall 2010 semester course, "Environmental Issues: Rice into the Future," that looked at the food waste created by the campus' serveries, a student proposed asking the farmers involved in the Rice University Farmers Market if they could use campus food scraps for compost. In what the university calls its "farm-to-fork-to-farm" program, the university now delivers its food scraps back to the farmers who grow the food.
San Diego Miramar College to Seek LEED Gold with 2 New Buildings
San Diego Miramar College (CA) has opened the doors of two new buildings that will seek LEED Gold certification. Funded as part of the San Diego Community College District’s $1.55 billion Propositions S and N construction bond program, its $34.4 million dual-classroom building project was the first to be fully integrated in Building Information Modeling (BIM), allowing for the creation of the building in digital space before building it in real space. Sustainable features include recycled materials, high-efficiency lighting and efficient thermal "massing," which delays the transfer of heat throughout the course of a day and minimizes the impact of a heating or cooling load on a building. The college also debuted the Compass Center, the new central gathering point on campus.
San Diego State U Students Save $2.5 Mil in Textbook Costs
As a result of a $1.1 million grant from the Department of Education Fund for Innovation in Post Secondary Education (FIPSE), the campus bookstore at San Diego State University (CA) is enjoying the benefits of an expanded textbook rental program. Nearly all titles priced at $10 or more are now available for rent, encouraging the reuse of textbooks in an effort to decrease the demand for new books. Sixty percent of students chose to rent instead of buy this spring and students have saved about $2.5 million in textbook costs during the 2010-2011 school year.
Students Help Dickinson College Farm Become USDA Organic
On the heels of the announcement of its plans to raise cattle, the Dickinson College Farm (PA) has been certified organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Students were instrumental during the three-year process, which concluded recently in collaboration with the college's assistant professor of international business and management, who integrated the certification inspection into her first-year seminar course, "The Business of Organic Food." Managed through Pennsylvania Certified Organic, the certification is recognition that the college farm adheres to a USDA-approved approach of agricultural food production that involves building and enhancing the soil naturally, environmental protection and the avoidance of toxic or synthetic substances such as pesticides.
U Calgary Switches to Compostable Food Packaging
Based on a recent Students' Union poll that revealed overwhelming support for a switch to compostable packaging, the University of Calgary's (AB) MacEwan Conference and Events, along with Chartwells and Good Earth vendors, will eliminate plastic foam packaging for take-out foods on campus. Seventy-seven percent of the more than 2,500 respondents to the survey were willing to pay 25 cents more for a meal if served in compostable packaging, the upper end of what the campus community will likely pay for the switch.
U Colorado Boulder Green Loan Fund Earns 38% Return
Three years after University of Colorado at Boulder student leaders invested $500,000 in an endowment for energy efficiency projects, the university is receiving, on average, a 37.8 percent return on investment. Compared to first-year efficiency savings of $24,000, the university is expecting third-year savings of $143,500. The fund has financed 80 micro-projects aimed at increasing efficiency in the campus' student, recreation and health center.
U Florida Hosts Green REthink Campaign
The University of Florida has launched its REthink campaign, an effort to engage, educate and empower students to reduce, reuse and recycle with a campus-wide cleanup. The Office of Sustainability recruited nearly 300 volunteers to collect nearly 3,000 pounds of garbage. Numerous events to engage students will be ongoing until the campaign's completion on April 22, 2011.
U Idaho Awarded $20 Mil USDA Grant for Climate Change Research
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture has announced an award of $20 million to the University of Idaho to fund research to better understand and plan for a changing climate in the Pacific Northwest. A research team led by the university that includes researchers from Washington State University, Oregon State University and the USDA Agricultural Research Service will study impacts of climate change on Northwest wheat and barley production with a focus on cereal production systems and their management under projected climate change scenarios for the region.
U Texas at Austin Receives $1.6 Mil for Solar Project
The University of Texas at Austin has received a $1.6 million grant from the State Energy Conservation Office. The grant money was made available by federal stimulus funds and will be used to finance 80 percent of the cost of two solar systems on campus. The systems have the potential to create 434,000 kilowatt hours each year. The total cost of the project amounts to $2 million and the university will pay for the remainder of the project. Work on the project has already begun and is projected to be completed this April.
Yale U Awards 16 Workplace Green Certifications
The Green Workplace Certification Program, administered by Yale University's (CT) Office of Sustainability, has recognized 16 university offices and departments for sustainable practices. Participating offices earn certificates by accumulating points for action items ranging from recycling printer and toner cartridges to participation in the university's departmental bike share program.
Agnes Scott College Installs Touch Screen Energy Monitors
Students in two first-year residence halls at Agnes Scott College (GA) will compete for the title of "greenest residence hall" with the help of new touch screen displays that will tell them how much electricity their building is using in real-time, and how much it has used in the past. The displays also reveal how much power the building is using compared to its rival residence hall. The college is planning to add displays in several other campus buildings over time but has chose the two first-year residence halls as the initial sites. The data for the displays is generated by the college's energy dashboard, which tracks electricity in seven buildings on campus. Natural gas and water tracking will be added to the displays and energy dashboard in the near future.
California State U Sacramento Signs Water Consulting Contract
California State University, Sacramento has signed a $300,000 consulting contract with California’s Department of Water Resources to troubleshoot difficulties with the state’s water delivery and conservation measures. The contract stipulates that the university is responsible for providing consulting, research, education and training services to the water resources department.
Dalhousie U Receives $1.4 Mil for Natural Gas Conversion
Dalhousie University (NS) has received a $1.4 million grant from the Nova Scotia government to help finance its conversion from heating oil to natural gas. The total project will cost $1.8 million and the conversion will not only help reduce the university’s greenhouse gas emissions, but it will also expand the natural gas distribution infrastructure in Nova Scotia.
Dickinson College Names New Sustainability Chairs
During a recent Board of Trustees meeting, Dickinson College (PA) honored two new Distinguished Chairs in Sustainability Studies. The tenured faculty are Ashton Nichols, professor of english, and Candie Wilderman, professor of environmental studies.
Duke U Graduation Gowns to be Made of Recycled Plastic Bottles
Commencement apparel for Duke University (NC) graduates this May will be made of material produced from recycled plastic bottles. Made of fabric spun from molten plastic pellets, each cap and gown will keep 23 used plastic bottles from winding up in landfills. The caps and gowns from Salem, Va.-based Oak Hall Cap & Gown Company will be shipped in boxes made of recycled cardboard and in storage bags made from recycled plastic.
Duke U Preps New Student-Initiated Campus Farm
Duke University (NC) has erected a greenhouse as the first phase of a planned campus farm. An idea that grew from an undergraduate environmental studies class last spring, the pilot project will grow one acre per year until the donated 12-acre land from Duke Forest is filled. The aim of the farm is to provide campus dining halls with fresh seasonal food and allow students the opportunity for engagement with food studies.
Lynchburg College Slashes Energy and Water Consumption
Lynchburg College (VA) has saved 4.5 million gallons of water in the first semester of a $4.65 million campus conservation project. The college achieved its goal of saving 30 percent of its water usage by installing low-flow toilets, faucets and showerheads throughout campus. The college's electricity consumption dropped by 8 percent due to the installation of solar panels and energy-efficient light bulbs in buildings. New meters have been installed in dormitories to track water and electricity consumption. The project is expected to pay for itself by reducing the college’s utility bill by about one third.
Michigan College Students Face Food Aid Halt
Perhaps another push toward the increasing trend of campus food pantries, as many as 20,000 college students in Michigan who now receive food stamps could lose their eligibility in April. According to a new state policy that will go into effect this spring, college students won't qualify for the federally funded Food Assistance Program without particular circumstances like caring for young children or working at least 20 hours a week. Spurred by state Republican lawmakers who have raised concerns about food stamp fraud, the policy changes the way the state has administered its food program for about two decades. Poverty experts say they have yet to see evidence of rampant card abuse among students and worry that the policy change will cut off families who financially depend on the help.
Montana State U Saves 40,000 Gallons of Water in a Week
A weeklong campaign at Montana State University increased water conservation on campus and produced a savings of 40,000 gallons of water. The events during the campaign included documentaries, presentations and community meetings. The Water Conservation Week focused on four individual consumption habits: shaving a minute off your showers, turning the water off while you brush your teeth, doing larger loads of laundry and not buying bottled water.
North Central Missouri College to Build New Campus with USDA Loan
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a variety of projects that will be funded through its Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program. A new agricultural and natural resources campus for North Central Missouri College will be constructed with the help of Grundy Electric Cooperative, who received a $740,000 loan for the project.
Obama's Budget Proposes Cuts to Career and Technical Education
The Chronicle of Higher Education reports that President Barack Obama's recent proposed budget would make millions of dollars in cuts to student aid to preserve the Pell Grant program, the primary college financial aid program for low-income students. Under the president the maximum award was increased to $5,550. To maintain a maximum Pell award of $5,550, the president's fiscal 2012 budget would eliminate the in-school interest subsidy on loans to graduate students and end a policy that allows students to receive two Pell Grants in a single year. Some 9.6 million students are expected to receive the awards next year, up from six million in 2008. The budget also calls for a 20 percent cut in funding for career and technical education, threatening to undermine the president's goals of reducing unemployment and graduating five million more Americans with certificates and degrees by 2020.
