Ohio State U to Install Geothermal System for Dorms
The Ohio State University has announced plans to drill 450 geothermal wells in a parking lot on campus. The well field will be part of a closed loop geothermal system that will circulate water to regulate the temperatures of five campus dorm buildings. Using a heat exchanger, the system will pull the warmth from the ground to heat the buildings on cold days, and remove the heat from the buildings on warm days, transferring it back into the ground. The $4 million geothermal system will use 34 percent less energy than the university's natural gas system, saving $200,000 a year. The university expects a return on investment in about 12 years.
Purdue U Trustees Consider $200 Mil Wind Farm
Trustees at Purdue University (IA) are considering the installation of close to 60 wind turbines near its Animal Science Research and Education Center as part of a commercial wind operation that would cost about $200 million. In addition to creating sustainable energy, the turbines would be used for research and educational opportunities among several departments on campus.
San Diego City College Career Technology Center Awarded LEED Gold
San Diego City College (CA) has received its first LEED Gold certification for its new Career Technology Center. Sustainable features of the $63.1 million center include water-efficient landscaping, plumbing fixtures that reduce potable water use by 55 percent, regionally sourced materials and the ability to filter 100 percent of collected stormwater. Sixty-five percent of the construction waste was diverted from landfills.
Santa Clara U Installs Test Wind Turbine
Santa Clara University (CA) recently announced the installation of a wind turbine atop its Facilities building in an experiment to see how much energy it can realistically produce. As part of campus efforts to reach climate neutrality by 2015, the university hopes the turbine will show a significant level of production that will call for more turbines in the future.
Southern Illinois U Carbondale Approves Green Fund Projects
Southern Illinois University, Carbondale has approved 12 projects for funding this spring with $209,811 from its Green Fund. Generated by a student green fee, the money will fund projects including the installation of water bottle refilling stations and improving lighting efficiency. The goal of the fee is to promote energy efficiency, the use of renewable energy and sustainability on campus.
U Calgary Plans Carbon Capture Research Center
Part of both the federal and Alberta governments' climate change strategies, the University of Calgary (AB) is planning for a research facility dedicated to carbon capture and sequestration. The Alberta government has pledged $2 billion toward four commercial-scale projects scheduled to start trapping industrial greenhouse gases by 2015. The research facility plans to host a small-scale project, used for student and industry training, technology testing and public education. It will also be used to develop monitoring methods for keeping CO2 trapped underground.
U California Santa Barbara Marine Science Bldg Earns LEED Gold
The University of California, Santa Barbara's Marine Science Research Building has been awarded LEED Gold certification. Sustainable features of the 60,542-square-foot building include an efficient lighting system and controls; an extensive metering system to track energy use and air quality; waterless urinals and low-flow sinks; the use of reclaimed water to irrigate its drought-tolerant landscape; passive ventilation in perimeter offices; and renewable materials in carpet, wood fixtures, and concrete.
U Colorado Boulder Adds 400 Bike Spots
To keep encouraging students to go car-less on campus, the University of Colorado at Boulder has added 400 bike spaces in prime campus areas. About 75 percent of students, faculty and staff get to the campus by some means of alternative transportation and university officials noticed bikes chained to nearby trees and handicap-accessible rails due to the parking crunch. The university has added 1,664 bike parking spots over the last three years.
U Idaho Receives $25K Donation Toward Woody Biomass Research
The University of Idaho has received a $25,000 donation to fund research focused on converting woody biomass to energy. The gift from Texas-based Advanced Trailer and Equipment LP will allow the university to install a pilot-scale pyrolysis unit at its steam plant. Pyrolysis, a type of incineration that uses almost no oxygen, yields biofuel when applied to an organic material like wood. The company has also provided funding to formalize bioenergy and bioproducts efforts at the university.
U Mississippi Awarded Grant for Solar Panel Installation
The University of Mississippi has received a renewable energy grant from the Mississippi Development Authority to install 414 photovoltaic solar panels on the roof of its Center for Manufacturing Excellence. Generating roughly 90 kilowatts of electricity, this is will be enough to power the lights and air conditioning in the building. The $529,395 grant was funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and the center matched it with $176,465 in university funds. When completed in spring 2011, students and faculty will be able to monitor the building's energy usage and solar power generation through the center's website.
U Pennsylvania Students Save Energy with Power Down Challenge
During the University of Pennsylvania's Power Down Challenge over winter break, student efforts yielded a 7.2 percent daily reduction in electrical use and $2,300 in savings. Designed as a contest among its residence halls, winners were measured by the highest number of student pledges by percentage and by absolute numbers. With support from college house and Greek chapter Eco-Reps, more than 2,000 students pledged to turn down, turn off or unplug appliances during December's break.
Bowdoin Awarded $50K Grant for Expanded Solar Hot Water System
Bowdoin College (ME) has received a $50,000 grant from the Efficiency Maine Trust to double the size of its existing 960-square-foot solar hot water system atop its largest dining hall. Funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the grant will help provide additional solar panels that will aid in preheating the domestic hot water used in the building. Following the completed installation this spring, the college estimates that 50 percent of the hot water used in the dining hall will be heated by solar panels.
Campus Sustainability Planning: A January Update
Three institutions have reported the completion of 2010 sustainability progress reports to the AASHE Bulletin in the recent past. Princeton University (NJ) outlines its progress in the areas of greenhouse gas emissions reduction, resource conservation, research, education and civic engagement. Through direct local reductions, the university is set to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. Pomona College (CA) reports progress toward campus reduction of water use, landfill waste and fertilizer use. The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth has published its third annual sustainability report, researched and compiled by MBA students as part of an experiential learning assignment in a business law and corporate responsibility class. In related news , the University of Iowa has announced goals to become a net-negative energy consumer, reach 40 percent renewable energy consumption and divert 60 percent of its waste by 2020 in its "2020 Vision" sustainability plan.
Carnegie Foundation Designates 'Community Engagement' Schools
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recently designated 115 U.S. colleges and universities as meeting the requirements for its 2010 Community Engagement Classification, an elective process open to institutions from all sectors. In order to be selected, institutions had to provide descriptions and examples of institutionalized practices of community engagement that showed alignment among mission, culture, leadership, resources and practices. More than 300 colleges applied for the designation this year, up from 217 that applied in 2008. Representing campuses in 34 states, the institutions selected include 37 research universities, 40 master's colleges and universities, 28 baccalaureate colleges, six community colleges and four specialized institutions.
Chatham U Announces Plans for New 388-Acre Campus
Chatham University (PA) has announced the launch of its multi-year Eden Hall Campus Master Plan. The campus will be constructed on 388 acres of farmland, a gift from the Eden Hall Foundation, which will also be home to the university's School of Sustainability and the Environment. The announcement comes on the heels the university's recent appointment of David Hassenzahl as dean of the new school. The Master Plan promises climate positive buildings and landscape design, meaning on-site greenhouse gas emissions will be less than zero. The campus will maintain nearly half of the 388 acres as open space and be organized into four districts. Phase one of the construction is expected to take place over a two- to three-year period at a cost of $30 million. It will take more than 10 years to complete the final phase four of the campus.
Dickinson College Receives Grant to Raise Cattle for Dining Hall
Dickinson College (PA) has received a $13,545 grant from the Capital Resource Conservation and Development Area Council to turn its 18-acre section of farmland, currently used for crop production, into pasture to raise livestock through rotational grazing. The college farm will work with the dining hall to incorporate the grass-fed beef cattle into the menu.
Duke U Students to Help Aid Areas Recovering from Oil Damage
As part of its DukeEngage program, Duke University (NC) will send students to Bayou Grace, La. and Quito, Ecuador, where the environment and local populations have been negatively affected by oil industry practices. During the Louisiana project, students will spend eight weeks helping to reverse the damage done to the wetlands of the state's coast during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and educate the local youth about the wetland loss. In Ecuador, students will work in the Ecuadorian Amazon, where oil companies have dumped crude oil and waste materials.
Hawaii Pacific U Hires First Sustainability Coordinator
Hawaii Pacific University has hired Josh Prigge as its first sustainability coordinator. Prigge is a graduate student in the university's Global Leadership and Sustainable Development program. Prigge, who also serves as vice president of the university's GREEN Club, will develop databases to track sustainability initiatives across campus and resource and energy use. He will also promote and implement campus sustainability initiatives, develop annual surveys that assess the university's state of sustainability and expand campus recycling programs.
Ohio U Beyond Coal Members Protest Use of Coal on Campus
Representatives from Ohio University Beyond Coal gathered recently to protest the university's use of coal energy. The gathering was held in anticipation of a meeting between university officials and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Sierra Club this month, during which the fate of the university's coal heating plant will be discussed. Proposed alternatives include natural gas and geothermal power.
Oregon State U Energy Center Earns LEED Platinum
Oregon State University's Energy Center has received Platinum LEED certification. Environmentally friendly features include natural interior lighting, water-efficient landscaping, the use of recycled building materials and a rainwater harvest system. Campus engineers expect the Energy Center to produce half of the university's annual electricity usage, saving $650,000 a year. Compared to the previous power facility, it is poised to reduce CO2 emissions by 38 percent. The center will also serve as a sustainable energy laboratory where students can track the building's performance.
Rutgers U Students Complete Renewable Energy Analysis for Milford
Students in Rutgers University's (NJ) Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy recently completed a report analyzing the potential for renewable energy in Milford, N.J. The city is in the process of creating a master plan provision to be more active in biomass, wind and solar. The students found that solar was more feasible than biomass or wind and has recommended to the city that it concentrate on solar power and install a photovoltaic solar array. The city has identified an 80-acre property for the project that could sustain enough energy to feed the entire municipality's electric needs.
Sacred Heart U Announces Enviro Systems Analysis Grad Program
Sacred Heart University (CT) has announced a new Master of Science in Environmental Systems Analysis and Management to begin in fall 2011. Affiliated with the Professional Science Master's Initiative, the program is designed to equip students for careers as managers, analysts, consultants and scientists in areas including field work and research, as well as work in environmental organizations, conservation groups and government agencies. Courses will include specialized training in hydrology, field methods, environmental sampling, analysis and problem solving. Students will also have the opportunity to choose electives in a variety of subjects including ecosystem ecology, hazardous waste management and environmental policy.
Second Nature to Provide Sustainability Planning Aid to Campuses
Second Nature has received a $554,000 grant from the Kresge Foundation to develop a program that will help financially strained and minority-serving institutions build capacity toward climate action and sustainability planning. The program will provide fellowships for sustainability champions on campuses, establish sustainability-focused career mentors and offer workshops, learning institutes and skills trainings. It will also help prepare under-resourced institutions for topics like climate disruption impacts, campus green revolving loan funds and evaluating carbon risk in the institution's supply chain.
Students Model 'Eco Look' in NY Times Trendspotting Feature
Members of Students for Sustainable Stanford model repurposed and vintage clothing in a recent New York Times design feature that looks at the trend of sustainable fashion on college campuses. Also featured in the slideshow are students from the University of Portland (OR), Cornell University (NY) and Sarah Lawrence College (NY), where a student designed a winter coat designed to be planted in the spring. Produced for a biomimicry project in an environmental studies class, seeds inlaid in the coat can be fertilized by the wool.
U California Davis Students Open Food Bank for Students in Need
University of California, Davis students in financial need will now be able to grab a free can of soup, a box of cereal, or other staple foods with the opening of its new food pantry. After a recent survey of the university's undergraduates found that 25 percent skipped meals "somewhat to often" to save money, student government leaders contacted campus organizations and local businesses to donate food for a campus food bank. The pantry has received enough donations to last about 10 weeks and hopes to receive enough contributions to stay open until the end of the school year.
U Chicago Debuts Upgraded Residential Recycling Program
Students living in the House System at the University of Chicago (IL) returned from winter break to a simplified recycling system that allows all recyclable items to be deposited in any recycling container in the dorms. The House System now joins the rest of the campus, which had already converted to this single-stream recycling program. The university currently recycles about 40 percent of its waste stream.
U Colorado Boulder Sees 20% Drop in Freshman Parking Permits
The University of Colorado at Boulder has seen a 20 percent drop in the amount of freshman buying parking permits since the last school year. Of the 5,215 in this year's freshman class, 852 purchased parking permits. In 2005, the number was more than 1,400. To help meet its goal of reducing petroleum use on campus by 25 percent by 2012, the university encourages students who tour the campus to not bring cars their freshman year. University recruiters instead educate prospective students about the alternative options to driving to campus. Currently, student fees pay for bus passes, mobile mechanics will help service students' bikes, and the university provides free bike rentals and a Zimride carpool matching service.
U Illinois Chicago Debuts Sustainability Scholars Awards
The University of Illinois at Chicago's Office of Sustainability has awarded its first Caterpillar Sustainability Scholars awards. Four undergraduate students have received $1,000 tuition scholarships in recognition of their demonstrated involvement in sustainability issues, financial need and status as underrepresented in their respective fields of study.
U New Brunswick Students Discover Lead, Iron in Campus Tap Water
The Chronicle of Higher Education recently reported that while students at the University of New Brunswick were trying to prove that tap water was just as safe as bottled water, they found lead and iron levels over the acceptable health limits in water from drinking fountains in two of the older buildings on campus. After letting the water run for two minutes and then five minutes, however, the water levels tested fine. The university is now working with provincial and municipal authorities to resolve the issue. The students, who now recommend letting the fountain water run for at least two minutes, are asking that the university replace the fountains with hydration stations for filling reusable water bottles. The stations are similar to $6,000 models that the university has placed on other parts of campus and is monitoring for usage.
Unity College Receives Grant to Support Local Food Production
Unity College (ME) has been awarded a $75,000 grant from Jane's Trust to help build, grow and strengthen existing community-based food production and distribution networks. The funding will allow the college to enhance infrastructure on campus that will support Veggies for All, a community agricultural project dedicated to alleviating rural hunger in the region. The college hopes to improve facilities for vegetable processing and storage to allow for more campus-grown food to be integrated into the dining hall, as well as increase capacity for Veggies for All. An action plan is being developed to ensure that the grant will have a sustainable impact.
U Pennsylvania Seeks LEED Gold with New Green Cafe
Replacing a smaller cafe that closed in 2009, the University of Pennsylvania has opened Joe's Cafe, a new eatery designed to meet LEED Gold certification. The cafe will recycle or compost 50 percent of its waste by volume including food scraps, utensils, takeout containers and fryer oil. This amount is twice the current total campus baseline of 24 percent. The cafe will purchase food and drink that is seasonal and produced within 150 miles of its site, as well as hormone- and antibiotic-free meat and dairy, Certified Humane eggs, fish sourced from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch guidelines, dolphin-safe tuna and certified fair trade and organic coffee. A planned educational program will enlist students and staff to engage and teach cafe visitors about sustainable food.
U South Florida to Build Solar Power Plant
Funded by a grant from the state of Florida through the Florida Energy Systems Consortium, a team at the University of South Florida's College of Engineering has announced plans to build a solar power plant on campus. Also in development is a thermal storage system with a $3.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. The team will concentrate on making solar energy available around the clock at affordable prices.
Climate Corps Fellows Improve Fortune 1000 Energy Efficiencies
As part of the Environmental Defense Fund Climate Corps fellowship program, 51 MBA students identified ways to save $350 million and 400,000 metric tons of pollution combined. The students spent the 2010 summer working for Fortune 1000 companies like Dow Jones, Xerox and Pepsi to help improve energy efficiency in operations. Individual achievements of the fellows include a thermal ice storage system installation recommendation that would save Verizon $9.16 million over the project lifetimes and avoid more than 8,700 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually; and the identification of energy rebates that would save Sunrise Preschools, Inc. $1.14 million. Because resources and time are often barriers to energy efficiency improvements for companies, Climate Corps fellows are trained with a specific focus on energy efficiency, allowing them to make a compelling business case and overcome organizational barriers.
Colorado State U Plans New Energy Policy Center
Colorado State University has announced plans to unveil the Center for the New Energy Economy and Senior Scholar as part of its School of Global Environmental Sustainability. Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter will head the center, working closely with the university's rural economic development activities to advance statewide economic initiatives related to clean and renewable energy. The center will be completely funded by private support, initially by the California-based Energy Foundation and the Colorado-based Bohemian Foundation. The university is in talks with other organizations interested in funding the center for the long term, which will focus on facilitating science-based policy, research and education to support the growth of the new energy economy statewide, nationally and globally.
Delta College Purchases Wind Turbine Teaching Model
Delta College (MI) has purchased a 300-kilowatt model wind turbine to teach the disassembly, repair and reassembly of the equipment as part of a lab experience for students. "Having this unit at ground level offers students the opportunity to receive hands-on training in a safe environment, learn the basic diagnostic and repair techniques, and learn more about the vast size and scope of this new industry’s equipment," Delta College's Sustainability and Risk Management Coordinator Linda Petee tells AASHE Bulletin.
Food Empowerment Org Launches Student Activist Training Program
The Cooperative Food Empowerment Directive (CoFed) has launched a national training program for students to create ethically-sourced, student-run local storefronts on college campuses. The organization aims to facilitate regional student networks to maximize its collective impact and empower a student-led food movement across the nation. The Berkeley Student Food Collective was the original catalyst for CoFed, which now encompasses six leadership teams starting student-run cafes on West Coast college campuses.
Green Mtn College Students Build House from Reclaimed Materials
As part of a semester-long project in the REED (Renewable Energy and EcoDesign) certificate program, students at Green Mountain College (VT) recently unveiled a "tiny house" of their own design. Based on interviews with mock clients, the class collaborated on the 8- by 12-foot design, built almost entirely from reclaimed materials. During the $1,927 design and construction process, students adhered to sustainable building practices whenever possible. Students helped pay for the project with a $100 per student course fee and expect to recoup their investment by selling the house in the spring, when the moveable structure will be equipped with a solar-powered electrical system.
Rochester Inst. Students Participate in Civic Engagement Program
Rochester Institute of Technology (NY) students will have the opportunity to turn classroom lessons into hands-on experience through AmeriCorps’ Students in Service pilot program. Twenty-five students will work in the community on development initiatives including public education, environmental stewardship and strengthening neighborhoods. The program is designed to challenge students to develop civic skills and increase connections between colleges and universities and the local community. The pilot is being coordinated through the New York Campus Compact.
U Chicago Approves Sustainable Building Policy
The University of Chicago (IL) has implemented a Sustainable Building Policy that will require all new campus buildings over $5 million to be LEED certified. In development over the last year and a half, the policy is the result of a collaboration between students, faculty and staff. Students led efforts to conduct a peer review of green building policies and helped draft the university's new policy.
U Chicago Expands Online Outreach for Bike Share Program
In celebration of the first anniversary of its Bike Share program, recycles, the University of Chicago is expanding the program's online outreach. The free program offers one-day bike rentals to the campus community with nearly 1,000 registered users and about 100 rentals per week. In response to feedback from users, a bicycle mechanic was recently hired to maintain the bikes and a new website launched where users can register and view available bikes online. The program's refurbished bicycles are purchased from a local nonprofit organization, Blackstone Bicycle Works, which also sponsors local youth programs.
U Massachusetts Medical School Adds More Carpool Parking Spots
Due to the growing popularity of its carpool program, the University of Massachusetts Medical School will add 20 more parking spaces for the exclusive use of carpoolers. With nearly 400 carpoolers and growing, the university now has a waiting list for its carpool tags.
U Massachusetts Medical School Recycling Rates Rise
The University of Massachusetts Medical School has announced a rise in campus recycling rates of 30 percent. Since its last fiscal year that ended June 2010, which posted an annual recycling rate of 23 percent, the university has contracted a new vendor, Northeast Material Handling, to take care of large recycling items like furniture, refrigerators and fixtures. The university plans to reach a 50 percent recycling rate with additional bins and signage across campus.
U Missouri-Kansas City Purchases All-Electric Truck
The University of Missouri-Kansas City has unveiled its first all-electric cargo truck. The new addition to its transportation fleet will be used primarily to service the university's recycling programs. The truck was purchased with a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities Initiative.
U Oregon to Promote Year-Round Biking with Globe Bicycles Grant
The University of Oregon's Bike Program has been awarded a grant from Globe Bicycles to help promote year-round bicycle commuting among its campus community. The university has received 14 new weather-friendly cargo bikes equipped with fenders, built-in lights and cargo racks capable of holding up to 90 pounds. The university plans to kick off its short-term bicycle loan program on January 12 with a "Ride in the Rain, A Celebration of Wet Weather Bike Transportation" campus event featuring free bike repair and a rain gear fashion show. For $10 a day, short-term loan bikes are designed to be immediately available to the campus community for short-term needs. This is in contrast to its existing long-term bicycle loan program, the university's Bike Program Coordinator Ted Sweeney tells AASHE Bulletin, which charges $12 per term with a $65 deposit and a waiting list checkout process to reserve them.
U Oregon Wins 'Energy Civil War' Against Oregon State U
Students, staff and faculty helped the University of Oregon win the "Energy Civil War" competition with Oregon State University by converting the most calories to kilowatts. Combined, the two universities generated 75 percent more energy using ReRev elliptical machines in their respective recreation centers than they did during a similar event last year. The competition ran from Nov. 29 to Dec. 3, 2010.
U Wisconsin Oshkosh Implements 100% Recycled Paper Policy
The University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh has announced its switch from 30 percent post-consumer recycled bond to 100 percent recycled paper on campus. The first reams have been distributed and are expected to save about 1,100 trees per year. The university's Campus Sustainability Council is working with departments across campus to reduce paper consumption by 5 percent to make the initiative budget neutral and increase paper consumption awareness.
Yale U Launches Sustainability Microloan Fund Program
Yale University (CT) has announced a new Sustainability Microloan Fund, managed by its Office of Sustainability. The fund will encourage university students, staff and faculty to come up with creative ideas to be considered for short-term loans. Microloans, ranging from $500 to $100,000, will fund projects that help save both money and the environment, but might not qualify for regular operating funds. Potential projects will be assessed for financial and environmental benefit, feasibility, innovation and interdisciplinary/interdepartmental cooperation.
6 Harvard U Buildings Awarded LEED Certification
Six Harvard University (MA) buildings have recently achieved LEED certification. The Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences’ Biophysics Laboratory and East Wing Offices, Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Larsen Hall Upper Floor Classroom, and Harvard Medical School’s renovation of 641-643 Huntington Avenue have each received LEED Gold certification. The university earned LEED Silver certification for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences' teaching labs and the renovation of the Graduate School of Education's Longfellow Basement. Common sustainable features include water-efficient fixtures, a reduction of overall energy consumption, passive solar design and the diversion of construction waste from landfills.
Bakersfield College Unveils 1.1 MW Solar Energy System
Bakersfield College (CA) has revealed a new 1.1-megawatt solar energy system. The system features a 3.1-acre parking lot canopy structure with nearly 3,700 SunPower solar panels that track the sun throughout the day, providing shade in the lot and solar electrical power for campus. The solar array is expected to supply approximately one-third of the college’s electricity demand.
Calhoun CC Receives $3.4 Mil Grant for Clean Energy Program
Calhoun Community College (AL) has received a $3.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to launch a clean energy program. The Alabama Center for Excellence in Clean Energy Technology will train students for green technology jobs including photovoltaic systems, renewable energies, heating and air conditioning systems and electricity. The program will offer an associate degree and two short-term certificates.
