Washington U St. Louis Opens 2 Green Residence Halls
Washington University in St. Louis (MO) has opened South 40 House and Umrath House, two new residence halls that were designed to meet LEED Silver standards. All equipment in South 40 House dining facilities, including stoves, hoods, and refrigerators, has an Energy Star label, and food waste will be sent to a pulper, which is similar to a composter. Umrath Hall will house 99 first-year students and three resident advisors (Ras). Three Ras and 126 students will live in South 40 House.
Western Carolina U Launches Yellow Bike Project
Western Carolina University (NC) has launched the Yellow Bike Project, a bike-share program on campus. The fleet of 14 bicycles, which were donated by the campus police impound and by individuals, are available for students to ride as needed and will be repaired and maintained by the WCU Cycling Club. The program received a $300 grant for paint, tubes, stickers, racks, and advertising to help it get started.
Western State College to Install Biomass Boiler
Western State College of Colorado has announced plans to install a boiler system that relies on woody biomass for fuel. A local source does not currently exist for the wood chips necessary to fuel the system, so Western plans to produce its own.
9 Minnesota Institutions Launch Energy Technician Degrees
Nine colleges in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system have announced plans to begin offering a two-year degree program this fall that aims to prepare students to work either in the renewable energy or traditional energy industries. Besides the energy technical specialist degree, students will be able to earn a 16-credit certificate in one of four specialties – ethanol production, biodiesel production, wind turbine maintenance, or solar energy assessment. The certificate programs, which can be completed in as little as one semester, will be available online. The colleges offering the new degree are Alexandria Technical College, Century College, Minnesota West Community and Technical College, South Central College, St. Cloud Technical College and four colleges of the Northeast Higher Education District – Hibbing Community College, Itasca Community College, Mesabi Range Community and Technical College and Vermilion Community College.
Arizona State U Opens Green Honors College
Arizona State University has opened a seven-building honors college campus. The Barrett campus, which welcomed 1,700 students, features a dining hall that will offer organic foods; laundry facilities with Web-based monitoring to let students know when their washer or dryer shuts off; and three floors for 250 students in a Sustainability House community, with low-consumption plumbing fixtures, energy monitoring for individual rooms, recycled gray water, a green roof, and an organic garden.
Calvin College Plants Rain Garden
Calvin College (MI) has installed a rain garden on its campus. The garden features irises, pink phlox, Black-eyed Susans, and mature oak, spruce, and maple trees.
Central Piedmont CC Launches Sustainability Technologies Degree Prgm
The Central Piedmont Community College (NC) Center for Sustainability has added an Associate in Applied Science – Sustainability Technologies degree to its list of curricular programs for the fall semester. The 70 credit-hour degree program will include general education classes, core environmental courses, major courses, and technical electives. Students will have the option of selecting from program tracks in environmental engineering technology, sustainable manufacturing, and alternative energy.
Delaware Technical & CC Begins Energy Conservation Prgm
Delaware Technical and Community College has begun the "Energy Rangers" program, in which a group of approximately 50 volunteers ensures that classroom and office lights are turned off when classes end. Each volunteer, who is also in charge of letting facilities staff know when a building's heating and cooling system is not working properly, adopts a corridor or bank of offices in a campus building.
Drury U Installs 4 KW Solar System on Res Hall
Drury University (MO) has installed a solar system on a campus residence hall. The new system will be used to create electricity and to heat water. The solar thermal portion of the system will pre-heat water to between 80 and 120 degrees before it is transferred into the hot water tank where it will be heated to 140 degrees. When operating at maximum capacity the system will produce four kilowatts of energy.
Emory U Expands Recycling
Emory University (GA) has expanded its plastics recycling program to accept items with Plastic Identification Codes 1–6. Emory previously accepted only codes one and two.
Emory U Promotes Green Initiatives at New Student Orientation
Emory University (GA) has begun an initiative to make its future student orientation events more sustainable. This year's event featured recycling, composting at three different events, and compostable flatware and locally produced foods during the opening dinner.
Gonzaga U Campus Kitchen Begins Gleaning/Serving Local Foods
Gonzaga University (WA) has begun a project that involves gleaning local fruits and vegetables and serving them in campus dining facilities. The University has partnered with local farmers who are unable to eat or sell all of the fruits and vegetables they grow. The farmers donate or sell the produce at a reduced price.
Greenopia Releases Green Rating for 100 Campuses
Greenopia , a Los Angeles guide for green living, has released a sustainability rating for 100 colleges and universities in the U.S. Data was collected from the institution or from other sources pertaining to green building design, waste program, food selection, campus vehicle fleet, water conservation measures, climate performance, renewable energy usage, and the overall environmental transparency of the school. Ratings were awarded on a scale of 1 to 4 green leaves, with 4 being the best. The University of Washington and the University of California, Santa Barbara were the only schools to receive 4 green leaves. The University of Oregon; the University of California, Davis; Colorado State University; Stanford University (CA); Harvard University (MA); Pennsylvania State University; the University of California, San Diego; and Duke University (NC) made it into the top 10.
Illinois Wesleyan U Welcome Center Earns LEED Silver
Illinois Wesleyan University's Minor Myers, Jr. Welcome Center, which houses the Admissions Office and the Career Center, has received LEED Silver certification. Green features include geothermal heating and cooling units, insulated glass windows that reflect heat, and a traction elevator.
Marin College Installs Solar Panels and Geothermal System
Marin College (CA) has installed 16, 30-foot by 30-foot photovoltaic shared structures and a 40-foot-deep geothermal system. The solar structure will provide an estimated 50 percent of the energy needed to operate the newly renovated physical education building, which will open this winter. The geothermal system is expected to pay for itself in five years through reduced energy costs. The two new installations were funded by a bond measure passed by Marin County voters that allocated $249.5 million for upgrades and retrofits at the college. The funds will also be used to construct a new fine arts building and a science and math building, both of which will seek a U.S. Green Building Council LEED rating.
Mesa State College Begins Bike-Share Program
Mesa State College (CO) has begun MAVbikes, a bike-share program that allows students to check out single-speed bikes for the entire semester with a $150 refundable deposit. The fleet of 50 bicycles was purchased from a local bike shop that is providing the College with free maintenance, tune-ups, and adjustments
Michigan State U Chemistry Building Addition Receives LEED Silver
An addition to Michigan State University's Chemistry Building has received LEED Silver certification. The addition was part of an $18 million project that also included laboratory renovations. Environmentally friendly features of the new structure include recycled green glass in the flooring, low flow fixtures in restrooms, demand ventilation, drip irrigation, recycling stations in the hall, and motion sensors for classroom lights.
MI, IN Colleges Awarded Funding for Electric Vehicle Dev & Training
The Obama Administration has announced more than $16 million in grants for electric vehicle development, degree, and training programs in Michigan and Indiana. Wayne State University; the University of Michigan; the University of Michigan, Dearborn; Kettering University; Michigan Technological University; and Macomb Community College have been awarded a total of more than $10 million for battery training and education for researchers, technicians, service providers, first responders, and the general public. Purdue University (IN), in partnership with the University of Notre Dame; Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis; Ivy Tech Community College; Purdue University, Calumet; and Indiana University, Northwest, will receive a $6.1 million grant to develop degree and training programs for electric vehicles. The Indiana Advanced Electric Vehicle Training and Education Consortium will develop certificate and associate degree programs for vehicle technicians, bachelor's and master's degree programs for electric vehicle design and manufacturing engineers, and a certificate program in electric vehicle safety for emergency responders. It will also develop an outreach program to secondary schools and a website to provide information on electric vehicles to the general public. The funding is part of the Obama administration's $2.4 billion in grants to accelerate the development of next-generation batteries and electric vehicles.
Montserrat College, Mesa State College Open Green Res Halls
Montserrat College of Art (MA) and Mesa State College (CO) have each opened an environmentally-friendly residence complex. Montserrat opened the Helena J. Sturnick Village, a quad of four residence halls. The $7 million complex, which is registered for LEED certification, contains energy-efficient light bulbs, light sensors, heating and cooling sensors, extra insulation, and a green roof. Mesa State opened the North Avenue Student Housing complex, a $21.3 million structure that consists of three connected buildings and contains 304 beds. The 93,524 square-foot complex, which was designed to meet LEED Silver standards, contains a ground source heat exchange system, solar panels, high performance windows and insulation, and lighting controls.
Mother Jones Posts Top 10 Inexpensive and Eco-Friendly Schools
Mother Jones magazine has published its list of the top 10 affordable higher education institutions, many of which focus on sustainability, environmental studies, service learning, and/or alternative energy. Schools in the "MoJo Mini College Guide" include: Berea College (KY); New College of Florida; Hope College (MI); Fisk University (TN); the University of Minnesota, Morris; Kettering University (MI), the College of New Jersey; California State University, Monterey Bay; Warren Wilson College (NC); and the University of Kansas.
NY Times Blogs on Green Campus Rankings and Ratings
The New York Times has published a blog post on emerging campus sustainability ranking and rating systems. The post mentions the Princeton Review, the Sustainable Endowments Institute's Green Report Card, AASHE's Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS), the Sierra Club's "Eco-Enlightened" Colleges, and the Aspen Institute's Beyond Grey Pinstripes survey of green MBA programs. Campuses mentioned include Harvard University (MA); Yale University (CT); the University of California, Berkeley; the University of New Hampshire; Dickinson College (PA); Middlebury College (VT); and the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Presidents’ Climate Commitment Signatories Attend Leadership Summit
Over 250 higher education leaders attended the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment Leadership Summit in Chicago, IL. Speakers included former President Bill Clinton; Martha J. Kanter, US Undersecretary of Education; S. Richard Fedrizzi, President, CEO, and Founding Chairman of the U.S. Green Building Council; Peter M. Senge, author of The Fifth Discipline and founding chair of the Society for Organizational Learning; and Janine Benyus, biologist and author of six books including Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature .
Rice U Opens 2 Green Dormitories
Rice University (TX) has opened McMurtry College and Duncan College, two green residence halls on campus. The 125,700-square-foot dormitories, with 324 beds each, feature smart air conditioning systems that learn the students' comfort level, open-window and infrared sensors that put the air conditioning unit in setback mode, and green roofs. Duncan College is expected to achieve LEED Gold certification, and McMurtry College is expected to receive LEED Silver.
Several Campuses Switch to Reusable To-Go Containers
Several campus dining halls throughout North America will begin using the "Green Thread," a reusable, to-go food container introduced by ARAMARK Higher Education. The containers, which are dishwasher-safe and go through the same cleaning process as the dinnerware used in campus dining halls, will be offered to students at participating campuses starting this year. The eco-friendly option is expected to divert more than 2 million disposables from landfills during the 2009-2010 school year. The new program is a result of successful pilots at Baylor University (TX), University of Florida, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Peace College (NC), and Salem College (NC).
Treehugger Posts Top 10 Green U.S. Colleges
Treehugger has posted a slideshow of its list of "10 Greenest Colleges in the U.S." Campuses featured include: Tufts University (MA); Warren Wilson College (NC); University of New Hampshire; Middlebury College (VT); University of Colorado at Boulder; Stanford University (CA); University of Washington; University of Oregon; Yale University (CT); and College of the Atlantic (ME).
U Akron Wayne College Opens Green Mixed-Use Building
The University of Akron Wayne College (OH) has opened its Student Life Building, a renovated campus structure that houses classrooms, offices, conference rooms, computer labs, and testing centers. The facility features daylighting, motion activated lights, and glass that clouds over when rooms are unoccupied.
U Colorado Students Plant 20-Acre Organic Farm
Student volunteers at the University of Colorado at Boulder have planted a 20-acre organic farm with more than 30 varieties of vegetables including four types of squash, green beans, pumpkins, Swiss chard, radishes, 10 varieties of tomatoes, seven acres of pinto beans, onions, and cucumbers. The project received a Community Supported Agriculture grant and has grown enough produce to sell extra vegetables at the Boulder Farmers' Market and to a few local restaurants. The 'Beyond Organic Farm' was developed and is run entirely by students.
UC San Diego to Install 2.8 MW Fuel Cell and Storage System
The University of California, San Diego has received $11 million from the California Public Utilities Commission to install a fuel cell energy generation and storage system. The 2.8-megawatt fuel cell coupled with the 2.8-megawatt advanced energy-storage system will allow the University to store off-peak power and discharge the energy during peak-demand hours. In addition, UCSD will capture the waste heat generated by the fuel cell as a continuous power source for 320 tons of chilling capacity to cool campus buildings. The two units are scheduled for completion in 2010.
U Illinois Chicago Prof to Develop Climate Change Diagnostic Toolbox
A University of Illinois at Chicago mathematician has received a $473,000 National Science Foundation Career Award to create a "diagnostic toolbox" - a new set of algorithms that will provide a computational framework to aid climatologists in their predictions about climate change. Rafail Abramov hopes the math tool will help climate scientists narrow down parameters to ones that will make a difference.
U South Carolina Opens Green Residence Hall
The University of South Carolina has opened a new, $47.6 million environmentally-friendly dormitory. The 537-bed facility, which is expected to receive LEED Gold certification, contains construction materials that were purchased from within a 500-mile radius. The 191,000-square-foot residence hall is expected to use 38 percent less water and 30 percent less energy than similarly sized structures. In addition, wood construction scraps were converted into mulch and approximately 85 percent of the demolition materials were recycled.
U Texas El Paso, Cleveland State U Install Green Roofs
The University of Texas at El Paso and Cleveland State University (OH) have each installed a green roof on their campuses. The UT El Paso installation, which is located on top of the Biology Building, is 9,156 square feet and features such plants as regal mist, white evening primrose, and sun gold gazania. The 7,000 square-foot CSU green roof was installed by 20 volunteers and contains 15,000 plants. The installation, which cost $250,000, was a gift donated by the classes of 2009 and 2010.
U Wisconsin, Green Bay Plants Organic Campus Garden
The University of Wisconsin, Green Bay has planted an organic garden next to the campus's Student Union. The 1,200-square-foot garden contains tomatoes, onions, peppers, potatoes, lettuce, and edible flowers. The project, which was spearheaded by an environmental science and policy graduate student, is funded through the student government and will eventually include workshops on composting, seed germination and saving, and preparing food from the garden.
Vanderbilt U, Coastal Carolina U Hold Green Move-Ins
Vanderbilt University (TN) and Coastal Carolina University (SC) have introduced several new initiatives to make their first-year student move-ins more sustainable. Vanderbilt provided 12 water cooler filling stations, distributed reusable water bottles to first-year students, offered Styrofoam recycling, and printed its housing assignment information on paper with recycled content. CCU launched a recycling drive for cardboard boxes and other recyclable materials.
3 Campuses to Launch Programs in Sustainable Development
Columbia University (NY), Emory University (GA), and the University of Florida have been selected by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation as three of 10 universities worldwide to receive $900,000 to create a new master’s in development practice (MDP) degree program. The MDP programs are designed to provide graduate students with training beyond the classroom study of economics and management that are the typical focus of most development studies programs. The program’s core curriculum bridges the natural sciences, health sciences, social sciences, and management. It combines classroom study with field experiences in a range of disciplines, including agriculture, policy, health, engineering, management, environmental science, education, and nutrition.
Arizona State U Art Museum Features Sustainability Theme
Arizona State University's Art Museum has announced plans to showcase a series of projects this fall gathered under the title, "Defining Sustainability." All exhibitions or projects range in materials and format, and are installed throughout the Museum to tell stories of environmental, social, and cultural sustainability.
Babson College, Oregon Inst of Technology Partner for Green Curriculum
Babson College's (MA) Fast Track MBA Program and Oregon Institute of Technology's Renewable Energy Engineering Program have announced a partnership to explore business application for renewable energy technologies. In the pilot program, Babson MBA students in the Northwest region will be matched with students at OIT's Portland campus who are enrolled in the Renewable Energy Engineering program to address business challenges of projects focused on renewable energy products, services, or systems. The goal is to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation that could result in commercializing new green technologies.
Cal State U San Bernardino to Offer 3 New Green Certificates
California State University, San Bernardino has announced plans to add three new green certificate programs to its fall 2009 course offerings. The new certificates, which are offered through the CSUSB extension program, include: Green Building Construction, Green Energy Management, and Sustainable Practices. Each program consists of five courses that can be taken individually or together to earn a certificate.
Christian Chronicle Covers Growth in Green Initiatives at Christian Colleges
The Christian Chronicle has published an article on the increase in sustainability initiatives on Christian college campuses. The story mentions projects at Lubbock Christian University (TX), Lipscomb University (TN), Pepperdine University (CA), Oklahoma Christian University, and Faulkner University (AL).
Christian Science Monitor Covers Ball State U's Geothermal Installation
The Christian Science Monitor has published an article on Ball State University's (IN) geothermal project. BSU is digging 3,750 to 4,000 wells to supply heating and cooling to most buildings on campus. Each well will be five inches in diameter and 400 feet deep. The project will save the University an estimated $2 million annually in fuel costs and will halve the campus' yearly carbon dioxide emissions.
Coastal Carolina U Expands Recycling Program
Coastal Carolina University (SC) has begun an initiative to expand its recycling efforts. Starting this fall, more recycling will be available in dorm rooms, at football games, and during move-in. Each dorm room will receive a yellow recycling bin and fliers and stickers will be available to inform students what can be recycled. Students will be responsible for collecting recyclable materials from each room.
Goucher College Launches MA in Cultural Sustainability
Goucher College (MD) has begun accepting applicants to its new Master of Arts in Cultural Sustainability program. The 38-credit program brings together tools from anthropology, history, communications, business and management, linguistics, and activism. The program aims to teach students how to sustain cultural traditions in an era of increasing homogeneity and globalization. Coursework is conducted as a limited residency, distance-education program, meaning classes are primarily held online and are complemented with two one-week residencies on campus.
Jacksonville State U Unveils New Transit System
Jacksonville State University (AL) has unveiled the Gamecock Express, a new campus bus service that will run continuously from 7am to 10pm Monday through Friday, with limited schedules on the weekends. The routes have been designed to help students travel to and from class, and a city route will allow campus and community members to go shopping. The fleet of 10 buses will be free of charge and will not require a JSU identification card. The University has also implemented restricted parking zones.
James Madison U Opens Green Dining Hall
James Madison University (VA) has opened its new 700-seat East Campus Dining Hall. Green features of the new structure include its location close to bus stops and bike racks, a white membrane that covers 97 percent of the roof and reflects sunlight, water-efficient plumbing, daylighting, and the use of recycled and regionally manufactured building materials. The Dining Hall is registered for LEED certification.
Johnson County CC to Offer 2 New Energy Programs
Johnson County Community College (KS) has announced plans to offer a new Residential Energy Auditing Certificate and an associate's degree in Energy Performance and Resource Management (EPRM) beginning in the fall of 2009. The 25-hour “fast track” certificate program can be completed in 12 weeks. The new program was developed in response to a need for professionals who are able to perform certified energy audits for homeowners in search of stimulus funds for weatherization. The 64-hour EPRM associate's degree program aims to prepare students for the alternative energy technology field. Upon completion of the EPRM coursework, students should be able to understand the science behind active and passive energy systems, analyze energy systems designs, and offer professional advice to consumers to improve energy systems.
Middlebury College Launches 'No-Mow' Project
The Chronicle of Higher Education has posted a video on its Buildings & Grounds blog about a recent initiative at Middlebury College (VT) to reduce the number of times the College mows its lawn per year. The "No-Mow" project has lessened the amount of lawn Middlebury staff mow by 20 acres and has saved approximately 670 gallons of fuel. The post also mentions Cape Cod Community College (MA) which has begun a similar program.
Mid-State Technical College to Start Wind Energy Training Prgm
Mid-State Technical College (WI) has received $160,000 to start a customized training program in wind energy. The program will be an intensive, 12-week, 12-credit course. The 35 people who will receive training as a result of the grant are mostly displaced workers from other industries.
New Mexico State U Receives Solar Funding
New Mexico State University's Southwest Technology Development Institute, a part of the Institute for Energy and the Environment (IEE), has received $1.75 million from the U.S. Department of Energy for leadership and operation of the Solar America Board for Codes and Standards (Solar ABCs). Led by the Technology Development Institute, the Solar ABCs is a 10-member consortium of public and private entities that develops national and international codes and standards.
NY Times Publishes Article on Growing Interest in Sustainability Courses
The New York Times has published an article on the growing interest in sustainability in continuing education and extension program curriculum. The story mentions green coursework at University of California, Berkeley; Stanford University (CA); Harvard University (MA); University of Oregon; Duquesne University (PA); City University of Seattle (WA); California State University, Long Beach; and University of Colorado at Boulder.
