Rice U Children's Campus Receives LEED Silver
Rice University's (TX) Children's Campus, the institution's early learning facility for children of Rice faculty, staff, and students, has received LEED Silver certification. The 9,750-square-foot building includes light sensors, programmable thermostats, a self-monitoring mechanical system, double-paned windows, dual-flush toilets, and faucet aerators. In addition, more than 90 percent of occupied spaces in the building have access to natural daylight and views to the outdoors.
Roger Williams U Receives Grant for Sustainability Study Abroad
Roger Williams University (RI) has secured a federal grant to create an Interdisciplinary Sustainability Study Abroad Program in the Republic of Turkey. The U.S. State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs awarded $96,798 to support the RWU initiative which includes a partnership with Turkish educational institutions to collaborate on issues related to urbanization, pollution remediation, green building design and construction, renewable energy, and public policy.
Sierra Magazine Names Top 20 Coolest Schools
Sierra , the official magazine of the Sierra Club, has released its third annual ranking of planet-preserving colleges and universities. The list of "20 Coolest Schools" is based on a survey e-mailed to "sustainability experts" at institutions in the US and covered the following topics: efficiency, energy, food, academics, purchasing, transportation, waste management, and administration. They top 20 schools in order are: University of Colorado at Boulder; University of Washington; Middlebury College (VT); University of Vermont; College of the Atlantic (ME); The Evergreen State College (WA); University of California, Santa Cruz ; University of California, Berkeley; University of California, Los Angeles; Oberlin College (OH); Harvard University (MA); University of New Hampshire; Arizona State University; Yale University (CT); University of Florida; Bates College (ME); Willamette University (OR); Warren Wilson College (NC); Dickinson College (PA); and New York University.
Syracuse U, SUNY ESF Announce Joint Certif in Sustainable Enterprises
Syracuse University (NY) and the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) have announced a joint graduate Certificate of Advanced Study in Sustainable Enterprise (CASSE). The certificate was developed to engage graduate students from a wide range of academic backgrounds in a trans-disciplinary program focused on sustainability strategies for organizations. The CASSE curriculum integrates business, science, engineering, and policy instruction with practical knowledge in sustainability. CASSE candidates will be required to complete three core courses and two electives. The core courses — “Managing Sustainability: Purpose, Principles and Practice,” “Strategic Management and the Natural Environment” and “Sustainability-Driven Enterprise” — are designed to be relevant and accessible to a wide range of disciplines.
Texas Christian U Renovation Receives LEED Gold
Texas Christian University's renovation of Sherley Hall has received LEED Gold certification. The 76,403-square-foot structure, which features 162 double-occupancy sleeping rooms, is the first building on campus to achieve LEED certification. The renovation reduced energy consumption from interior lighting by 41 percent, from exterior lighting by 53 percent, and from cooling by an estimated 40 percent. Water usage decreased by 37 percent.
U Arkansas Partners with PepsiCo to Research Product Sustainability
The University of Arkansas has announced a partnership with PepsiCo to support research on how to create more sustainable products. Under the agreement, PepsiCo will provide a $300,000 grant over three years to UA's Applied Sustainability Center to focus on product sustainability, including life-cycle assessment and a sustainable food index.
U California, Merced to Lead Multi-Campus Solar Energy Research
The University of California, Merced has received a $2.25 million five-year grant to fund a new UC-wide solar energy research program. California Advanced Solar Technologies Institute (CAST) researchers will cover the development of novel photovoltaic devices, which convert sunlight into electricity, and thermal energy for cooling of buildings, industry, and other applications. Other participating institutions include the University of California, Berkeley and the University of California, Santa Barbara.
U California, San Diego Installs Sun-Tracking Solar Panels
The University of California, San Diego has installed solar panels that automatically track the sun as it crosses the daytime sky and concentrate sunlight onto hundreds of electricity-producing solar cells, each smaller than a shirt button. The 220-square-foot, 5.75 kW concentrating photovoltaic panel is mounted on a movable platform atop a metal pole and has an average efficiency of nearly twice that of conventional photovoltaic technology.
U New Hampshire Football Game Goes Green
University of New Hampshire Athletics has announced a partnership with the UNH University Office of Sustainability to focus on eco-friendly products and choices at the first football game of the season. The 'Go GREEN with the Wildcats'” event will feature volunteers encouraging attendees to recycle and tables offering Wildcat Corporate Partners' green products and services.
Unity College Donates White House Solar Panels to Smithsonian
Unity College (ME) has donated a solar panel that was once installed on the White House to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. The panels were originally installed on the roof of the White House above the Oval Office by President Jimmy Carter's administration to heat water in the staff kitchen. The panels were removed in 1986 during the Reagan Presidency and obtained by Unity College in 1991. Sixteen panels were refurbished and installed atop the College's cafeteria. They heated water until 2005 when they reached the end of their lifespan. One of those panels was donated to the museum’s collection in the division of politics and reform. Another panel was donated to the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum in Atlanta.
U North Alabama Receives Green Campus Initiative Funding
The University of North Alabama has received $951,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy for phase two of the University’s Green Campus Initiative, an effort to make UNA facilities as energy-efficient and environmentally friendly as possible. UNA’s Green Campus Initiative projects are designed to promote greater efficiencies of energy usage, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and recycling of appropriate items. Phase one of the initiative includes the current renovation of Keller Hall. The Keller renovation features solar panels, new windows, and a new heating and air system.
U North Carolina Implements Energy Policy
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has implemented a new campus-wide energy policy that aims to decrease energy use by reducing the amount of air conditioning and heating used in buildings. The temperature set points will be between 76 and 78 degrees during the summer and between 69 and 71 degrees during the winter. Most buildings will be programmed to relax these settings (to between 64 and 83 degrees) when buildings typically are unoccupied or have low occupancy. The University expects a savings of between $4 and $5 million per year in energy costs.
U North Carolina Launches U.S. Energy Use Website
The School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has launched “Powering a Nation,” an experimental multimedia news website that explores U.S. energy use and its relationship to the country’s demographics. Ten Carolina journalism students selected as News21 fellows have been working since January with faculty – joined by two students from Harvard University (MA) and the University of Missouri – to produce stories about wind farms, the electrical grid, mountaintop removal, coal activists, biofuels, religious response to environmental issues, and other topics. The stories are presented as feature articles, multimedia documentaries, motion graphics, blog posts, and games.
Walsh College Receives Green Building of America Award
Walsh College's (MI) Jeffery W. Barry Center has received a Green Building of America Award. The Center will be featured in the Real Estate & Construction Review-Midwest Green Success Stories special edition. The 37,000-square-foot Barry Center incorporates recycled and eco-friendly materials and captures and recycles rain water.
Western Kentucky U to Add Service Learning to State Env'l Ed Prgms
Western Kentucky University’s Center for Environmental Education and Sustainability has announced plans to lead a two-year, $1.5 million project to integrate service learning into environmental education programs in Kentucky. WKU and three other yet-to-be-determined Kentucky universities will incorporate service learning into their teacher education programs. Students in those courses will use service-learning to assess energy use in public buildings near campus and develop a project to decrease energy usage in their target buildings. The project is expected to engage about 360 college students and 4,000 elementary and secondary school students.
3 Campuses Launch Car Sharing Programs
The University of South Florida, Saint Mary's College of California, and West Virginia University have each launched a car-sharing program on campus in partnership with Enterprise Rent-A-Car's WeCar. USF's program will allow drivers to rent one of four hybrid vehicles for a few hours at a time. The WeCar vehicles will be parked in designated spots in two locations on campus, allowing USF students, employees, and others who are at least 18 years old and who have preregistered as WeCar members to access them. Saint Mary's College of California has two cars parked on campus available for student use. In order to be a part of the program, students pay an enrollment fee and can rent a car by the day or by the hour. The College waived the enrollment fee for students who applied before June 1, 2009 and agreed not to bring a car to campus. WVU offers four hybrid rental cars to students who live on campus and to employees in academic departments seeking to cut back on travel expenses.
3 US Universities Join New, UN-Led Climate Initiative
Six universities from the US, UK, Spain, and China have become the first academic institutions to join the Climate Neutral Network (CN Net), an initiative led by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) to promote global action to de-carbonize our economies and societies. CN Net participants have agreed to take leadership on the issue of climate change at the local, national, and international levels. The US charter members include College of the Atlantic (ME), The Evergreen State College (WA), and Middlebury College (VT).
Aberdeen U Receives Funding for New Green Energy Center
Aberdeen University (United Kingdom) has opened the Scottish European Green Energy Center. The Center has received £2.6 million to help coordinate the development and distribution of renewable energy technologies. Located in Scotland, the Center will work to develop carbon capture and offshore wind and tidal power systems.
Aims CC to Offer Certificate in Sustainable Building
Aims Community College (CO) has announced plans to launch a two-class certificate in Green/Sustainable Building. The courses will include Renewable Energy Construction and Green and Sustainable Buildings and will cover such topics as zero net (energy) building, passive thermal architecture, LEED criteria, and solar construction techniques.
Arizona State U Installs LEDs in Parking Structures
Arizona State University has retrofitted six parking structures on the Tempe campus with new light- emitting diode (LED) fixtures. The project will afford ASU with an annual savings of up to $127,000 in energy and maintenance costs.
California State U Monterey Bay Places Bins in Dorm Rooms
California State University, Monterey Bay has purchased 3,100 bright blue recycling bins for residence hall rooms on campus. Each bin comes with a guide that explains what kinds of materials to recycle and a reminder to carry the full bins to the new 6-yard blue recycling dumpsters that will be installed next to each 4-yard green waste dumpster already located near the residence halls. The University funded the purchase with a grant from the California Department of Conservation.
Coastal Carolina U Recycles 700 Mattresses
Coastal Carolina University (SC) has given 700 mattresses that were removed from two campus residence halls to a company that recycles 94 percent of each mattress. The University also recycled the plastic packaging on the mattresses.
Durham College Installs Solar Array
Durham College (ON) has installed a $500,000 grid-tied photovoltaic system. The new solar power system is part of a 40,000-square-foot expansion and upgrade of the College’s Whitby campus that is designed to increase energy efficiency and energy production while supporting a range of energy-focused programs and learning facilities.
Edgewood College Restaurant Certified Green
Edgewood College's (WI) Phil's has been named a Certified Green Restaurant by the Green Restaurant Association. Officials believe that Phil's is the first college or university dining service operation in Wisconsin to receive the honor. The dining facility uses zero trans-fat cooking oils that are filtered daily to extend life, recycles cooking oils for use in the creation of biofuel, and uses compostable disposables.
Harvard U to Install 500 kW Solar Array
Harvard University (MA) has announced plans to install a 500 kW solar array on the top of one of its campus buildings. The array, which is expected to reach nearly 2 ½ football fields in length, is being funded in part by a $1.08 million grant from the state’s Commonwealth Solar rebate program, which aims to increase the amount of renewable energy generated by photovoltaic technology in Massachusetts.
Keene State College Installs Co-Gen Plant
Keene State College (NH) has installed a co-generation heat plant that is expected to reduce energy costs by more than $120,000 a year and to reduce greenhouse gases caused by campus electrical consumption by more than 500 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year. The new facility features two new boilers that have high-efficiency burners that increase steam output with almost no waste; a control system that regulates the boilers for maximum output; and the ability to allow steam to provide heat and turn a turbine that will generate up to 12 percent of the campus's electricity.
North Carolina State U Donates 538,000 Lbs of Dorm Furniture
North Carolina State University has donated 538,000 pounds of dorm room furniture to 18 different local shelters and non-profit groups. The six buildings’ worth of desks, beds, and chests of drawers, and book carols was diverted from going to the landfill.
Ohio State U Adds Special Parking for Green Vehicles
Ohio State University has reserved 24 parking spaces for low-emissions vehicles and has announced plans to add 12 more in its South Campus Gateway garage. To use a "Green Spot" parking space, a vehicle must be listed on the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy's list of green vehicles.
Oklahoma State U to Upgrade Water System
Oklahoma State University has announced plans to undergo a water system upgrade that will allow the University to rely on untreated or partially treated water for some uses that do not require drinking-quality water. The University expects to save as much as $6 million in four to five years by running its own water system instead of purchasing water from the City. OSU's new system will be capable of serving as a backup to the municipal system in case of emergency.
Suffolk U to Launch Single Stream Recycling Pilot
Suffolk University (MA) has announced plans to launch a single stream recycling pilot in an on-campus residence hall starting in September. Residents and building staff will be able to recycle paper, cardboard, glass, metal, and plastic all in one bin. The University has also set a goal to achieve an average monthly recycling rate of 30 percent at the dormitory.
Swarthmore College Receives Green Building Award
The design for the Wister Education Center and Greenhouse for the Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College (PA) has been selected as a Green Building of America award-winning project. The Wister center was selected from more than 2,500 nominated projects and will be spotlighted in a special Real Estate & Construction Review-Northeast Green Success Stories edition in 2010. The 5,200-square-foot building with a $3.8 million budget is under construction and is expected to be finished in late September.
U Akron Installs Energy Efficient Stadium Lighting
The University of Akron (OH) has installed five energy efficient light masts around its football stadium. The new installations will use as much as 25 percent less energy than traditional stadium lighting.
U California Santa Barbara Building Receives LEED 'Double Platinum'
The University of California, Santa Barbara's Bren Hall, which houses the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, has become the nation's first building to earn two LEED Platinum certifications. The structure has received LEED Platinum certification for Existing Buildings – Operations and Maintenance. Bren Hall received LEED Platinum for New Construction in 2002. Certification for existing buildings (LEED EB) is based on operations and maintenance, occupant health, and financial return of the initial investment in sustainability technology and strategies, so it serves to test the commitment to sustainable operation demonstrated by a building's occupants. New construction (LEED NC) certification includes credits for many elements that are part of erecting a new building, such as location, materials used, and management of construction-related waste, as well as credits for resource efficiency and operational elements.
U Houston-Victoria Uses Xeriscaping to Save Water
The University of Houston-Victoria (TX) has installed a new xeriscape, landscaping that seeks to conserve water and protect the environment. The 48-by-56-square-foot area is made up of large boulders, mulch, moss rock, small landscaping stones known as cobble, and Texas native flowering shrubs. The xeriscape will allow UHV to conserve about half the amount of water the University previously used to irrigate the site.
U Iowa Triples Number of LEED Accredited Staff
The University of Iowa Facilities Management Department surpassed its goal to double the number of LEED-Accredited Professionals on staff to help ensure that every new building on campus is designed to be as environmentally friendly as possible. The 17 newly accredited staff members were recognized by UI President Sally Mason. The UI accreditations coincide with the enactment of a new Iowa Board of Regents requirement that Iowa's public universities give preference for all new major building and renovation projects to design professionals with LEED certification experience. The board also now requires that all major building projects on campus meet a minimum of LEED Silver certification.
U Minnesota Awards Renewable Energy & Env Scholarships
The University of Minnesota’s Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment (IREE), in partnership with the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, has selected 14 projects as part of the 2009 renewable energy scholarship program. The scholarship winners receive a stipend of up to $1,700 each. The students must assist with a faculty member’s research or carry out their own projects under faculty supervision. To fulfill the scholarship objectives, the projects must focus on expanding IREE’s renewable energy research portfolio at the University of Minnesota.
U Nevada Las Vegas Offers Minor in Solar & Renewable Energy
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas has announced plans to begin offering a minor in Solar and Renewable Energy starting this fall. The new minor, made possible by a $500,000 gift from NV Energy, is designed to boost student knowledge in the areas of solar and renewable energy utilization, sustainable building design, and global environmental challenges. The gift also includes funding for scholarships, undergraduate research opportunities, demonstration equipment, and internships with either NV Energy or local agencies with a strong focus in renewable and solar energy. The degree program is housed in the UNLV department of environmental studies and consists of both policy and science and engineering tracks.
U New Hampshire Receives $953K for Energy Efficiency Prgms
Two University of New Hampshire energy efficiency programs - the New Hampshire Carbon Challenge (NHCC) and Carbon Solutions New England (CSNE) - have been awarded more than $953,000 from the New Hampshire Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Fund (GHGERF) to further their efforts. NHCC, a joint initiative of UNH and Clean Air-Cool Planet, received a two-year, $813,402 grant and will partner with the New Hampshire Sustainable Energy Association to develop web-based energy-efficiency tools that homeowners can use to reduce their energy usage. CSNE, a UNH-based public-private partnership designed to promote collective action to achieve a clean, secure energy future, secured $139,945 for one year to track, analyze, and report on projects funded by the GHGERF. The grant was made through the Public Utilities Commission as part of the emissions reductions fund, which are monies raised through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a mandatory, market-based effort in the United States to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
U San Diego Announces Major in Environmental Studies
The University of San Diego (CA) Marine Science and Environmental Studies Department has added a major in Environmental Studies. The new program is designed as an interdisciplinary approach studying environmental issues from the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities perspectives. The major is intended to provide students with a background in the natural sciences, balanced by breadth in the social sciences and humanities most directly connected to environmental issues facing the world today.
USA Today, Inside Higher Ed Cover Increase in Sustainability Curriculum
USA Today has published an article on the increase in the number of college and university academic programs that incorporate sustainability into their curriculum. The article attributes the growth, in part, to increasing student interest in green careers. Institutions mentioned include the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University (MA), Arizona State University, Bucknell University (PA), and Kalamazoo Valley Community College (MI). In related news, Inside Higher Ed has published an article on the increase in academic programs and faculties that focus specifically on sustainability. Colleges and universities noted in the piece include Arizona State University, State University of New York at Stony Brook Southampton, Dalhousie University (NS), Colorado State University, Chatham University (PA), College of the Atlantic (ME), State University of New York's College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and the University of Washington.
U Western Ontario Expands Recycling
The University of Western Ontario has begun accepting milk cartons, drink boxes, and plastics with the recycling number four and five in its recycling bins. The University also plans to add new labeling to every recycling bin on campus, with an icon or symbol illustrating acceptable items.
U Western Ontario Installs Rooftop Garden
The University of Western Ontario has installed a living roof on its Claudette MacKay-Lassonde Pavilion. UWO has also embedded probes throughout the new installation that will allow students to monitor such data as soil moisture and temperature. Areas of the roof not covered by plants have been painted in a reflective white color to reduce the heat-island effect. The University plans to install solar panels and a wind turbine on the roof as well.
U Wisconsin Madison Serves Produce from Campus Garden
The University of Wisconsin, Madison's Dining and Culinary Services has begun sourcing a portion of its produce from a garden on campus. The campus eateries that serve the hyper-local food have posted signs to inform their customers about the initiative.
Wayne State U Receives $1.5M to Reduce Energy Waste
Wayne State University (MI) has received $1.48 million from the Great Lakes Protection Fund to help reduce energy waste in the Detroit water system. The University is developing computer software to reduce energy use in the system, which pumps 675 million gallons a day in a 1,079-square-mile area with 126 communities in eight counties.
Wayne State U Receives $5M for 4 Electric Vehicle Engineering Prgms
Wayne State University (MI) has received a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to provide an electric vehicle (EV) engineering education and workforce training program. The proposed degrees include a master's in Electric-Drive Vehicle Engineering; a bachelor's in Electric Transportation Technology; an associate's in Automotive Technology and Electronic Engineering Technology; and a graduate certificate program in Electric-Drive Vehicle Engineering. The degree programs are expected to launch in January.
21 New Campuses Complete Greenhouse Gas Inventories
20 signatory campuses of the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) have submitted public greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories since the last update in the AASHE Bulletin . The GHG inventory is the first major reporting requirement of the Commitment and is due within a year of signing. New inventories were submitted by: University of California, Berkeley; University of Minnesota-Twin Cities; University of Illinois at Chicago; Furman University (SC); University of Wyoming; University of South Carolina, Sumter; University of Minnesota-Duluth; State University of New York at Albany; Franklin College (IN); Castleton State College (VT); Cabrillo College (CA); Fairfield University (CT); University of Saint Thomas (MN); San Joaquin Delta College (CA); Springfield College (MA); Gateway Community College (AZ); Lake Superior College (MN); Washtenaw Community College (MI); Coppin State University (MD); and Johnson County Community College (KS). In related news, Michigan Technological University has also published a greenhouse gas inventory.
Bowdoin College Ice Arena Receives LEED Certification
The Sidney J. Watson Arena at Bowdoin College (ME) has become the first US ice area to receive LEED certification. The $20 million ice arena, which opened in January, uses 17 percent less energy than a comparable facility and contains energy efficient refrigeration and dehumidification systems. The structure, which offers a 90-by-200 square-foot ice surface and seating for 1,900 spectators, also features a storm water management system; low-flow showers, faucets, toilets, and urinals; local building materials; and low VOC adhesives, sealants, paints, coatings, and carpeting.
Campuses Urge Senate to Support Obama's Energy Education Plan
A group of over 100 universities, professional associations, and student groups joined the Breakthrough Institute in submitting a letter urging the U.S. Senate to fully support the Obama administration's national energy education initiative. The initiative, named "RE-ENERGYSE" (REgaining our ENERGY Science and Engineering Edge), aims to produce thousands of highly-skilled U.S. energy workers and develop new energy education programs at American universities and K-12 schools. The program would develop between 5,000 and 8,500 highly educated scientists, engineers, and other professionals to enter the clean energy field by 2015, which would rise to 10,000 -17,000 professionals by 2020. The Technical Training and K-12 Education subprogram would create between 200 to 300 community college and other training programs to prepare thousands of technically skilled workers for clean energy jobs.
Colorado State U to Install Solar Power Plant
Colorado State University has announced plans to install a 2 MW solar power plant on its Foothills Campus. The 15 acre solar array will generate enough solar power to meet more than 10 percent of the University’s electric energy needs. In exchange for hosting the solar panels, Colorado State has secured a 20-year contract for solar power to keep costs low.
