U Iowa IT Facility Earns LEED Platinum
The university's first LEED Platinum building features a bio-retention cell to retain and absorb water run-off, serving as a natural filter and providing erosion control. Additional sustainable features include low-emitting and green building materials, bicycle storage and shower facilities, efficient fixtures and a white roof to reduce the heat island effect.
U Iowa Students Develop Tool to Identify Energy Opportunities
Graduate students in the university’s School of Urban and Regional Planning have developed a new tool to help the City of Dubuque identify untapped renewable energy sources. The interactive, web-based map can be used by residents and businesses to pinpoint their property’s renewable energy potential, including solar, wind and geothermal power. The map application is expected to be implemented on the Greater Dubuque Development Corporation’s website for public use.
U Louisville School of Dentistry Renovation Awarded LEED Silver
Green renovations including more efficient HVAC systems and lighting occupancy sensors are expected to increase energy efficiency by 7 percent and reduce annual water usage by 534,455 gallons. The project includes more than 30 percent recycled and regional materials.
U Oregon Students Start Campus Shoe Recycling Program
A group of students from the Lundquist College of Business’ Center for Sustainable Business Practices and the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center have launched a shoe recycling drive program that debuted during the Olympic Trials taking place on campus. "A Step in the Right Direction" sorts selected shoes based on their condition; intact shoes are donated to those in need while worn-out shoes are sent to the Nike Reuse-a-Shoe program where they are used in sports equipment, playground floors and other materials. After the trials, collection boxes will remain on campus indefinitely.
2 Langara College Buildings Earn LEED Gold
The college's Student’s Union/Building C complex features a thermal energy exchange system that produces zero greenhouse gas emissions from heating and cooling. The college's Library/Classroom Building has received additional accolades including the Canadian Architecture Award of Excellence and the Sustainable Architecture & Building Award.
6 Students Awarded Community Sustainability Fellowships
Furman University (South Carolina), Duke University (North Carolina) and Vanderbilt University (Tennessee) will share a $75,000 grant from the Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation to support student fellowships in community sustainability, research and service. Two undergraduate Duke fellows will work with the Duke Carbon Offsets Initiative to install energy efficiency upgrades in 15 local homes; two Furman fellows will help implement a Sustainability Action Plan for the City of Greenville and work with the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities to advance sustainable forestry; and two Vanderbilt fellows will provide research and recommendations for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) in the Office of Sustainable Practices, and work with the Green Initiatives division of TDEC to create a Governor’s Sustainability Statement.
Ball State U Earns Int'l Recognition for Sustainability Efforts
The university has received the first Excellence in Integration Award from the International Sustainable Campus Network for its institution-wide efforts at environmental stewardship including its Council on the Environment; minor in sustainability; STARS Silver rating; transportation program that features hybrid and flex-fuel vehicles; commitment to green building; and innovative geothermal heating and cooling system.
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Posted Jun 26, 2012
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Other News
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Awards Grants Focused on Access
The foundation has awarded $9 million in grants for "breakthrough learning models" in higher education with a focus on accessibility and completion. Awards include $1 million to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to develop and offer a new, free prototype computer science online course targeting low-income young adults; $1 million to the Research Foundation of the City University of New York (CUNY) to support the launch of the New Community College at CUNY; and $450,000 to the League for Innovation in the Community College to develop and pilot a national consortium of online two- and four-year colleges that will support more low-income young adults in attaining a postsecondary credential.
Coastal Carolina U Hosts Campus Salvage Sale
The university’s annual yard sale, organized by the Community and Campus Sustainability Initiative, has raised $2,173 for its Student Green Fee. Items that were not sold were donated to local nonprofits.
Cornell U Launches New Sustainability Major
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ new environmental science and sustainability major will debut in fall 2013. The curriculum will integrate physical, chemical, biological and social sciences with humanities with proposed concentration areas including environmental biology and applied ecology; environmental policy and governance; biogeochemical sciences; and environmental economics.
Drake State Tech College Debuts Renewable Energy Teaching Lab
Financed by a $458,000 Department of Labor grant, the new lab serves as a training facility for the installation of geothermal heating and cooling units. The facility includes a 60-gallon solar thermal water heater, 12 solar panels and an electric car charging station. With funding from a federal grant, renewable energy training at the college is offered at no cost to participants.
Georgia Tech Installs Low-Flow Plumbing Fixtures
In an effort to conserve water and reduce utility costs, the institute’s Energy Conservation team has completed a urinal replacement project. With 308 automatic, low-flow urinals now in several older buildings on campus, the institute expects to save up to 5,300 gallons of water per day and savings of up to $54,000 annually.
Greenfield CC to Launch Farm and Food Systems Associate Degree
The new interdisciplinary program will cover ecological, economic, political and social systems as they relate to food and farming. Working with the University of Massachusetts Amherst to create a permaculture garden on campus, the college will also offer courses in permaculture, botany and horticulture. In addition, students can select courses from a "re-skilling series" in areas including beekeeping, four-season farming, mushroom foraging and cultivation, and creating a cooperative food economy.
Kean U Expands Sustainability Studies to New Jersey Highlands
The university has announced plans to expand its environmental and life sciences program to the New Jersey Highlands, a 2 million acre region in New Jersey that provides more than half of the state with drinking water. As part of a preservation and management program, students and faculty will research the impacts of climate change in the ecosystem, and biochemical processes related to landscape management in this living laboratory setting.
Loyola U Chicago Debuts Green Building
Home to a number of centers and classrooms, the newest building on the university’s Lake Shore Campus includes a high performance exterior enclosure, in-slab radiant heating and cooling, and an atrium that passively induces natural stack-effect ventilation. Cuneo Hall is seeking LEED Gold certification.
Queen’s U Launches Water Initiative
Led by the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science's Department of Civil Engineering, this 10-year water initiative is bringing researchers and industry partners together to expand research and provide hands-on learning experiences for graduate and undergraduate students. The project aims to raise awareness of the impact of industrial development and agriculture on watershed health and water supplies.
RIT Partners With Local Agency in Pollution Prevention Programs
The New York State Pollution Prevention Institute at Rochester Institute of Technology has partnered with GreenHomeNYC on a Green Homes, Green Cities outreach program. The program will educate New York City and Buffalo residents on waste prevention, energy efficiency and the use of non-toxic, recycled and reusable building materials in construction and renovation projects.
Southern Oregon U Student Creates Apiary Program
Graduate student Ryan King has partnered with the Southern Oregon Beekeepers Association to establish the Ashland Apiary Project on campus. Three new bee colonies mark the completion of the first stage of the long-term environmental education project. Next, King plans to start an official SOU Beekeeping Club by September 2012.
Stanford U Announces Green Energy Systems Makeover
The university's Stanford Energy Systems Innovations (SESI) project will convert all campus steam piping to hot water and replace the current cogeneration plant with a new heat recovery facility. Once complete, SESI is expected to reduce campus greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent and campus potable water use by 18 percent. The university has launched a website for those interested in following the project through an interactive campus map that shows current and upcoming areas of construction.
'Students on Ice Alumni Delegation' Lobby for Arctic at Rio+20
The Students on Ice Alumni Delegation, an international group of students under the age of 24, recently lobbied for sustainability in the Arctic and Antarctica at the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. The organization, which received full United Nations accreditation, created a global agreement that addresses the sustainable development challenges facing the Polar Regions.
Swarthmore College 'Trash 2 Treasure' Breaks Revenue Record
The college’s annual charity-driven yard sale has set a new record by raising more than $26,000 for the United Way of Southeast Delaware County. Shoppers rescued a total of 13.5 tons of goods from landfills this year, including more than 1,000 books, 876 pairs of shoes, 32 rugs, 12 printers and 126 mini-refrigerators.
U Arkansas Little Rock Residence Hall Receives LEED Gold
Sustainable features of the second LEED-certified project on campus include: a roof constructed with reflective materials, landscaping that combines native and adapted vegetation with efficient irrigation, and low-flow plumbing fixtures. More than 88 percent of the construction waste was diverted from landfills.
U California Berkeley Signs Up for Plastic Disclosure Project
The university has embraced the Plastic Disclosure Project, an international initiative that uses the concept of a plastic footprint as a way of stimulating change in the way the world deals with this resource. Campus Recycling and Refuse Services, in partnership with the Office of Sustainability, will start with a campus audit to quantify its plastic use. The campus will then involve faculty, staff and students in strategies for reducing its plastic waste.
U Michigan Hosts Interactive Sustainability Fair
The university's Division of Student Affairs recently hosted an interactive sustainability fair showcasing its projects and programs in an effort to streamline sustainability efforts on campus and identify opportunities for collaboration. Activities included a "Swap & Shop," where participants swapped unwanted items for needed ones; Sustainability Jeopardy; and chef demonstrations with fresh, local food.
U San Diego, Penn State Brandywine Earn Fair Trade Status
The designation from Fair Trade Colleges & Universities recognizes both universities' commitment to using goods produced according to standards that address fair prices and wages, safe working conditions and environmental sustainability. The commitment also includes integrating fair trade educational and advocacy efforts into the school’s culture. The Fair Trade TrailBlazers at Pennsylvania State University's Brandywine campus, for example, are working to include an educational component to the university’s Fair Trade Live festival.
U Southern Mississippi Named Tree Campus USA
The university has received its first Tree Campus USA designation by the Arbor Day Foundation. With the help of students, the university began implementing standards for sustainable campus forestry in 2010.
U Wisconsin System Launches Water Technology Initiative
In partnership with the Milwaukee Water Council, the University of Wisconsin System's water technology project will tap the specific strengths of its five campuses to integrate STEM education and create new approaches to the sustainable use of water systems. The initiative will receive ongoing guidance from the Business-Higher Education Forum, an organization working to close gaps between higher education and the professional workforce.
Wake Forest U Launches Paperless Payroll
In an effort to reduce paper consumption, the university has discontinued the printing of pay statements and salary letters. A new web application allows employees secure online access to their pay and benefits information.
York U Greens Spring Graduation Ceremonies
The university's recent graduation ceremony featured refillable water bottles for staff and faculty members, eliminating the use of hundreds of disposable water bottles. The initiative is part of a pledge to phase out the sale of disposable water bottles on campus by 2015.
Australian Higher Ed Sees Rise in Number of Low-Income Students
(Australia): A record number of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds are flocking to Australian universities this year, reports a recent Canberra Times article. The number of university places offered to students from these backgrounds has risen 18.9 percent since 2009, when the cap on the number of university spots was removed. According to the article, young people from rural and regional Australia, migrant backgrounds and low socioeconomic suburbs have taken advantage of this removal of access barriers.
Campus Sustainability Planning: A Global Update
(Pakistan): The University of Agriculture, Faisalabad has created a campus master plan toward more sustainable operations. In the first phase, a 5-megawatt solid waste power generator will be constructed. The plan also highlights the advantages of generating electricity through the use of geothermal energy. (U.S.): Lehigh University has adopted its first campus sustainability plan. The creation of the plan was an interdisciplinary and interdepartmental effort to integrate the university’s Climate Commitment with the university's Campus Master Plan and Strategic Plan. (Australia): In related news , La Trobe University's 2010 sustainability report has received the "Best First Time" sustainability report award from the corporateregister.com global sustainability reporting awards.
Green River CC Hosts Gender-Neutral Bathroom Week
(U.S.) The college participated in gender-neutral bathroom week, a student-led campaign to raise awareness for gay, lesbian and transgender issues and for students with disabilities who have a caregiver of the opposite sex. Community bathrooms in five buildings on campus will have gender-neutral signs.
Jawaharlal U, Delhi U to Create Infrastructure for Disabled
(India): Both universities have received a grant from the ministry of social justice and empowerment to create infrastructure accessible to persons with disabilities. Jawaharlal University will install elevators and create special pathways on campus. Delhi University will make 80 buildings in its North and South campuses accessible including administrative and academic blocks, conference center, libraries, hostels and two guest houses.
Loyola U Chicago Expands Farmers Market
(U.S.): Initiated and run by students, the second season of the university's farmers market will feature 11 vendors providing fresh produce, local dairy and baked goods through October. This year, the market has filed with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to accept food stamps and senior food coupons.
Madurai Kamaraj U Creates Campus Greening Panel
(India): The university has formed a special committee to prepare proposals for “Go Green" campus initiatives including solar panels. The proposals will be submitted to funding agencies and the state government.
Masdar IST Offers Sustainability Lessons to K-12 Students
(United Arab Emirates): The Masdar Institute of Science and Technology recently partnered with renewable energy company Masday on a science fair for Emirates National School students that displayed projects focused on sustainability, energy and the environment with the aim of promoting renewable energy and the importance of a sustainable lifestyle.
Montclair State U to Develop CHCP Power System
(U.S.): The university has partnered with Energenic-US, LLC to develop a new environmentally friendly combined heating, cooling and power system for its campus. The new facility and its related infrastructure improvements will replace the campus' existing energy plant, which began generating steam in the 1940s.
NY Times Blog Post: ‘Farming on the Campus Quad’
(U.S.): A recent New York Times blog profiles a handful of colleges and universities that have planted small student-run farms on formerly grassy areas that required a lot of maintenance including Green Mountain College’s Lawn to Edible Garden Project, Duke University’s Campus Farm and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst’s permaculture project. The projects demonstrate the opportunity for students and the community to learn about local food production, as well as benefits including locally grown produce in campus dining halls.
Obama Administration Announces 'Clean Coal' Research Awards
(U.S.): Student-led teams at nine colleges and universities across the country have been selected to advance "clean coal" energy production. The institutions will receive about $300,000 each to research cleaner and more cost-competitive coal-fired energy.
Obama Officials Aim to Ease College Cost Process
(U.S.): A recent New York Times story reports that Arizona State University, Miami Dade College (Florida) and the state university systems of New York, Massachusetts, Maryland and Texas have volunteered to provide a consumer-friendly “shopping sheet” in the financial aid packages they send to incoming students, starting with the 2013-2014 school year. Proposed by the Education Department and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in January, this sheet will clearly state the cost of a year of classes, the student’s net cost after grants and scholarships, financial aid options to pay that cost, and estimated monthly payments for federal loans. It will also provide information about the colleges’ retention and graduation rates and the share of graduates who default on their student loans. While only Congress can make the form mandatory, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said that he hoped the voluntary adopters would induce other institutions to do the same.
Ohio State U Holds Zero Waste Commencement
(U.S.): The university's 400th graduation ceremony is honoring its Zero Waste at Ohio Stadium initiative, which aims to divert 90 percent of materials generated at events from landfills by having attendees place all fiber and food items into assigned compost and recycling bins. The event had Zero Waste ambassadors stationed at the bins to help educate commencement attendees about the program.
South Africa Pledges to Improve Vocational Training Options
(South Africa): As universities strain under the burden of too many applicants, the government has pledged to improve the high attrition and low job-placement rates at vocational training schools to make them a viable alternative, reports a recent Chronicle of Higher Education article. The South African Department of Higher Education and Training has released a report calling for an expansion of the country's vocational programs from the current 359,000 students to four million by 2030. To succeed, the system will have to undo a history of segregation, says the article: "Until only two decades ago...many professions for which vocational colleges trained students were legally reserved for whites. A generation later, those same colleges are faced with the task of not only rescuing themselves from irrelevance but also working to undo their own history." Among the strategies in the report is for vocational schools to overhaul their curricula in a way that allows students to apply their diplomas toward university degrees.
Sultan Qaboos U Installs Photovoltaic Test Bed System
(South Korea): The 1-kilowatt Desert Photovoltaic Test Bed System will provide students with the opportunity to study and develop solar power systems. The university has also announced plans to introduce a postgraduate program in renewable energy in the near future.
Telford College Begins Renewable Energy Overhaul
(U.K.): The college has announced plans to install up to 650 solar roof panels as part of a phased program to introduce a range of low carbon technologies expected to power the campus when complete. The first phase of the Solar Roof Project was developed in partnership with Heriot-Watt University and iPower. The second phase of the project will involve research to look at additional ways to generate greater amounts of energy and educational co-benefits including fuel cell and solar thermal technology.
Texas A&M Announces Green Fee Projects
(U.S.): The university has announced $335,000 in awards for campus sustainability projects including the installation of bike racks, high-tech recycling bins and more water-bottle filling stations; the creation of an educational organic agriculture facility that will use solar and rainwater technologies; and a project to recapture and preserve open green spaces. The funding comes from a $3 per semester student green fee.
U Plymouth Receives Funding to Start Local Food-Growing Network
(U.K.): The National Union of Students has received more than £260,000 in funding from Local Food, a £57.5 million program supported by the Big Lottery Fund, which provides funding for projects working to make local food more accessible and affordable to communities. The money will be spent on creating a network of 18 new local food-growing projects on campuses across the country.
