Mercyhurst College Passes Student Green Energy Fee
After collecting 1,000 student signatures, Mercyhurst College (PA) has passed a Student Green Energy Fee that will collect $5 from every student each term to finance sustainable initiatives on campus. Project proposals will be accepted from students, staff and faculty members.
MIT Research Facility Earns LEED Gold
Massachusetts Institute of Technology's David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research has earned LEED Gold certification. The 357,000-square-foot research facility features stormwater filtration, efficient fume hoods and a cascading ventilation system. The building reduces total energy use by more than 30 percent compared to a standard laboratory research facility.
New York State Announces $2.5 M in College Access Grants
New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced $2.5 million in College Access Challenge Grants to programs that will help thousands of low-income students obtain a college degree. The grants were awarded by the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation to 15 community-based organizations statewide that provide academic support for students at risk of dropping out; training for high school guidance counselors serving low-income students; and college financing workshops.
NPR Highlights Rise of Campus Food Pantries
Food pantries are becoming more common on campuses as the effects of the recession drag on, reports a recent National Public Radio story. New census data shows that young people under 24 years old are facing some of the highest rates of poverty. The story highlights a student-led food pantry at the University of Georgia, which had more than 200 student visitors in its first few weeks of operation.
NY Times: Competition Hot for New Engineering Graduate School
As part of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's contest to create a new graduate school of engineering, competing universities are going all out to "out-green" one another, reports a recent New York Times article. Cornell University's (NY) proposal, which includes four acres of solar panels and 500 geothermal wells on Roosevelt Island, is emerging as a top contender as is Stanford University's (CA) proposal, which includes a marsh to filter water on the island and recycle water from storm run-off and sinks.
Obama Announces Programs to Ease Student Loan Burden
President Obama announced two new programs last week to lower monthly student loan payments and consolidate at a lower interest rate. The president is using his executive authority to expand the existing income-based repayment program with a "Pay as You Earn" option that would allow graduates to pay 10 percent of their discretionary income after 20 years and have the rest of their federal student loan debt forgiven, says a New York Times article. The announcement follows a petition with more than 30,000 signatures that asked for student debt relief and a Trends in College Pricing Report 2011 that reveals the current severity of the higher education affordability problem.
Philadelphia U Launches Energy Education, Awareness Campaign
Philadelphia University (PA) has partnered with Honeywell to launch Act! Earth, a campus-wide energy education and awareness campaign aimed at promoting sustainable practices among students, faculty and the local community. Honeywell hired a coordinator to manage the campaign and develop educational events and student activities, and promote the university's initiatives through social media. As part of the campaign, an energy dashboard kiosk will be installed in the new Center for Sustainability.
Rider U Creates New Sustainability Studies Minor
Rider University (NJ) has created a new sustainability studies minor that is designed to make sustainability approachable to students from all majors. The program includes a focus on experiential learning through field trips to the Rutgers EcoComplex and Fernwood Farm, a farm that practices community supported agriculture.
Rider U Debuts Solar Energy System
Rider University (NJ) has installed a new .74-megawatt solar farm. The system is comprised of 2,640 ground-mounted panels that are connected directly to the electric grid. The project is part of the Public Service Electric and Gas Company's Solar 4 All program, a solar effort to help New Jersey reach its solar energy goals while fostering economic development.
San Diego Students Pursue LEED Gold for Aquatics Center
The new San Diego State University U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) student chapter is collaborating with University of California, San Diego students to pursue LEED Gold certification for an aquatics center that is jointly owned by the two universities. The center has undergone upgrades including the installation of enough solar photovoltaic panels to support 100 percent of its energy needs. Students are working on an audit of the center's conditions, which they will present to USGBC.
Smith College Launches Energy Dashboard System
By spring 2012, two-thirds of student residences will be on Smith College's (MA) recently launched energy monitoring building dashboard system. The Lucid Design Group interactive display of real-time energy consumption reveals energy data across multiple time scales and unit equivalents. The college hopes that the competitive aspect of the dashboard display will urge students to reduce energy consumption, and that faculty will tap the data for class projects.
St. Mary's U College Bans Bottled Water
St. Mary's University College (AB) has eliminated the sale of bottled water on campus. With the idea that everyone should have access to clean drinking water, the college's Social Justice Committee began working on the ban 18 months ago. The campus has installed water bottle refilling stations that count how many single-use bottles are being saved.
Syracuse U Center of Excellence Awarded LEED Platinum
Syracuse University’s (NY) Center of Excellence has been awarded LEED Platinum certification. Headquartered on a three-acre, EPA-designated brownfield site, the construction process cleared the land of environmental contamination and restored it for sustained use. Sustainable features include a stormwater detention tank, demand-controlled ventilation, waterless urinals and a roof designed for future installation of photovoltaics, building-scale wind turbines and rooftop HVAC units.
Temple U Students Create Sustainability 'Ad Campaign'
A class of advertising majors at Temple University (PA) were recently tasked with creating a university-wide campaign to promote Campus Sustainability Week, held October 24-28. The winning campaign promoted simple ways for students to make small differences.
U California Santa Barbara Pilots Campus-wide Composting
The University of California, Santa Barbara has announced plans to install six compost bins on recycling containers across campus to divert a larger portion of the university's food waste. The Composting Pilot project will retrofit up to 12 compost bins to comply with the a new state law that aims for California to recycle 75 percent of its waste by 2020. The Green Initiative Fund is financing the project as a trial to determine whether campus-wide waste diversion is a feasible project.
U Findlay Students Plan Energy Retrofits for Student Housing
Students living in two University of Findlay (OH) houses are developing and implementing ways to save energy and create less waste. Instruments were installed to measure water, electricity and natural gas use. Grant funds will be used to install either solar or wind power, which will be planned and scheduled by students in the university's environmental, safety, and occupational health program.
U Minnesota Encourages Bike Commuting with New Technology
The University of Minnesota has installed Dero ZAP, a solar-powered, automated radio frequency identification (RFID) system to help manage, monitor and encourage bike commuting. Registered campus participants receive a unique RFID tag for their bicycle, which makes them eligible for commuting incentives and rewards.
U Minnesota Plans 38 kW Solar Panel System
The University of Minnesota will use $230,000 of a $1.35 million grant from the Minnesota Department of Commerce Office of Energy Security to install solar panels on its Office Plaza Building. The photovoltaic panels will produce an estimated 38.4 kilowatts of electric power, saving 3 to 5 percent of the building's energy consumption. An online interface will also be installed to show a live feed of the energy generated and saved by the solar panels.
U North Texas Football Stadium Achieves LEED Platinum
The University of North Texas has received the first LEED Platinum certification in the nation for a newly constructed collegiate football stadium. Green features of Apogee Stadium include campus bus stops, secured bicycle storage and preferred parking spaces for carpooling; native landscaping; and energy-efficient heating, ventilation, air conditioning and lighting equipment. With a $2 million grant from the State Energy Conservation Office, the university is currently installing three wind turbines that will help power the stadium.
U Oregon Student Union to Include Full-Service Bike Center
The University of Oregon has announced that the $160 million renovation of its Erb Memorial Student Union will include a 5,000-square-foot Bike Center. The project, modeled after Portland State University's Bike Hub, will include retail and repair services, secure bike parking, showers and locker space. Additionally, the bike program budget will increase from $26,000 a year to $100,000 a year.
U Richmond Stadium Achieves LEED Silver
The University of Richmond's (VA) Robins Stadium has achieved LEED Silver certification. Sustainable features include a reflective roof, low-flow water fixtures and passive solar design. Many construction materials were recycled or extracted and manufactured within 500 miles.
U South Florida Performs Food Waste Audit
The University of South Florida's Office of Sustainability hosted the university's first food waste audit in recognition of Campus Sustainability Day. Students were asked to weigh their waste prior to leaving the Juniper-Poplar dining hall in an effort to compare the university to the national average, as well as develop strategies for what to do with the leftover food. The university may expand the audit to all campus dining halls in the future.
Utah State U BioInnovations Center Earns LEED Gold
Utah State University's Utah Science Technology and Research BioInnovations Center has been awarded LEED Gold certification. The 118,000-square-foot building achieves almost 48 percent in energy savings over the baseline.
Wayne State U Opens Civil Rights and Social Justice Center
Wayne State University (MI) has dedicated the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights, named after the celebrated federal judge and university alum. The 10,000-square-foot addition to the university's law building will serve as a center for civil rights law and social justice programs.
Yale U Management Students Form Sustainability Team
Students at Yale University's (CT) School of Management (SOM) have formed a new Student Sustainability Team to assist the SOM community with environmentally friendly practices. Ranging from reducing electricity use in buildings to running "zero-landfill" events, SOM's first student-run effort aims to implement green initiatives to act as a model for the rest of the university to adopt.
Yale U Named 'Best Company' by Working Mother Magazine
Yale University (CT) has been selected for the second year in a row as by Working Mother magazine as one of the "100 Best Companies" in the nation. The initiative recognizes organizations that support working mothers by providing family-friendly benefits and programs. With a high representation of women in its workforce, the university received high marks for its child care, benefits and work-life programs.
Bowdoin College Installs Green Roof
Bowdoin College (ME) has installed its first green roof on the campus heating plant. The living roof includes a variety of flowering plants that will help reduce the urban heat island effect, extend the life of the roof and absorb rainwater.
CA State University System Receives Energy Efficiency Grant
The California State University system has received $400,000 from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to initiate energy efficiency projects on campuses that were nearly cancelled after state funding cuts. Through the Energy Technology Assistance Program, campuses at Dominguez Hills, Fullerton, Long Beach, Pomona, San Diego and San Francisco will implement energy-efficient measures including smart lighting for parking lots and wireless air conditioning controls. The system expects to save more than $200,000 in annual utility costs.
Clarkson U to Build Stormwater Detention Pond
Clarkson University (NY) is gearing up to build a drainage system and detention pond that will manage stormwater run-off that currently floods the campus and nearby streets. With the new system, water will flow into a basin and continue into a larger pond, eventually making its way toward the existing campus wetlands. The project is expected to cost about $500,000.
Clemson U Awarded $1 Mil for Sustainable Vehicle Systems Center
As part of its Graduate Automotive Technology Education (GATE) division, the U.S. Department of Energy has awarded $1 million to Clemson University (SC) to create a center for sustainable vehicle systems research and education. Students will study the vehicle life cycle, energy use and emissions, reliability and manufacturing. The GATE division is focusing on the development of automotive hybrid propulsion, energy storage and lightweight materials.
Clemson U Students Debut Bike Trailer for Tailgating
With the goal of reducing the carbon footprint of tailgating by removing the classic car aspect, a group of Clemson University (SC) students has debuted a bike trailer for tailgating. The trailer folds out to include a table and chairs, a grill and a cooler. The group also has created a larger unit that can accommodate up to six families. In related news, the President's Commission on Sustainability and Clemson Recycling have partnered to provide more recycling bins and trailers at football games.
Colo State U Receives $44.5 Mil Grant for EcoCAR 2 Competition
To aid its progress in the three-year national hybrid/electric vehicle design competition EcoCAR 2, Colorado State University has received $44.5 million worth of in-kind software from Siemens AG. Designed to teach students to manage large, complex projects, the software will steer a 40-student team that is working to build a fuel-cell vehicle for the competition.
Davidson College to Install 2 Solar Arrays
Davidson College (NC) has announced plans to install two arrays of solar panels atop its sports complex. The installation is expected to save the college $25,000 a year in energy expenses. The $600,000 cost is being funded by the college, the Duke Endowment and a state grant that is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Eastern Illinois U Opens Renewable Energy Center
More than two years after its Board of Trustees approved the construction, Eastern Illinois University has opened its $55 million renewable energy center. The facility, which houses a biomass gasifier, can store enough wood chips to supply the campus steam needs for 10 days and is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent. The energy savings will finance the center.
Elon U Adopts Green Building Policy
Elon University (NC) has adopted a Green Building Policy that calls for future construction projects to be designed and built to LEED standards.
Georgia Tech Students Design Electric Vehicle System for Atlanta
A team of undergraduate students at the Georgia Institute of Technology are helping the City of Atlanta toward its goal of becoming the first region in the country to have 50,000 electric vehicles on its roads. The city will use funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to implement the students’ proposal, which outlined electric vehicle adoption and marketing strategies and emphasized ways of reducing the cost to the city government.
Hispanic CC Completion Rates Increase 440% in 20 Years
Minorities have shown triple-digit jumps in enrollments and credentials awarded at community colleges in the past 20 years, according to a new policy brief from the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). Hispanics saw the highest jump in earned credentials with a 440 percent increase. Enrollments according to race and ethnicity increased 17 percent for whites, 137 percent for African Americans and 226 percent for Hispanics.
Illinois Institute of Technology Installs Composter
The Illinois Institute of Technology has installed a new composter that will divert waste for use as fertilizer and soil amendment on campus. The project was initiated by a group of students in partnership with the Office of Campus Energy and Sustainability, the Wanger Institute for Sustainable Energy Research and Cook County.
Johnson & Wales U Welcome Center Earns LEED Gold
Johnson & Wales University's (RI) Grace Welcome Center has received LEED Gold certification. The university's second LEED-certified building incorporates passive solar design to minimize the use of artificial lighting.
Kennesaw State U Grows Farm-to-Campus Program
Kennesaw State University (GA) has partnered with a local farming family to add 40 acres to its two-acre farm-to-campus program. With 10 acres of heirloom apple trees and two 1,500-square-foot greenhouses, the university expects the farm to provide 20 percent of campus dining hall produce.
League of American Bicyclists Names 6 New Bike Friendly Campuses
Announced during the AASHE 2011 conference in Pittsburgh, the League of American Bicyclists has designated six new institutions as bicycle friendly. With 26 institutions in the U.S. to date, the Bicycle Friendly University program recognizes campuses that offer a strong on-campus bicycle culture, a growing bicycle infrastructure, and cooperation with nearby towns and cities, among other criteria. The new bike friendly institutions include Chatham University (PA), George Mason University (VA), Ohio State University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of North Carolina Wilmington and University of Vermont.
Medical U South Carolina Achieves $28K in Energy Savings
The Medical University of South Carolina achieved $28,000 in energy savings by participating in a local Green Business Challenge. For the challenge, which aimed to promote environmental sustainability while enhancing profitability, occupants of the university building worked together to turn off lights in unoccupied rooms and pull down blinds to reduce heating effects.
MIT Recognized as Business Leader for Efficiency Forward Program
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has been recognized as a Business Leader by the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnership for its MIT Efficiency Forward program. MIT plans to invest more than $13 million and use incentives from local utility provider NSTAR over the next three years to reduce campus electricity use by 15 percent by 2013. In its first year, the program exceeded goals by 30 percent with a savings of more than 13 million kilowatt hours.
Naropa U Named as EPA Green Power Partner
Naropa University (CO) has announced its recognition as a Green Power Partner by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. One of 20 colleges and universities nationwide officially recognized for offsetting 100 percent of their emissions using green power and renewable energy, the university is purchasing more than 1 million kilowatt-hours of green power annually.
North Shore CC Debuts Zero Net Energy Building
North Shore Community College (MA) has opened a new zero net energy Health Professions and Student Services building, designed to generate more energy than it consumes. The 58,000-square-foot features solar panels, a green roof to filter rainwater for use in toilets and 60 geothermal wells. Excess electricity produced by the solar panels will be used to power a neighboring building and sold to the local utility company.
Park U Initiates Campus Green Cleaning Program
Park University (MO) has partnered with Aramark to implement an environmentally friendly "Blue Cleaning" program. The university will use electrically activated water in place of general purpose cleaning chemicals. The program includes extensive staff training and an education and engagement component.
Stetson U Adopts Water Conservation Theme for the Academic Year
Stetson University (FL) has adopted "water sustainability" as its theme for the 2011-2012 academic year. Stetson GREEN, a sustainable initiative program, will bring together people who have worked independently on water conservation issues to plan conservation-themed activities and projects. Efforts will include field studies, surveys on water usage, water-themed academic courses, public education, research, guest lecturers and community volunteerism focused on protecting natural water resources.
Student Interest Drives New Food Pulper at Oberlin College
Oberlin College (OH) is installing a machine that pulps and condenses food waste in its largest dining hall after several years of research and student input. The ground and drained food waste, collected from food prep to post-consumer scraps, will be used as compost at a nearby farm. In its second phase, the pulper will grind up disposable, compostable containers offered for carry-out food.
Syracuse U Residence Hall Awarded LEED Gold
Syracuse University's (NY) newest residence hall has earned LEED Gold certification. The university's first LEED-certified building features low-flow plumbing, a stormwater retention system, enhanced site permeability and landscape design that incorporates native plants. Additional sustainable features include a white roof, high-performance insulated glass windows, passive solar design and variable-speed kitchen and laundry dyer exhaust fans to reduce electricity use.
