Dept of Energy Announces Teams to Compete in Solar Decathlon
The U.S. Department of Energy has announced the 20 collegiate teams selected to compete in the next U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon, which will be held on the National Mall in Washington, DC in the Fall 2011. For two weeks, teams of college and university students from across the United States and the world will compete to design, build, and operate the most affordable, attractive, effective, and energy-efficient solar-powered house. Hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy, the competition will highlight affordable homes that combine energy-efficient construction and appliances with renewable energy systems that are available today. U.S. and Canadian teams include Appalachian State University (NC); the Research Foundation of CUNY (NY); Florida State University, The University of Central Florida, The University of Florida, and The University of South Florida; Stevens Institute of Technology (NJ) and the New School (NY); Massachusetts College of Art and Design and University of Massachusetts at Lowell; Rutgers the State University of New Jersey and New Jersey Institute of Technology; Middlebury College (VT); Florida International University; The Ohio State University; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Old Dominion University (VA) and Hampton University (VA); University of Maryland, College Park; Purdue University (IN); University of Calgary (AB); University of Tennessee; University of Hawaii; and The Southern California Institute of Architecture and California Institute of Technology.
Dept of Energy Releases Video Encouraging Students to Save Energy
The U.S. Department of Energy has released a new video encouraging college students to help America save energy, save money, and cut pollution. The video highlights the work of students at the University of Central Florida, who launched a dorm-based competition called "Kill-a-Watt" to reduce energy use and energy bills on campus with easy steps like unplugging your electronics, raising the air conditioning temperature when in class, and taking the stairs instead of an elevator. Students in different campus residence halls compete against each other to achieve energy savings with residents from the winning dorm earning up to $200 in scholarships.
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Posted Apr 19, 2010
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Other News
Dickinson College Receives Grant for Watershed Protection
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has awarded Dickinson College’s (PA) Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring (ALLARM) a grant of $30,000 for its ongoing watershed protection efforts. Through the grant, ALLARM provides technical assistance in the form of training, resources, mentoring, and quality control laboratory analysis for watershed organizations.
Edgewood College Introduces Grad Certificate in Sustainability
Edgewood College (WI) is pleased to announce its new Sustainability Leadership Graduate Certificate Program. Participants in the program will join a cohort of working professionals in non-profit, government and corporate management, economic development, planning and design, education, facilities management, public health, and energy and utilities to explore systems thinking, ethical leadership, ecological design, natural capitalism, and sustainability indicators. Students will work with instructors and mentors to apply these concepts to real-world projects in their organizations and communities. The first cohort in the Program will begin coursework in August 2010.
George Washington U Res Hall Certified LEED Gold
The George Washington University's (DC) newest residence hall has received LEED Gold certification. South Hall opened in September 2009 and houses 474 fourth-year students in single-bedroom apartment-style living. Design and construction of the residence hall incorporated strategies for sustainable site development, water conservation, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. South Hall offers students bike storage, fuel efficient vehicle parking, and recycling facilities on each floor of the ten-story building. Prior to occupancy, rigorous air quality testing was completed. Low VOC paints were used throughout the building to reduce odor and irritation for indoor air contaminants. Highly insulated wall systems, energy efficient windows with double pane, low-e glass, and an Energy Star white roof improves energy performance of the building by 24.5 percent over the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) standards for residential buildings.
Grand Rapids CC to Offer Wind Farm Safety Certification
Grand Rapids Community College (MI) has signed a licensing agreement with Spain-based Ynfiniti Engineering Services (YES) and United Kingdom-based Safety Technology authorizing GRCC to become the first United States training center to offer the globally recognized YES/ Safety Technology (YST) safety certification program for the wind energy industry. GRCC will serve as the North American training hub for YST program instructors and the Great Lakes hub for individuals seeking certification. GRCC will begin offering the 80-hour certification program in May. Students will learn fall protection, OSHA rules regarding working in confined spaces, and what they need to do to rescue themselves and others if they get in trouble on the site.
Northern Arizona U Building Earns LEED Gold
The facility housing in Northern Arizona University’s Extended Campuses has been awarded LEED Gold certification. The 23,000-square-foot extension to the School of Communication houses classrooms, offices, and production studios to support NAU’s Extended Campuses programs. The building uses about 43 percent less energy than a typical building of the same size through passive ventilation, solar-preheating of outside heating air, an HVAC system called “active chilled beams,” and sophisticated lighting and environmental controls. Water use is reduced more than 60 percent through low-water use plumbing fixtures and irrigating with municipal reclaimed water. More than 30 percent of building materials have significant recycled content and were attained and manufactured locally.
Pomona College Installs Compost Bins
Pomona College (CA) has installed compost bins across campus to supplement ongoing efforts at the campus organic farm. The initiative was launched with funds from the President's Advisory Committee on Sustainability (PACS). Items that can be composted include produce, vegan food scraps, biodegradable paper, and thin paper products, such as tissues. If students begin to use the bins regularly, the committee plans to purchase four more. PACS has already purchased 20 smaller compost buckets that students can keep in their rooms or halls. The compost collected in the bins will ultimately be taken to the campus organic farm.
Portland State U Names Sustainability Center Director
Portland State University (OR) has announced that Robert Costanza will lead its Center for Sustainable Processes and Practices, the hub for interdisciplinary research, teaching, and engagement in sustainability at PSU. The Center administers the ten-year, $25 million challenge grant for sustainability made by the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation to PSU in September 2008. Costanza is currently the Gund Professor of Ecological Economics and director of the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics at the University of Vermont. He will join the University this fall.
Ramapo College Announces MA in Sustainability Studies
Ramapo College of New Jersey has announced a new Master of Arts in Sustainability Studies degree. Beginning in Fall 2010, the College will welcome its first class to the program, which will equip students to work in a diverse range of fields, including planning, policy, and design. Students will learn how to apply sustainability in a variety of institutional, organizational, cultural, commercial, professional, and geographical contexts. The two-year program is based exclusively on evening classes. Prospective students include those from the fields of social science, business, science, engineering, and liberal and fine arts.
RecycleMania Announces 2010 Final Results
Over 600 colleges and universities participated in RecyleMania this year, recycling or composting over 84 million pounds of material during the course of the 10-week competition. California State University, San Marcos won the Grand Champion spot, barely nudging out New Mexico State University. The US Coast Guard Academy (CT) claimed the Per Capita Classic award; North Lake College (TX) received its third Waste Minimization title; and Ursinus College (PA) and Johnson & Wales University-Denver (CO) each claimed their first awards with the Bottles and Cans and Food Waste Organics categories respectively. Rounding out the list, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering (MA) won the Paper category and Kalamazoo College (MI) won the Cardboard category.
Rice U Announces Green Dorm Initiative
Rice University (TX) has announced the Green Dorm Initiative, a program which encourages students to reevaluate their living habits by rating the environmental friendliness of their dorm rooms. When students register, they complete a questionnaire about their laundry habits, appliance and lighting usage, water consumption and recycling practices. For the next two weeks, participants complete a daily log about their energy and water usage. After the program finishes on April 22, students' rooms will be certified as bronze, silver, or gold and participants will receive prizes.
Stanford U Students Campaign for Sustainability in the Curriculum
A group of students at Stanford University (CA) have begun a campaign to include sustainability as a topic area in Stanford's "Education for Citizenship" (EC) general education requirement. EC mandates that undergraduates take classes in two of four designated areas: ethical reasoning, global community, American cultures, and gender studies. Students for a Sustainable Stanford (SSS), the group that has helped develop the initiative, is working to develop a proposal and plans to present it to faculty for feedback.
St. Bonaventure U Appoints Sustainability Committee
A new Sustainability Coordinating Committee has been appointed at St. Bonaventure University (NY) to focus university-wide efforts in the critical areas of sustainability and environmental issues. The committee, which includes faculty, staff, and student representatives, will be responsible for coordinating university community sustainability efforts with regard to academic and co-curricular activities, university policies and standards, development, land use, and go-green initiatives. The committee has already established six priorities and subcommittees: Education for Sustainable Development, Sustainable University Standards and Policies Committee, University Land Use Practices Committee, Go-Green Practices, Sustainability Resource Development, and Student Co-curricular Sub-committee.
Stony Brook Southampton to Scale Back Sustainability Programs
The State University of New York at Stony Brook Southampton has announced plans to shut down large portions of its campus due to a budget crisis. A marine-science program and a writing program will remain open at Southampton, and all other programs will be moved to the West campus. No new students will be admitted and all residence halls will be closed. Acquired in 2006, the Southampton campus focuses on sustainability.
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Posted Apr 19, 2010
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Other News
U Dayton Launches Alternative Transportation Website
Students in a University of Dayton (OH) Politics of Alternative Transportation class have designed "Beyond Brown," a website that offers students an alternative transportation guide to the sights and activities outside of Brown Street, one of the main streets that runs through campus. The sight is expected to launch soon.
U Idaho Installs Bike Racks, Boosts Bike Parking Awareness
The University of Idaho's Parking and Transportation Services (PTS) will install 23 new bike racks on campus. In addition, PTS will place warning tags on bikes parked outside of designated racks with increased enforcement levels on bikes that are impeding access or posing safety concerns.
U Idaho Unveils Energy Audit Internship Program
The University of Idaho Sustainability Center and Environmental Science Program are partnering with the Idaho Small Business Development Center at Boise State University to fund student internships to conduct energy audits in nearby towns. Paid interns will work in teams to evaluate energy usage in at least 40 regional businesses. Based on their findings, teams will make recommendations for increasing energy efficiency, thereby reducing costs and energy-related carbon emissions.
U Michigan Releases New Sustainability Website
The University of Michigan has launched a new U-M Sustainability Website to showcase its ongoing achievements in sustainability research, teaching, and university operations, as well as to raise campus awareness of — and engagement in — related issues and activities. Designed as a central portal, the site provides a comprehensive overview of sustainability news, information, events, and activities from across the entire campus. It will highlight the work being done to set campus goals for sustainable operations, and will communicate new operational milestones, such as the purchase of renewable energy credits. Further, the site offers an events calendar, a collection of facts about U-M sustainability, and featured initiatives.
U Wisconsin Madison to End Nike Licensing Contract
The University of Wisconsin-Madison has announced plans to end its licensing agreement with Nike as a result of the company's failure to adequately address the problems caused by the closing of two Honduran factories. At issue is the non-payment of severance to workers at two apparel factories, both of which were under contract with Nike to produce collegiately licensed apparel. Since the factories were closed without notice in January 2009, their owners have allegedly failed to pay workers a combined total of more than $2 million in legally mandated severance. While Nike did not own the factories in question, the company is obligated under the University's Code of Conduct for the actions of its subcontractors. The code addresses workers' wages, working hours, overtime compensation, child labor, forced labor, health and safety, nondiscrimination, harassment or abuse, women's rights, freedom of association, and full public disclosure of factory locations.
Boston Architectural College Announces Green MLA
The Boston Architectural College (MA) has announced the addition of a Master of Landscape Architecture Program. The five year professional degree and the School of Landscape Architecture will provide outreach and support to the greater Boston area through research programs that focus on emerging design issues in innovative interdisciplinary projects that enhance neighborhood and community sustainability and develop new knowledge that prepares the next generation of design professionals.
California Polytechnic State U to Launch Ctr for Sustainability
California Polytechnic State University's College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences’ (CAFES) has announced plans to launch its Center for Sustainability later this month. The new Center will support CAFES and university initiatives in sustainable practices in resource management and agriculture. The Center will facilitate cross-disciplinary collaborations on campus and will assist the Central Coast food and agricultural community by helping professionals make the most of exciting opportunities emerging in their field.
Chatham U Receives $750K for Green Efforts
Chatham University (PA) has received a $750,000 gift from the Richard King Mellon Foundation toward both the master plan and the University’s search for the dean of its new School of Sustainability and the Environment. The planning process is expected to continue until June 2010, after which the University will present the master plan to the Richland Township Board of Supervisors.
College of St Benedict, St. John's U to Start Bike-Shares
The College of St. Benedict (MN) and St. John’s University (MN) have announced plans to launch a bike-share program. St. Ben’s will introduce its Green Bike Initiative on April 23 as part of Earth Week. The program, which is still seeking donations for its fleet, will offer half of its bikes for a semester check-out and the other half will be made available for daily use. St. John's is working on a similar program which will replace a program that failed a few years ago.
Furman U Announces Grad Diploma in Corporate Sustainability
Furman University (SC) has announced plans to offer a new graduate diploma in corporate sustainability starting this fall. The intensive, five-session course, offered by Furman’s Center for Corporate and Professional Development in cooperation with the David E. Shi Center for Sustainability, will offer a broad overview of sustainability as well as a detailed review of major practices in sustainability. It will also identify the sustainable business strategies that offer the most effective return on investment and demonstrate how sustainability can become an ongoing strategic business practice.
George Mason U to Start Organic Garden
George Mason University (VA) has broken ground on a new campus produce garden. The community garden will provide produce for the campus community and local food banks, as well as create a place for students to learn and practice sustainable gardening. FCRP, a partnership of nonprofit environmental groups, county agencies, businesses and individual citizens, has assisted Mason’s Office of Sustainability in securing funding and resources necessary for the garden project to take shape.
Humboldt State U Holds Clothing Swap
Humboldt State University (CA) recently held a Campus Recycling Program Clothing Swap. During the event, students were invited to bring clean and gently used clothing to a designated room on campus where they could swap items with others. Students were not required to bring pieces of their own wardrobe to be able to take home clothes.
Lehigh U, Lafayette College Offer Eco-Friendly Graduation Gowns
Lehigh University (PA) and Lafayette College (PA) have announced plans to offer environmentally friendly graduation gowns this year. Lehigh University has opted to offer graduation gowns that will be used in the future. After the ceremony, gowns will be cleaned with earth-safe products. Lafayette College's gowns will be made to be worn once and to quickly biodegrade. The gowns are made from acetate fibers made of wood from managed forests and decompose completely within a year of being buried in soil.
Louisiana State U Completes Energy Conservation Competition
Louisiana State University has completed its second annual UNPLUG energy conservation competition. Students living in on-campus residence halls and apartments at LSU yielded an average 14 percent reduction in energy consumption — an estimated $10,368 in savings — over a one-month time period. Nine residence hall communities, which altogether house 4,800 residents and 135 resident assistants, and three Greek houses participated in the competition. The West Campus Apartments led the Residential Life competition with a 26 percent reduction, and Phi Mu sorority won the Greek division with a 45 percent reduction.
Mills College Approves On-Campus Organic Farm
Mills College (CA) has approved the creation of an on-campus organic farm. The plots will contain fruits and vegetables. The group managing the garden hopes to sell produce to the College's food service company. Future plans for the project include more on-campus work-study for students, the addition of a new course on sustainable horticulture and food production, and a possible farmers' market stand.
Palm Beach Atlantic U Unveils Green Wall
Palm Beach Atlantic University (FL) has unveiled a portable green wall that can be used indoors or outdoors. The vertical garden system can be planted with various types of plants and contains a built-in irrigation system. The irrigation can be set through a timer, and the plants can be replaced at any time.
Pennsylvania State U Installs Pilot Water Refilling Stations
Pennsylvania State University has installed four water refilling stations for students and employees in order to research the stations' practicality and whether they reduce the use of bottled water. The stations were donated by three difference companies.
St. Mary's College Announces New, Larger Campus Garden
St. Mary's College of Maryland has created a new, larger campus garden. The garden is meant to teach College and community members about sustainable agriculture while producing local, organic, and nutritious food. The group that manages the garden, the Community Garden Club, hopes to be able to sell produce to the College's dining services provider.
Sustainable Industries Magazine Covers Campus Sustainability
Sustainable Industries Magazine has published an article titled "Campus Sustainability: progress and prognosis" by Paul Rowland, AASHE's Executive Director. In the article, Rowland discusses the trends of campus sustainability and the ways the movement has progressed over the past few years.
Syracuse U Posts Lights Out Stickers on Campus
Syracuse University (NY) has announced the winner of its "Lights Out" sticker design contest held by SU's Sustainability Division, in partnership with the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG). The contest called on students to create a wall sticker for display above campus light switches to remind students, faculty and staff to turn off the lights when leaving an unoccupied room for more than 10 minutes. Winner Bill Hoelzer, a philosophy graduate student, designed a sticker that reads, "Steppin' out? Lights out! Help save juice in the 'Cuse." The sticker will be placed in nearly all SU offices and classrooms.
U California San Diego Installs Energy Dashboard
The University of California, San Diego has installed an Energy Dashboard that allows users to see up-to-the-second information on a structure-by-structure basis for 60 of the largest buildings on the La Jolla campus. The data is provided by UC San Diego Physical Plant Services from over 200 energy meters providing energy usage at the building level. The portal also features information coming from roughly 40 individual power meters that measure energy consumption in the office, e.g., a computer and monitor drawing power from a single socket. A denser deployment of meters, which would measure and display individuals’ energy use, is currently under planning and development. The Web portal provides statistics updated at least once every minute on total power consumption, power generation, imports from San Diego Gas & Electric, and a comparison between power usage and production.
U Kansas Enters $25M Energy Contract
The University of Kansas has entered into a $25 million contract with Overland Park energy company to help increase the campus's energy efficiency. KU expects to save nearly $2 million per year by addressing aging heating, ventilation, and air conditioning; by reducing energy and water use; and by educating the campus about responsible stewardship of resources. Work has begun and is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2011.
U Kansas Installs 6 Solar Panels
The University of Kansas EcoHawks engineering group has installed six solar panels on a campus shed. The group plans to transfer energy captured by the panels into a battery used as a fueling station for their 1974 Volkswagen Super Beetle.
U Kentucky Bike-Share Expands Fleet
The University of Kentucky Wildcat Wheels bike-share program has expanded its total fleet from 12 to 150 bikes. The program contains four sub-fleets that are designated for certain campus populations. Wildcat Wheels has also begun offering traveling workshops available to residence halls with tutorials on bike maintenance and upkeep.
U Massachusetts Lowell Announces Environmental Health Program
The University of Massachusetts, Lowell has announced plans to offer a new bachelor of science degree in environmental health starting this fall. Students in the program will study the effects of the environment on human health and of human activities on the environment, and ways to address those impacts. The degree program will begin with 10 to 15 students and grow to about 60 over four years, according to the university. It will be open to both first-year students and those transferring from other programs at the university or other institutions.
U Vermont Concludes Sustainability Faculty Fellows Program
The University of Vermont has culminated the first year of its Sustainability Faculty Fellow program, which supports faculty across a range of disciplines who want to infuse sustainability themes and content into their teaching. Throughout the year, fellows met over two lunches during the fall and participated in an intensive two-day seminar in January. They also exchanged emails and posts on the group's dedicated Blackboard site. The Sustainability Faculty Fellows program grew out of AASHE's Sustainability Across the Curriculum Leadership Workshop.
U Victoria Opens Eco-Friendly Building
The University of Victoria (BC) has opened its new First Peoples House, which is registered for LEED Gold. The structure contains a green roof to help with stormwater runoff. Excess water runs through a waterfall and into retention ponds surrounded by native landscaping.
Virginia to Form Universities Clean Energy Development Foundation
Virginia State Governor Bob McDonnell has signed into law a measure establishing the Universities Clean Energy Development and Economic Stimulus Foundation. The bill signing took place just two days after Virginia was given federal approval to become the first state on the East Coast to explore for and produce oil and natural gas offshore. Through a policy proposal promoted by McDonnell, 20 percent of future revenues received by the state from this offshore energy development will go to green energy research and development at the Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium on the Old Dominion University campus.
Antioch U New England Launches Green MBA
Antioch University New England has launched a new accelerated MBA in Organizational and Environmental Sustainability. The 12-month program includes consulting projects, field-study trips, and a hands-on internship. The green MBA considers not only sustainable business practices, economics, and finance, but also the natural environment, leadership, systems thinking, and collaboration. The program prepares graduates for a variety of business-related roles while emphasizing organizational and environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility.
Appalachian State U Approves Green Campus Master Plan
The Appalachian State University (NC) Board of Trustees has approved the Campus Master Plan 2020 which focuses on appropriate use of campus property, ecological responsibility and sustainability, and a transportation network that encourages walking, biking, and use of AppalCart transit system. The plan recommends encouragement of ride sharing, the purchase of electric cars for use by the Physical Plant, on-street and off-street bike routes, hybrid plug-in stations in new and existing parking decks, and use of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards for new campus construction.
Bucknell U Installs New Efficient Ventilation System
Bucknell University (PA) has announced plans to replace the old ventilation system with a new $500,000 system in its Elaine Lagone Center. The new system, which is partially funded with stimulus money, is able to adjust its air flow in various rooms depending on the number of occupants. The University expects to reduce its energy consumption in the buildings by 60 percent and save $100,000 annually. The project should be complete by mid-August.
California CCs Receive Grants for Green Job Training
Sempra Energy Foundations has given 10 California community colleges a total of $250,000 in grants. Each institution received $25,000 to use as scholarships for students joining green job training programs. Awarded colleges include: Citrus College, Fullerton College, Glendale Community College, Imperial Valley Community College, Los Angeles Trade Tech, Riverside Community College, San Diego City Community College, Santa Ana Community College, Southwestern Community College, and Taft Community College.
Campuses Turn out the Lights for Earth Hour 2010
Hundreds of college and university campuses participated in the World Wildlife Fund's third annual Earth Hour event this year. In addition to turning out lights on campus, institutions furthered their celebrations by creating glow in the dark ultimate frisbee games, institution verses institution competitions, and candlelight images.
Catholic U Introduces Masters in Nuclear Environmental Protection
The Catholic University of America (DC) has announced plans to offer a new Master of Science in Nuclear Environmental Protection program that will prepare graduates for careers in nuclear power. CUA’s one-year degree program, which can also be completed part time in two to three years, focuses on the nuclear fuel cycle, waste management, and environmental protection. Degree recipients will be trained for jobs related to the new nuclear powers plants now being proposed for construction. The degree program is open to applicants with a science or engineering background, including working professionals in industry or government agencies such as the Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Navy’s nuclear program. The program’s courses will be offered in the late afternoon and evening in order to be accessible for working professionals.
