U Arizona Tops Parking Garage with Solar Panels
The University of Arizona has topped one of its main parking structures with 1,150 solar panels. The installation of the panels, which were attached at a 10-degree slant on a recycled steel framework, will provide the University with 200 kilowatts of electricity and will also provide shade to vehicles parked under the panels. The panels cost the University nothing to install and are owned and maintained by the local utility company under the condition that the University will purchase all the electricity produced.
U Cincinnati Building Receives LEED Gold
The Center for Academic and Research Excellence (CARE)/Crawley Building in the University of Cincinnati (OH) Academic Health Center has been awarded LEED Gold certification. Officially opened in September 2008, the CARE/Crawley Building features a 90,000-gallon stormwater detention system, reflective roofing, an atrium with national lighting and ventilation, and motion sensors. In addition, nearly 98 percent of the construction-related waste was recycled. The previous building on the site, a concrete parking garage, was recycled on site and used in part as fill to the surrounding landscape.
U Georgia Approves Student Green Fee
University of Georgia President Michael Adams has announced the approval of a student green fee to begin next fall. The $3 fee will help to fund a campus sustainability office, support efforts to coordinate environmental programming, address energy efficiency, and interlace sustainability efforts on campus with university academics.
U Idaho Establishes Electronic Waste Guidelines
The University of Idaho has developed a process for eco-friendly electronics disposal. E-waste must now be sent to recycling centers or put back into the market for reuse. All e-waste from the university’s main campus will be sent to a vendor, who will recycle the materials and certify that they are handled in the most environmentally-friendly manner possible.
U Idaho Partners to Teach Local Students About Climate Change
The University of Idaho has announced a new program that aims to educate Idaho seventh through twelfth graders about the impacts of climate change and how it affects their everyday lives. McCall Outdoor Science School (MOSS) programs consist of five- to 10-day expeditionary science learning experiences that will occur in students' classrooms, in natural areas in close vicinity to their schools, and in the mountains and forests of central Idaho near the MOSS campus. Each outreach program module is divided into four sessions. Topics include watersheds, exploring local rivers, mapping and GIS, invasive species, fire ecology, and landforms. The program received a seed grant from the University of Idaho's National Science Foundation Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program a $25,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation.
U Illinois Receives Energy Efficiency Funding
The University of Illinois has received more than $848,000 from Governor Pat Quinn to increase energy efficiency on campus. The funding will be used to install energy wheels to stop warm air from leaving many new and renovated buildings; insulation on steam pipes; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning controls; exhaust controls; and geothermal systems. The University expects to save $1 million annually as a result of the energy investments. The $848,000 is a portion of the $100 million federal stimulus dollars allocated to the state of Illinois by the Department of Energy.
U King's College Student Named Rhodes Scholar
A University of King's College (NS) student, Rosanna Nicol, has been named a Rhodes Scholar. As a scholar she will spend at least two years at Oxford University in England conducting post-graduate study. Nicol has always been interested in refugee and sustainability issues and plans to focus her thesis on how socially responsible investing can create capital flow to areas in need.
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Posted Jan 11, 2010
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Other News
U North Carolina Chapel Hill Opens Local Foods Dining Option
The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill has opened a new eatery in one of its dining halls that serves local food. The new dining option, 1.5.0, gets its name from its commitment to only serve food from within 150 miles. Dining services hoped the new eatery would break even in sales, but so far it has exceeded those expectations. Students have been excited to try the new option with items such as sweet potato fries with local honey. The restaurant features a chalkboard menu that will change weekly according to produce and meat availability.
U North Florida Building Receives LEED Gold Certification
The University of North Florida's newest building on campus has received LEED Gold certification. The 107,000-square-foot College of Education and Human Resources building utilizes natural light, energy efficiency, and recycled materials to make it more sustainable than traditional buildings. The $18 million project includes teaching labs, faculty offices, meeting rooms and support spaces.
U Notre Dame Publishes First Annual Sustainability Report
The University of Notre Dame (IN) has released "Sustainability at Notre Dame 2008-2009," its first annual sustainability report. The report describes initiatives undertaken in each of the seven focus areas of the Office of Sustainability: power generation, design and construction, waste reduction, transportation, procurement, food services, and water. Highlights include a 7.5 percent reduction in total carbon emissions from energy usage and a 2.5 percent reduction in total electricity usage, the $4 million Energy Conservation Measures program, construction of the first campus buildings expecting LEED certification, a campus-wide shift to recycled-content paper, and the initiation of a comprehensive Game Day Recycling program.
U Wisconsin Superior Opens Student Center
The University of Wisconsin, Superior has opened its new student center, the Yellowjacket Union. The 90,000-square-foot $22 million building incorporates a green roof, large south-facing windows, and a rain garden. The University is seeking LEED Silver certification on the building.
Warren Wilson College Trains City Employees in Energy Efficiency
Warren Wilson College (NC) has partnered with the City of Ashville to help train its employees to evaluate and improve building energy efficiency. WWC held a week-long Home Energy Rating Systems training program, during which 20 employees learned how to utilize diagnostic equipment and software to conduct energy analyses. Participants also learned practices for increasing energy efficiency. The 16 building inspectors who participated in the training can now serve as energy efficiency ambassadors and the four building maintenance employees who participated will be able to help reduce municipal energy expenditures.
Washington U in St. Louis Announces Carpool Incentive Program
Employees on the Danforth, North, and West Washington in St. Louis (MO) campuses now have access to a carpool incentive program. Through the "Bearly Drivers" program, full-time employees can save money, get access to priority parking, and win prizes. Carpool participants will receive two free daily yellow parking permits each month via campus mail to use when their schedules might make carpooling difficult. In addition, all carpoolers will be automatically enrolled in the Guaranteed Ride Home Program, a service that reimburses members the price of a taxi home in case of an emergency or for unscheduled overtime.
Washington U in St. Louis Moves to Single-Stream Recycling
Washington University in St. Louis (MO) has implemented single-stream recycling throughout the Danforth, West, North and South campuses. Waste bins are now labeled either "Recycling" or "Landfill." Comingled recyclable items will be sorted off-campus by a vendor. The University hopes this new, simpler way to recycle waste will improve recycling in general.
Western Illinois U Hires Sustainability Coordinator
Western Illinois University has named Mandi Green as its first ever sustainability coordinator. In her role as sustainability coordinator, which began December 7, 2009, Green develops and implements initiatives involving energy, transportation, waste management, recycling, green purchasing, and more, as well as prepares the required sustainability reports for the state of Illinois. Green will also work with student and other university groups to promote and raise awareness of Western's sustainability initiatives.
Western Washington U Commits to Local Food
Western Washington University has joined the Real Food Challenge, a group that encourages universities to increase the amount of ethically produced food on campus, and has made a commitment to increase the amount of Northwest-grown, fair-trade, organic, and humanely produced food on campus by 20 percent. To help meet this goal, Dining Services is working with Growing Washington to dedicate land to specifically grow food for the University. Dining Services also plans to freeze or preserve summer produce to be used during the winter months.
Wisconsin Governor Retracts Grid-Free Campus Promise
Governor Jim Doyle has retracted a campaign promise that four University of Wisconsin campuses will be off the grid by 2012. Doyle had originally pledged that the campuses would become the first state agencies to purchase or produce as much energy from renewable sources as they consume. The governor backed off of this promise after determining that it was unrealistic. The institutions credit the challenge for encouraging them to conserve energy, study alternative fuels, and purchase more renewable sources.
11 New Campuses Complete Greenhouse Gas Inventories
11 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 on November 16, 2009. 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: The Ohio State University; College of the Atlantic (ME); Auburn University (AL); University of Missouri, Saint Louis; University of Missouri, Kansas City; Clark University (MA); Luther College (IA); Smith College (MA); Santa Monica College (CA); Hamilton College (NY); and Monterey Institute of International Studies (CA).
2 North Carolina CCs Complete Weatherization Training Pilot Prgms
Central Carolina Community College and Wilson Community College have completed pilot programs to train weatherization crew members at the request of the Weatherization Office and the North Carolina Community College System. Results of the pilots were reviewed, and a draft outline of a new curriculum was developed. "Weatherization Assistance Program Crew Basics" will be offered through North Carolina community colleges' Continuing Education Departments. The program will consist of 24 hours of training over three days in areas such as duct sealing, installing insulation, base-load measurements of electricity and water usage, air sealing, and safety.
31 New Campuses Complete Climate Action Plans
30 new campuses have submitted Climate Action Plans (CAP) as part of the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) since the last update in the AASHE Bulletin on September 28, 2009. The plans illustrate the specific steps schools are taking to reach climate neutrality. The CAP is the second major reporting requirement of the Commitment and is due within two years of signing. New CAPs were submitted by: University of Colorado at Boulder; University of Maryland, College Park; University of California, Los Angeles; Duke University (NC); University of Nevada, Reno; University of Wisconsin-Stout; University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh; Maharishi University of Management (IA); University of New Mexico; University of Maryland, Baltimore; University of South Carolina, Salkehatchie; University of South Carolina, Beaufort; University of Massachusetts Medical School; Eastern Connecticut State University; University of Houston, Victoria (TX); Furman University (SC); Luther College (IA); Clark University (MA); McDaniel College (MD); Franklin & Marshall College (PA); Centre College (KY); Hamilton College (NY); Goddard College (VT); Bowdoin College (ME); Wilson Community College (NC); State University of New York at Binghamton; Towson University (MD); Weber State University (UT); Houston Community College (TX); Framingham State College (MA); and Santa Fe Community College (NM). The submitted plans can be viewed through the ACUPCC Reporting System. In related news, Stanford University (CA) has also completed its Climate Action Plan.
5 Campuses to Help Mexican University Institute Energy Program
Appalachian State University (NC) has received $300,000 from the U.S. Agency for International Development/Mexico to enhance the capacity of a Mexican partner Institution, Fundación Universidad de Las Américas Puebla (FUDLAP), with its renewable energy and energy efficiency educational programs and activities. Appalachian is one of only five U.S. universities to receive funding under the TIES Phase IV Cycle 1 Competition. The other institutions include Arizona State University, University of Florida, Duquesne University (PA), and University of Colorado at Boulder
6 New Institutions Sign Climate Commitment
6 new institutions have signed the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment since the last update in the November 16, 2009 issue of the AASHE Bulletin . In doing so, these campuses have committed to develop comprehensive plans for achieving climate neutrality. The new signatories are: Robert Smith of Slippery Rock University (PA); Alejandra Liora Adler of Gaia University (CO); Paul Pai of St. Louis Community College, Meramec (MO); Frank Toda of Columbia Gorge Community College (OR); and Scott Lesnik of Lake Land College (IL). 663 college and university presidents and chancellors have now signed the Commitment. In related news, Dalhousie University (NS) President Tom Traves has signed the University and College Presidents' Climate Change Statement of Action. Signing the document commits Dalhousie to significantly reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. Further, the University must complete an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions with a year; set targets and develop an action plan within two years; and take a leadership role within the community to educate about global climate change
Austin College Purchases Carbon Offsets for Study Abroad Trips
Austin College (TX) has announced plans to offset 39 percent of the estimated carbon dioxide emissions from upcoming study abroad trips. Seven of the College's off-campus January Term courses elected to purchase offsets, encompassing travel to Peru; Ecuador; Galapagos; Costa Rica; South Africa; Berlin; Tokyo; Washington, DC; and New York. In total, carbon emissions for 124 students, seven faculty, and three alumni will be offset. One on-campus course also purchased credits to offset van travel. Participants are voluntarily paying the additional costs of the carbon offsets, purchased in partnership with NativeEnergy, which will be used to build a new wind farm in Greensburg, Kansas.
Austin College Purchases Carbon Offsets for Study Abroad Trips
Austin College (TX) has announced plans to offset 39 percent of the estimated carbon dioxide emissions from upcoming study abroad trips. Seven of the College's off-campus January Term courses elected to purchase offsets, encompassing travel to Peru; Ecuador; Galapagos; Costa Rica; South Africa; Berlin; Tokyo; Washington, DC; and New York. In total, carbon emissions for 124 students, seven faculty, and three alumni will be offset. One on-campus course also purchased credits to offset van travel. Participants are voluntarily paying the additional costs of the carbon offsets, purchased in partnership with NativeEnergy, which will be used to build a new wind farm in Greensburg, Kansas.
Boston Architectural College Expands Offerings in Sustainable Design
Boston Architectural College (MA) Sustainable Design program has announced plans to expand the number of graduate certificates it offers in 2010 in an effort to meet the needs of the groups responsible for planning, designing, creating, and operating the built environment. Four certificates will be available in: sustainable design, community planning and design, sustainable residential design, sustainable building design and construction. All certificates will required that students complete six courses with a minimum of B- cumulative average.
Bristol CC Makes Efficiency Upgrades
Bristol Community College (MA) has made a number of energy efficiency changes to one of its buildings that will result in monetary savings. Changes include more efficient lighting, better insulation and windows, and the addition of 420 solar panels. The renovations will save the College about $442,000 a year.
Butte College Opens Green Student Services Building
Butte College (CA) has opened a new green building that brings together all student services under one roof. The three-story Student and Administrative Services building boasts a number of green features including solar panels, skylights, and no-flush urinals. College officials hope the building will receive LEED Gold certification.
Campuses Celebrate Holidays with Green Initiatives
Several campuses have employed eco-friendly initiatives to celebrate the holidays this year. Initiatives include using LED lights on evergreen trees, powering LED lights with solar energy, and encouraging campus employees who chose to decorate their offices to use eco-friendly lights.
College of William & Mary Announces Funding for Sustainability Projects
The College of William & Mary (VA) has announced its fall 2009 grants for campus sustainability projects. Out of 26 proposals totaling almost $250,000 in requests, 12 were awarded funding at the committee's November meeting for a total of $78,759. The projects include large capital investments as well as small ones, ranging from a campus herb garden to an electric maintenance truck. An annual $30 student green fee that generates $200,000 a year provides funding for the grants.
Concordia U Wisconsin Env'l Center Receives Grant from Wal-Mart
Concordia University Wisconsin has received a $50,000 grant from the Wal-Mart Foundation for its Center for Environmental Stewardship. The Center will open in 2010 and will educate K-12 students on conservation, wind turbines, solar energy, and fresh water ecosystems.
Dartmouth Receives $330K for Campus Energy Monitoring Project
Dartmouth College has received a $330,936 grant from the New Hampshire Green House Gas Reduction Fund to help implement a Campus Energy and Sustainability Management System. This new system, which will measure and monitor energy use around campus, will help the College reach its goal to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent below 2005 levels by the year 2030. The Campus Energy and Sustainability Management System at Dartmouth will be implemented over the next several months, starting with the buildings that have the highest energy use. By the end of one year, an array of approximately 250 building energy meters will be tied in to the system, and software will help detect inefficiencies in system operations. The grant award will be matched by funds at Dartmouth.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical U Opens Green Garage
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (FL) has opened its new green garage. The garage, which features a floor made of recycled tires, will be used by students to develop a car for the EcoCar Challenge, a competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, General Motors, and other organizations, and a reduced-emissions airplane for NASA's Green Flight Challenge.
Fairfield U Jesuit Community Center Incorporates Sustainability
A new building has opened on Fairfield University’s (CT) campus – the Fairfield Jesuit Community Center. The Center is the location for Jesuit scholars to live and study and features a number of green aspects: the building utilizes geothermal heating and cooling, recycled building materials, a green roof, and an abundance of natural lighting.
Harvard U Buys Wind Power
Harvard University (MA) has agreed to purchase more than 10 percent of its energy from a new 17-turbine wind farm. The Stetson Wind II facility will begin generating electricity by the middle of 2010 and Harvard will be purchasing half its power.
Hawaii Pacific U Students Build Garden
Student organizations at Hawaii Pacific University have transformed a patch of grass into a garden on their Hawaii Loa campus. Led by the Amnesty International Club and the Green Club, students built the garden to show the viability of gardening for food. Students have realized benefits from their projects including the ability to provide produce for the local community, the function of creating a model for a green campus, and social bonding.
Johns Hopkins U Launches Major and Minor in Sustainability
The Johns Hopkins University (MD) School of Arts and Sciences has created an interdisciplinary major and minor in global environmental change and sustainability. Offered through the Morton K. Blaustein Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, the new course of study is part of the Global Change Science Initiative, founded in 2007 with a gift from trustee Lee Meyerhoff Hendler to advance teaching and research in areas of earth science that are pertinent to global environmental change. Though the program, which began with the fall 2009 semester, is based in Earth and Planetary Sciences, it incorporates classes offered through other Krieger School departments, the Whiting School of Engineering, and the Bloomberg School of Public Health. Subjects include anthropology, biology, chemistry, economics, engineering, history, political science, psychology, physics and sociology, and students can choose one of two concentrations: natural science or social science.
Johns Hopkins U Offers Sustainability-Focused, Post Master's Certificate
Johns Hopkins University (MD) Engineering for Professionals, the part-time graduate program of the University’s Whiting School of Engineering, has begun offering a post-master's study in climate change, energy, and environmental sustainability. The six-course certificate program was developed to help engineers, scientists, and managers design and implement solutions to environmental challenges. The program consists of five core courses and several electives.
Minnesota Campuses Launch Carbon Reduction Initiative
The Minnesota Schools Cutting Carbon initiative, which started earlier this year, has encouraged staff and students at several Minnesota colleges and universities to reduce campus energy use and carbon emissions. Students at the University of Minnesota, Duluth screwed in 50,000 new LED light bulbs in the school's Ordean Court as part of the initiative. The Schools Cutting Carbon program is a three-year effort by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Minnesota Office of Energy Security, and Clean Energy Resource Teams. All 103 participating schools received $500 grants to conduct energy audits to calculate their carbon footprints and began mini-projects and activities to start cutting carbon and draw awareness to the problem. Now the schools are competing for about a dozen $20,000 grants to put their bigger ideas to work.
Mount St. Mary’s U to Host $60 Million Solar Project
Mount St. Mary’s University (MD) has partnered with Constellation Energy to be the site of a $60 million solar project as part of the state’s Generating Clean Horizons initiative. The project will place solar panels on 100 sunny acres of the University’s campus and produce 15.9 megawatts of power, 1.2 of which will return to the University.
North Carolina State U Announces Winter Shutdown
North Carolina State University has announced plans to set back its heating and lighting systems for more than 200 buildings over the holiday break in an effort to save a substantial amount of money and reduce the amount of carbon being expelled into the atmosphere. Facilities Operations will turn down the thermostat for the time period between Thursday, December 24, 2009, and Monday, January 4, 2010. The University is asking employees to do their part before they leave for the holiday break by making sure all office equipment in their department is turned off and unplugged.
San Diego State U Launches Car-Sharing Program
San Diego State University (CA) has partnered with Zipcar to offer a new car-share program on campus. Students 18 years and older can reserve a car online for $8 per hour, and can choose from three hybrid Honda Insights and two Honda Civics.
San Diego State U Powers Pool with Solar Energy
San Diego State University (CA) has installed a 124-kilowatt solar photovoltaic array at its Aztec Aquaplex. The new array completely powers the complex, which is the most energy intensive facility on campus. In addition to the solar array, the facility installed new water pumps that are 70 percent more energy efficient.
Students Attend COP15
Several U.S. and Canadian institution sent student delegations to the United National Climate Change Conference, which was held December 7-18, 2009, in Copenhagen, Denmark. Hundreds of students blogged and tweeted about their experiences and the Dickinson College (PA) delegation held three conference calls with the AASHE community. Recordings of these conversations are posted on the AASHE website.
Tufts U School of Dental Medicine Adds Green Addition
Tufts University's (MA) 10-story School of Dental Medicine building has been topped off with a five-story green addition. The building, constructed in the 1970s, was always intended to be taller. The five-story addition, which was constructed while the building was still open, is expected to receive LEED certification.
U California, Berkeley Extension Offers Sustainability Certificates
The University of California, Berkeley Extension has opened enrollment for its new programs in sustainability studies: leadership in sustainability and environmental management, and solar energy and green building. The programs are designed for professionals to receive certificates while not attending the University full time.
U Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Business Facility Awarded LEED Platinum
The University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign’s new business building has received LEED Platinum certification. The Business Instructional Facility generates eight percent of its power from solar panels, has a green roof to reduce run off, and recycled 75 percent of its construction waste. The building is estimated to cut costs by up to $300,000 a year compared to similar traditional buildings on campus.
U Kansas Partners with ESPN to Green Basketball Game
The University of Kansas Athletics, the city of Lawrence, and television network ESPN have partnered to host a "Green Game" for the KU men's basketball game against Michigan on ESPN, which took place on Saturday, December 19th. The telecast featured two short features about go-green initiatives on the KU campus. The first highlighted the 15 elliptical machines in the Student Recreation and Fitness Center that convert kinetic energy created by individual workouts and feed it back into the building's electrical grid. The second video featured KU's Biodiesel Initiative, which collects used cooking oil from campus dining halls and converts it into biodiesel fuel. Also during the game, KU played a 3-second video featuring student athletes recycling a water bottle and recognized the on-campus winners of the Sustainability Leadership Awards program.
U Michigan Student Entrepreneur Plans to Recycle Used Cooking Oil
The University of Michigan has announced the winners of its 1,000 pitches contest. Over 2,000 student entrepreneurs submitted their innovative ideas to be recognized and nine were selected. The winner in the green campus category was Daniel Forhan, who developed a plan to recycle the used cooking oil in the school’s cafeterias to biodiesel for use in campus buses.
