U New Mexico-Taos Goes 100% Solar
The University of New Mexico-Taos has announced that its 3 ½ acre, 500 kW solar array, which is expected to be complete by the end of July 2009, will provide the University with more than 100 percent of its electricity needs. UNM Taos officials believe that the community college is the first in the nation to be completely powered by solar energy.
Unity College Hires Sustainability Faculty and Staff
Despite the downturn in the economy, Unity College (ME) has hired three new faculty members to match the demand for its environmental curriculum, two new sustainable landscape horticulture assistants, and two new sustainable food production assistants. The creation of new positions is in response to a historically large pool of applicants, strong retention of students, new and ongoing public/private partnerships, and an increase in giving to the College during the 2008-2009 fiscal year. Also, not a single job was cut.
Wake Forest U Hires First Director of Sustainability
Wake Forest University (NC) has hired Dedee DeLongpré Johnston as director of sustainability, a newly created position. DeLongpré Johnston’s primary responsibility will be working with student, faculty, and staff groups to develop strategic initiatives for integrating sustainability into university programs, from teaching and research to public service and campus operations. As a member of the campus administration, she will also work with local and regional community representatives to develop synergies between Wake Forest’s sustainability programs and larger communities.
Western Kentucky U Greens Parking Lots
Western Kentucky University has begun a project to convert at least 5 of its parking lots to permeable asphalt. Once the regular concrete is removed, a layer of coarse gravel will be poured, and the permeable concrete will be laid on top. WKU's Parking and Administrative Services has also asked for funds to purchase two hybrid buses and to install solar carports that would produce enough electricity to service the parking and transportation building.
York U Partners for Education Program in Green Building Design
York University (ON) has partnered with the World Green Building Council to develop an international education program in green building design. The program has been launched with a three-week design for sustainability in the built environment interactive workshop. The workshop will bring together 25 upper–level undergraduate students from around the world.
2 U Arkansas Buildings Receive Green Globes Recognition
The Duncan Avenue Apartments and the Duncan Avenue Community Center at the University of Arkansas have achieved Green Globes designations for sustainable design and construction. The three-story apartment building was noted for having water-efficient equipment, high indoor air quality, effective lighting, thermal comfort, and suitable acoustic conditions. The Community Center, which received 2 Green Globes, was recognized for energy-efficient lighting fixtures and lamps and the improvement of storm-water runoff. Both buildings opened in fall 2008.
Arizona State U Receives $60K Grant for Sustainable Cities
Arizona State University has received a $60,000 grant for its Sustainable Cities Network. The contribution is a market grant, with money pooled from 13 Sam’s Club stores in the Phoenix-Tucson-Prescott area. The Sustainable Cities Network is designed to be a bridge between ASU’s research and technical capabilities in sustainability and the front-line challenges facing cities.
Army Logistics U Opens with Green Building
The Army Logistics University and Simulation Training Center (VA) has officially opened with a new green building. Approximately 83 percent of the construction waste for the 348,511-square-foot structure was recycled and the building was designed to meet LEED Silver standards.
Caltech Announces $90M Sustainability Institute
California Institute of Technology has announced plans for a $90 million Resnick Sustainability Institute. The vision of the new Institute is to provide a path to sustainability by focusing on innovative science and engineering developments required for groundbreaking energy technologies. Caltech has already received $30 million and has plans to obtain additional funding over the next year.
Carnegie Mellon U Prof Receives EPA Green Chemistry Award
Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, the J.C. Warner Professor of the Natural Sciences and University Professor at Carnegie Mellon University (PA), received the 2009 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Matyjaszewski, the second Carnegie Mellon professor to receive the award, was recognized in the academic category for the development of an environmentally low-impact form of Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization, a widely used method for preparation of functional polymers. The EPA’s Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge promotes research and development of less-hazardous alternatives to existing technologies in an effort to reduce or eliminate waste, particularly hazardous waste, in industrial production.
CC of Allegheny Council to Launch Green Institute
The Community College of Allegheny County (PA) has announced the establishment of the Green Institute, which will launch this fall with a broad range of topics related to both green technology and energy conservation. The College will offer three free informational classes in alternative energy and energy conservation this summer as a preview of the institute’s fall programs. The courses offered in the fall include: "Go Green at Home with Safer Products," "Green Building Operators Certification," "Solar Panel Installation and Maintenance Certification," and "Energy Losses and Conservation of Energy in Buildings."
Dept of Education Announces Student Loan Reduction Plan
The New York Times has published an article on the Department of Education's new student loan repayment plan that allows borrowers to reduce their monthly payments based on their income. The 'income-based repayment' program limits what borrowers have to pay to 15 percent of the difference between their gross income and 150 percent of the federal poverty line. After 25 years of continuous payments, the remaining balance will be forgiven. To participate, borrowers have to move their loans into the federal Direct Loan program. Loan forgiveness is only available to those with loans that are not through banks or other loan companies.
Dickinson College Partners with City for Bike Lanes
Carlisle, Pennsylvania, the hometown of Dickinson College, has received full funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for a $2.8 million road project that will reduce the number of lanes from four to two and add a 5 foot wide bike lane on each side of two roads that run through a portion of the Dickinson campus. Dickinson contributed more than $50,000 toward traffic surveys of the High Street corridor.
Georgia Tech Begins Waste Reduction Initiative
Georgia Tech has begun a waste reduction initiative on campus. Brittain Dining Hall has been stocked with only biodegradable and reusable items. The facility will also collect organic waste for composting, which, once fully decomposed, will be used as a soil conditioner in campus landscaping. Georgia Tech plans to expand the new waste reduction program to other dining facilities in the coming months. Additionally, in the fall, students will receive a discount for using a reusable cups at all dining halls on campus.
Michigan State U Helps Developing Farmers Grow Foods Sustainably
Michigan State University scientists are combining sustainable forest production with emerging carbon markets in an effort to help some of the world's poorest people grow trees that will boost their standards of living and slow climate change. Called Carbon2Markets, the program includes collaborative projects with farmers, researchers, and government agencies in five developing Asian and African countries. MSU researchers help the farmer groups integrate high-value forest crops into the crops they are currently growing using methods that are smart and sustainable. Then the farmers use standards created by MSU experts to accurately measure and record the carbon stored in the soil by the trees. In addition to earning money on the global carbon market for storing the carbon, the farmers also use and sell the forest products they grow.
New Mexico State U Installs 2 Community Gardens
New Mexico State University’s Housing and Residential Life has constructed two community gardens at family housing areas. The gardens were installed by NMSU faculty and staff, and a local gardening club plans to provide lessons to family housing residents about maintaining their garden. Plots are rented at no cost and only require filling out a form.
New York Colleges Form County Climate Protection Group
Cornell University, Ithaca College, Tompkins Cortland Community College, Tompkins County, the City of Ithaca, and others have partnered to establish the Tomkins County Climate Protection Initiative (TCCPI). The group of New York Institutions and organizations aims to leverage the climate action commitments made by the local higher education institutions to mobilize a county-wide energy efficiency effort focused primarily on the retrofitting of buildings.
Portland State U Hires Sustainability Leadership & Outreach Coord
Portland State University (OR) has hired Heather Spalding as its new sustainability leadership and outreach coordinator. In her new position, Spalding will work with faculty, students, student leaders, and group to improve their sustainability practices and leadership opportunities. Spalding graduated from PSU and is a former employee of the PSU Office of Sustainability.
Princeton U to Introduce Electric Fleet
Princeton University (NJ) has announced plans to launch a new electric fleet. The new four-wheel vehicles travel up to 25 mph and will replace several gas-powered automobiles that are currently in use.
Saint Louis U Introduces Single Stream Recycling
Saint Louis University (MO) has begun allowing campus members to recycle plastics and aluminum in the paper recycling bins. The change will affect personal office bins as well as large recycling containers located in public spaces.
Shasta College to Install Solar Panels at Campus Farm
Shasta College (CA) has signed a contract to fill a 250 yard by 100 yard rectangle with solar panels, and the campus farm has been selected as the preferred site. Shasta estimates that the new installation could reduce its electricity costs by as much as 40 percent.
Smith College Reduces Emisisons 31 Percent
Smith College (MA) has announced that it reduced its emissions by 31 percent between 2004 and 2008. The College has attributed the decrease to ongoing efficiency upgrades to campus buildings and infrastructure and to its conversion from burning mostly oil to natural gas in the central heating plant.
U Guam Launches Recycling Initiative
The University of Guam has launched the "Green Initiative," a campus-wide program that aims to collect recyclable aluminum, plastic, cardboard, and shredded paper. The University plans to expand the program to include glass, newspaper, food waste, and used office paper in the future.
U Illinois Chicago Releases Sustainability Report
The University of Illinois at Chicago Office of Sustainability has published its first annual report on the sustainability of the campus as a whole. The report utilizes indicators from AASHE's Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) and is intended as a frank assessment of UIC's strengths in the area of sustainability, to provide some metrics to track the progress towards is sustainability goals, and to identify areas that need more attention and action. UIC collected data as one of nearly 70 pilot institutions for the AASHE STARS program.
U Kansas Generates Energy from Student Workouts
The University of Kansas has retrofitted 15 elliptical machines with devices that draw on kinetic energy created by people's workouts and reroute that energy back into the building's electric grid. The energy produced from the workout machines will be used to help power the David A. Ambler Student Recreation Center.
U Mass Dartmouth Partners to Form Regional Sustainability Group
The University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth has partnered with the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District to form the Massachusetts Council on Sustainability. The purpose of the Council is to provide education, advice, and assistance on the broad issue of sustainability in Southeastern Massachusetts and to coordinate efforts among different entities in the region. The group currently has five subcommittees focused on: food and agriculture, economic development, energy, natural resources, and transportation. The Council plans to meet quarterly with the subcommittees meeting more frequently in the interim.
U Nevada Reno Announces New Energy Management Certificate
The University of Nevada, Reno has announced that it will launch an Energy Management Certificate program in the fall of 2009. The new 10-session, 30-hour certificate program, which will be offered by Extended Studies, will explore the essentials of building-energy management and examine methods for increasing efficiency and return on investment. The program was developed for building managers, facility/operations managers, construction planners, engineers, maintenance personnel, small business owners, entrepreneurs and others interested in energy resources.
Union College Pilots Fuel Cell Technology
Union College (NY) has been selected as the host site of a new residential fuel cell. As part of the project, a 5 kilowatt combined heat and power (CHP) unit will convert natural gas into electricity and heat for the Beuth House residence hall. The companies running the unit will use the data collected to determine system refinements for incorporation into the next-generation system design.
Utah State U Wetland Discovery Point Receives LEED Platinum
Utah State University's Wetland Discovery Point, a space that is used to teach about the importance of conservation and wetland ecosystems, has received LEED Platinum certification. The roof of the new structure functions as both a rainwater collector and a tool to provide shade or allow winter sunlight into the building. Harvested precipitation is stored in a cistern and used to irrigate part of the landscape and to flush low-flow toilets. Much of the power used in the building will be solar-generated, and solar-heated water flows through the building’s heating system.
U Virginia Showcase Dorms Feature Green Products
The University of Virginia Bookstore and Housing Division have outfitted its showcase dorm rooms with environmentally friendly products in an effort to encourage students to do the same. The green products featured include binders, notebooks, and paper towels made from recycled products, green cleaning supplies, and energy efficient computers refrigerators, and microwaves.
Wake Technical CC Wins Green Building Award
Wake Technical Community College (NC) has received a 2009 “Green Building of America” Award from Construction Communications. Building D, on Wake Tech’s Northern Wake Campus, was chosen for the award from more than 2,500 entries. The building will be featured in a special edition of Real Estate & Construction Review , a publication for policy makers and leaders in finance and economic development. At just under 75,000 square-feet, the building features occupancy sensors and daylight harvesting - a system that detects the amount of light coming in from outside and automatically dims the inside lights accordingly to save energy. The structure also has a white roof to reflect the sun; sun-blocking louvers and roof overhang on the south side of the building; and high-efficiency condensing boilers, fan, and pump motors.
Western Illinois U Partners to Protect National Resources
Western Illinois University and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support the shared goals of protecting natural resources and enhancing environmental sustainability in the region. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will work closely with Western's Institute for Environmental Studies to conduct environmental research and data gathering and to provide environmental education opportunities surrounding large river natural resources.
Appalachian State U Installs 100 kW Wind Turbine
Appalachian State University (NC) has announced the completion of a 100 kW wind turbine located on campus. Officials believe it is the largest wind turbine in the state of North Carolina. The $533,000 project was funded by Appalachian students through a $5 Renewable Energy Initiative fee collected each semester.
Appalachian State U Partners for Renewable Energy Education
Appalachian State University (NC) has partnered with Ching Yun University to develop faculty and student exchanges, participate in collaborative research activities, and jointly publish research papers focused on renewable energy. ASU hopes to learn from CYU's solar and wind installations, and CYU plans to study ASU's biofuel initiatives.
Dickinson College Announces Public Service Fellowship
Dickinson College (PA) has announced its new Public Service Fellowship, a program that provides up to $40,000 in tuition credits in exchange for public service. Students can apply for admission into the Fellowship in their senior year of high school. If accepted, students may defer enrollment at Dickinson for one, two, three, or four years to engage in meaningful public service devoted to improving the human condition and/or the natural environment. Participants will receive a $10,000 tuition credit for each year of public service during this period. Upon matriculation at Dickinson, Public Service Fellows will receive priority consideration for positions as resident advisors, community advisors, and other opportunities to further reduce tuition and fees and gain additional leadership experience.
Eastern Illinois U to Replace Coal Plant w/ Renewable Energy Ctr
The Eastern Illinois University Board of Trustees has approved the construction of a Renewable Energy Center, which will replace EIU's coal-fired power plant. The new biomass plant will meet EIU’s heating and cooling needs by burning non-treated wood chips obtained as lumber industry by-products. The project is designed to be self-funded by energy savings over a period not to exceed 20 years.
Emory U Begins Pilot Composing Program
Emory University (GA) has begun testing a composting program at its Dobbs University Center (DUC) dining facility. Running for seven weeks, the program will take pre-consumer organic food waste collected at the DUC and haul it to a nearby composting facility. The new initiative is part of the University's goal to divert 65 percent of overall waste and 95 percent of food waste from landfills by 2015.
Florida International U Implements Recycling Program
The Florida International University Student Government Association and University Custodial Services have introduced a new recycling program using bottle-shaped recycling bins for plastic bottles and aluminum cans. The University obtained the bins free of charge from the School of Hospitality Management. The University also received thirty 95-gallon blue bins as part of a new single-stream recycling program.
New England Professionals Form Sustainability Group
The National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Region I, which includes Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, has formed a group called the NASPA Sustainability Knowledge Community. The group is charged with advancing sustainability practices through the education and engagement of members. Members of the Sustainability Knowledge Community will communicate at local, regional, and national NASPA meetings and conferences. They will also attend other sustainability meetings and work to develop better sustainability approaches for the use of technology in student affairs. Stephen Nason, Director of Residence Life and Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at Unity College (ME), has been named to lead the effort.
Oklahoma City CC Establishes Green Task Force
Oklahoma City Community College has established a Green Task Force that aims to reduce waste, conserve water, and start a recycling program on campus. The group will also encourage students, faculty, and staff to be more involved with environment protection initiatives. Funding for Task Force projects will come from outside grants and campus funds.
Pacific U Dorm Receives LEED Gold
Pacific University's (OR) Gilbert Hall has received LEED Gold certification. The building, a residence hall, was cited for water efficiency, energy saving systems, providing areas for recycling materials, diverting construction waste from landfills, and indoor environmental quality.
Raritan Valley CC Sings Env'l Stewardship Agreement with EPA
Raritan Valley Community College (NJ) has signed an environmental stewardship agreement with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The agreement, which was signed June 16, pledges the College’s commitment to reduce its carbon footprint and to continuous improvement using EPA programs to develop policies, practices, and specifications for environmental efficiency standards. It also commits RVCC to increasing stewardship awareness; remaining current with EPA regulations and guidelines; increasing involvement and recognition of its stakeholders in environmental sustainability programs; partnering with local government on environmental initiatives; and addressing environmental concerns swiftly.
Richland College Opens Green Campus Building
Richland College (TX) has opened its Garland Campus, which was designed to meet LEED Gold criteria. The building features easy access to public transportation, a single-slope roof that harvests rainwater in underground storage tanks to be used for irrigation, motion-sensor faucets and dual-flush toilets, and low VOC construction materials.
Simon Frasier U Students Compare Green Initiatives
A group of nine Simon Frasier University (BC) business sustainability honors students have completed a review and comparison of sustainability initiatives at SFU, the University of British Columbia, and the University of Victoria (BC). The project compared performance, leadership, operations, teaching, research, finance, and community engagement. The group found that that SFU leads in active student sustainability groups, leading sustainability researchers, and energy management, but trails in the number of staff hired to institutionalize sustainability and the number of sustainability-related courses available to students. SFU also falls behind UBC and UVic in composting, paper reduction, LEED certification, and the use of green cleaning products. The group made recommendations to the administration on how SFU can improve its standing.
St. Olaf College Awarded for Energy Efficiency
St. Olaf College (MN) has been named Xcel Energy's Number 2 "Efficiency Partner" - one of 56 businesses the company honored recently for participating in Xcel's 2008 efficiency programs. St. Olaf was noted in the "Top 10" list for having saved 6.91 million kWh. St. Olaf also ranked No. 1 in natural gas efficiency, with 417,840 therms saved.
U Alaska Fairbanks Reuses Unwanted Items
The University of Alaska, Fairbanks hosted a community-wide freecycling event in which students and members of the larger community were encouraged to donate unwanted items. Event attendees were encouraged to take all needed items, free of charge. No selling, bartering, or swapping was permitted. The effort aimed to reduce the amount of items sent to the landfill.
U Colorado at Colorado Springs Installs Solar Panels
The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs has installed a solar system on the roof of its Science and Engineering building. The $107,000 system was funded with a grant from the Governor’s Energy Office, proceeds from a 2008 fee passed by UCCS students, and funds from Colorado Springs Utilities rebate program. The energy produced by the solar system will be displayed on a kiosk in the lobby of the building.
U Colorado Boulder Partners to Establish Renewable Energy Ctr
The University of Colorado at Boulder has announced plans to partner with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to launch a joint institute on campus. The institute will blend disciplines — including business, engineering, and law — to explore renewable energy production and policies. The program will facilitate collaboration among researchers and offer graduate and undergraduate courses.
U Houston Commits to Socially Responsible Collegiate Apparel
The University of Houston (TX) has announced that its bookstore will sell a brand of clothing that has committed to higher standards of social responsibility. Knights Apparel manufactures collegiate apparel in overseas factories committed to providing all employees with benefits and a living wage sufficient to cover the monthly costs for a family of four.
