Stonehill College to Construct 2.7MW Solar Farm
The new contract for a 15-acre, 2.7-megawatt photovoltaic array will offset the university's carbon emissions, save money, help build a culture of sustainability on campus, and is tied in with the college’s Catholic ethos.
U California Riverside to Install 3MW Solar System
Supporting the system-wide University Policy on Sustainable Practices, which calls on each campus to contribute to the production of up to 10-megawatts of on-site renewable power by 2014, the university will install the three-megawatt, 10-acre system in summer 2014.
U Oregon Building Earns LEED Platinum
The building's features include recycling waste water, domestic hot water from solar thermal panels, efficient heating and cooling systems, operable windows, solar shading and rain gardens.
Bentley U Install Recycling Machines
The newly installed recycling machines accept bottles and cans, giving a five-cent deposit back to recyclers and displaying real-time recycling data.
Cornell U Faculty Vote to Divest
By a 43-13 Faculty Senate vote, a resolution called for the divestiture by 2035 of all investments in the top 200 holding companies ranked by fossil fuel reserves.
Green Mountain College Students Build Sustainable Mobile Home
Motivated to build a mobile living space that could be towed behind a four-cylinder vehicle, the Renewable Energy and Ecological Design students custom-built a 70-square-foot room with a composting toilet, rainwater collection system and a 120-watt photovoltaic panel.
North Carolina State U Students Engineer Heat Ventilation System
Students from the university's Landscape Construction Studio class recently designed and implemented the heat ventilation system for a garden space that has steam pipes underneath it causing vegetation to die. The student-staff collaboration won a local award.
Portland State U Awards Research Grants
In an effort to advance sustainability research, the university's Institute for Sustainable Solutions and Research and Strategic Partnerships awarded up to $5,000 for 10 stimulus grants to help develop and prepare proposals for external funding for projects geared toward urban sustainability, ecosystem services, and social determinants of health.
SUNY ESF Students to Initiate Campus-Wide Composting
Students from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry are constructing a new facility for a campus-wide aerobic compost system that aids the composting process in colder months.
U Illinois Building Achieves LEED Platinum
The newly renovated building was provided with upgraded climate controls, electric, lighting and plumbing systems, recycled demolition materials, low-flow water fixtures, and use of daylighting.
Western Carolina U Building Awarded LEED Gold
The university's Health and Human Sciences Building features daylighting, passive solar design, a rooftop garden, and use of recycled materials and materials with low volatile organic compounds.
Bicycling Magazine Pins Nine Cyclist-Friendly Colleges
The magazine's recent ranking evaluates efforts to incorporate innovative ways to increase cycling as a means of transportation. Highlighted universities include University of Louisville; Bowdoin College; University of California, Davis; Michigan State University; Portland State University; University of Colorado, Boulder; University of Minnesota; University of Arizona; and Stanford University.
Princeton U New Sustainability Website Goes Live
The university's new website is an online sustainability platform where the campus community can get involved, explore the campus as a living lab, view live data, and read news and announcements.
Cornell U Hosts Climate Change Website
(U.S.): The newly released website houses university research and outreach program information, issue-specific pages to help farmers, local government and youth educators, a climate change forum, videos and question and answer section.
Georgetown U Invites Campus Input on Sustainability Plan
(U.S.): After recently establishing its Office of Sustainability, the university held a sustainability planning workshop soliciting engagement from students, faculty and staff members in the areas of food systems, transportation, water, buildings, energy, solid waste, grounds and procurement.
Middlebury College & Orion Magazine Partner for Conference
(U.S.): Growing the college's own environmental writing conference, the college and the magazine are collaborating for The Bread Loaf Orion Environmental Writers' Conference taking place at Middlebury College from June 9 through 15.
Penn State Braces Old Trees On Campus
(U.S.): The university's Department of Landscaping recently hired two Japanese master gardeners to teach traditional tree preservation techniques and assist in installing support braces on a 100-year-old Japanese maple.
St. Mary's College Maryland Proposes Wage Policy
(U.S.): The newly proposed living wage scheme by campus campaigners aims to meet the schools' claims of social responsibility, respect and community maintenance, proposing a ratio of 10-to-1 for the highest to lowest paid employees.
U Buffalo Connects EV Car-Charging Stations
(U.S.): Contributing to the university's 2030 climate neutrality efforts, the new charging stations at three UB campuses are part of a state initiative to install 80 throughout the state.
UC Berkeley Installs Recycled Recycling Bins
(U.S.): Agreeing to contribute to campus sustainability projects, the university's beverage contract funded each of the 13 newly installed, custom-designed bins, each made from 1,550 plastic milk jugs.
U Idaho Students Develop Net-Zero Lab
(U.S.): After time spent researching forestry's role in wood production, graduate students were challenged to use the resource in new and innovative ways to construct a new campus laboratory building.
U Iowa Students Hold Sustainability Summit
(U.S.): Hosted by the university's Student Government, the event invited dialogue from administrators, students, faculty, staff and community members about campus sustainability and taking action beyond campus borders.
U Oman to be Built on Sustainable Premise
(Oman): The yet-to-be-built university will use best practices for environmentally-friendly design and offer fossil-free transportation systems. Academic themes will include Energy, Resources and Sustainability, Systems Design and Technology, and Community Development and Wellness.
Wilfrid Laurier U Partnered with Regional Climate Action Plan
(Canada): Highlighted in a recent release of a regional climate action plan, proposal cited the university's collaborative efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, the university's sustainability coordinator chaired a committee focusing on institutional, commercial and industrial areas.
Brandeis U Implements EV Charging Stations
In an attempt to move away from fossil fuels, a student proposed and helped launch the three electric vehicle charging stations hoping that the university will invest more in an electric fleet.
Columbia U Introduces Green Fund
Aimed at improving sustainability of the university's campus, the new fund will support student-led projects selected by a committee of personnel and students.
Keene State College Building Scores LEED Platinum
The Technology, Design and Safety Center building features site orientation to take advantage of natural lighting and airflow, operational windows with sensors that use passive heating and cooling, consideration toward indoor air quality through use of materials and recycled content, waterless and low-flow fixtures, and a photovoltaic array.
