St. Clair County CC Receives Greenforce Mini Grant
The college has used a $3,000 Greenforce Initiative Innovation Mini Grant to help produce three videos showcasing how it uses green technology to educate students. The videos include how students study bioswales, rain gardens, green roofs, solar hot water, heat and electrical systems, wind turbine technology, and a geothermal heating and cooling system.
SUNY Sullivan Opens Sustainability Lab
The 1,278-square-foot laboratory includes HVAC, wind, solar, and hydraulic simulators to be used as a teaching and demonstration tool. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority funded the lab through the SUNYGreensNY grant consortium.
U Maine Constructs Greenhouse
A newly constructed, 26x96-foot, hoop-style greenhouse will be used by UMaine Greens, a student-run organization, to localize the university’s food system and provide greens to dining services. A composting facility is also being installed nearby.
U Maryland to Require Construction Waste Recycling
The university has announced plans to require departments to recycle construction and demolition waste from campus projects starting in winter 2013. Construction and demolition waste materials will be collected and transported to different processors depending on the material type. Campus construction is estimated to generate about 300 to 800 tons of recyclable waste per year.
Urbana U Installs Solar Array
The university has installed a 500-kilowatt solar array that will provide one-fifth of its total electrical usage. The panels are owned and maintained by Melink Corporation under a 10-year purchase agreement.
U Washington Launches New Sustainability Awareness Tool
The Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability office has launched ‘Sustainability Snapshots,” its newest awareness tool. The new website aims to catalog the various sustainability projects and initiatives happening on campus in one location, including facts about the project’s impact.
U Wisconsin Oshkosh Academic Center Earns LEED Gold
The academic center features roof-mounted thermal and parking lot photovoltaic solar panels, a green roof with low-maintenance plantings, and in-floor radiant heating and cooling systems. The sustainable features are estimated to save the university $182,000 annually.
Wellesley College Launches Composting Program
The college’s Office of Sustainability has partnered with Wellesley Fresh to launch a new compost project in the dining halls. The joint initiative will first address waste generated in food preparation, and will later tackle post-consumer food waste.
Bellevue College Installs Electric Vehicle Charging Station
(U.S.): The college has installed a DC fast charger for electric vehicles on campus. The new charger utilizes direct current to provide an 80 percent charge in approximately 30 minutes. Four conventional chargers have also been installed at the college in recent months, and all five stations are available to the public for a fee.
Brazil Passes Affirmative-Action Law
(Brazil): The Brazilian Supreme Court has passed an affirmative-action law that requires its public universities to reserve half of their admission spots for low-income students and compels its institutions to diversify according to the racial makeup within each region. Officials expect the number of black students to increase significantly.
Davis & Elkins College Students Design, Build Micro-Farm
(U.S.): Students from an Introduction to Sustainability Studies class helped build the Sustainable Agriculture Entrepreneur (SAGE) Initiative classroom garden. Participating students will use the garden to grow produce that will be sold to local food suppliers. The aim of the SAGE initiative is to encourage students to replicate the techniques learned in class to be implemented elsewhere.
EAUC Announces 2012 Green Gown Awards Winners
(U.K.): Winners and commendations were bestowed across 13 categories at the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges’ 2012 Green Gown Awards. Now in its eighth year, the awards program recognizes exceptional initiatives being undertaken by universities and colleges across the U.K. to become more sustainable.
Georgetown U Receives $20M Environmental Studies Gift
(U.S.): The university received a $20 million donation to support environmental study initiatives. The gift will endow three faculty chairs in the sciences, fund research grant proposals, and support the creation of an environment initiative program center.
Green Campus Movement Launches at U Cape Town
(South Africa): The 49M Green Campus Movement has launched a “Youth & the Green Economy” series at the university. The online community will provide information on campus events and competitions, the appointment of campus ambassadors, entry for national awards, and social media initiatives.
Kean U Composting Project Reaches Milestone
(U.S.): In less than a year, the university’s composting operation has diverted 100 tons of food scraps away from landfills and incinerators. The compost has been used throughout the campus, including a university farm that supplies fresh produce to a campus cafeteria and restaurant.
Madurai Kamaraj U Seeks Funding for Energy Initiatives
(India): The university has submitted a proposal to the University Grants Commission and the state government to receive funding to implement energy-saving measures on its 700-acre campus. The university has proposed to install solar panels to generate power and to perform an energy audit.
Maharishi U Mgmt New Student Group to Focus on Sustainability
(U.S.): Students have organized a local chapter of Net Impact, a global nonprofit that supports a new generation of leaders intent on transforming the world. The chapter is currently working on several sustainability projects including a vermiculture project that will help improve the university's composting system.
Pomona Dining Services Installs Green Technology
(U.S.): Dining Services has installed eight eCubes as part of the college’s continuing efforts to increase its sustainable operations. The eCube fits over a cooler’s thermostat and mimics food temperature, increasing a cooler’s efficiency. The project is expected to produce a cost savings of approximately $3,000 per year
Southern Oregon U Opens Food Pantry for Students In Need
(U.S.): The university has opened an on-campus food bank to provide easier access to meals for students in need. The pantry offers fresh, organic produce grown from the community garden on campus as well as nonperishable items. The university's Commuter Resource Center donated $1,000 to get the pantry off the ground.
Swarthmore College Alumni Join Divestment Movement
(U.S.): About 100 alumni have signed the college’s Alumni Petition for Fossil Fuel Divestment. Started by the Swarthmore Mountain Justice student organization, the petition aims to demonstrate to the administration that a range of Swarthmore community members, not just students, support fossil fuel divestment.
Tamil Nadu Colleges to Harness Solar Power
(India): The state government has created a solar purchase obligation that requires colleges to meet six percent of their power usage from solar energy. Vellore Institute of Technology will surpass this quota by using solar power for 30 percent of its energy needs. Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering will expand upon a pilot project to use solar energy for street lighting on campus.
U California Berkeley Completes Energy Biosciences Building
(U.S.): The science facility was designed to achieve LEED Gold certification. Sustainable features include fume hoods designed to reduce energy use by nearly 40 percent in laboratories, a glass curtainwall, and automated window shades and lighting controls.
UC Davis Community Inspires Plan for Dubai Sustainable City
(United Arab Emirates): Inspired by a visit to the university’s energy-efficient West Village community, a UAE housing developer has begun planning a sustainable city on the outskirts of Dubai. The city developers will collaborate with the University of California Board of Regents on applied research and training related to the sustainable communities.
U Chicago Staff Help Create Urban Farm
(U.S.): Several members of the Facilities Services’ grounds crew volunteered to turn a vacant city lot into a 1.7-acre farm. The farm will provide produce to restaurants and will feature an on-site farm stand, where community members can purchase cheap local produce year-round. The project is part of City Farm, a citywide farming and composting initiative.
U Greenwich Receives Funding for Green Power Plant
(U.K.): An experimental power plant is to be built at the university as part of a cross-channel project to find sustainable sources of green energy. Students and staff will conduct research on the glycerol-fueled plant to find cost-effective and environmentally efficient ways of using glycerol. The project is backed by the European Development fund through a $5.3 million (USD) grant.
U Haifa Debuts Green Roofs Ecology Research Center
(Israel): The university’s Green Roofs Ecology Research Center will focus on research and development of non-irrigated green roofs, improving biological diversity and generating new ecological and evolutionary theories. Recently dedicated following a gift from a British expert in the field, the center will allow for a thorough examination of flora survival and need for artificial irrigation on roofs in Mid-East climates.
U Illinois Approves Plans to Construct Solar Farm
(U.S.): The university’s trustees have approved plans to build a 20.5-acre solar farm that is expected to provide two percent of the campus’ electricity. Phoenix Solar Inc. will build and operate the solar installation for the first 10 years, and the university will buy the energy produced under a $15.5 million power-purchase agreement. Subsidies to cover additional energy costs over the next 10 years will in part be covered with proceeds from a student sustainability fee.
U Leicester Students Participate in Living Wage Campaign
(U.K.): Organized by the university’s Labor Society, students have launched a campaign demanding that all staff be paid the new living wage of £7.45. A Freedom of Information Act request has shown that hundreds of university employees earn wages below the current minimum wage.
U Nottingham Dedicates Green Hotel
(U.K.): The hotel was designed to achieve an ‘Excellent’ rating under the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method. It includes a green roof; photovoltaic panels; and energy-efficient lighting, heating, and ventilation systems. The university has also installed a hydrogen re-fueling facility and electric charging points alongside a new research facility.
U South Carolina Hosts No Impact Week
(U.S.): Over 500 students, faculty, and staff have signed up to participate in a week long challenge to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Participants will take on new challenges throughout the week with the end goal of producing zero trash, using sustainable transportation, and minimizing energy and water consumption. The challenges are based on the ideas in the book ”No Impact Man.”
U Tasmania Building Achieves Green Star Certification
(Australia): Nearing completion, the university’s new medical science building has achieved a 5-Star Green Star Education Design v1 rating by the Green Building Council of Australia. In addition to sustainable measures in the design of the structure, energy efficient lighting and an 80,000-litre water tank will take reliance off of traditional power and water needs.
U West Indies Partnership to Create Renewable Energy Studies
(Barbados): The university and Sol, a Caribbean oil company, have signed a three-year agreement that will provide funding for engineering, social sciences and technology students. The partnership will focus on promoting renewable energy studies, funding biofuels research, and growing leadership in the region.
U Wisconsin Oshkosh Holds Community Building Contest
(U.S.): The university has awarded nearly $3,000 to four teams as part of its Creating a Stronger Community Contest. In its second year, the contest is designed to generate excitement and action around community-building projects. First place was awarded to Growing Oshkosh, a new organization created by an alumna that aims to raise awareness and educate citizens about the numerous benefits of local food.
U York, Korea Partner to Advance Green Chemistry Research
(U.K.): The university’s Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence at York and the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology have signed an agreement to establish a basic framework for conducting cooperative activities aimed at enhancing their respective scientific and technical knowledge. The partnership will also include the exchange of researchers and collaborations in green chemical technology.
U York Participates in Tree Planting Initiative
(U.K.): The university has partnered with Woodland Trust to reforest a local area through two community tree plantings. The project is part of a nation-wide initiative to plant more trees.
Vanderbilt U Goes Solar with Electric Vehicle Charging Station
(U.S.): The university’s solar-powered electric vehicle charging station can accommodate 10 vehicles and joins five other stations scattered across the university campus and medical center. The Smart Modal Area Recharge Terminal station is a joint project of the university, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and the Electric Power Research Institute.
Vanderbilt U Releases Updated GHG Report
(U.S.): Despite an increase in square footage, students, and staff; the university’s overall greenhouse gas emissions have decreased by 12 percent since 2008. These findings were released in recognition of Campus Sustainability Day by the university’s Sustainability and Environmental Management Office.
Washington U St. Louis Helps to Address Vacant City Properties
(U.S.): A joint program between the city and the university Office of Sustainability is seeking to turn vacant land into an opportunity that inspires innovative thinking. The Sustainable Land Lab is a public competition that will give teams the opportunity to demonstrate their ideas through tangible projects at the scale of a single vacant lot.
Clarkson U Student Center Receives LEED Silver
Sustainable features include water efficient landscaping, low-flow plumbing fixtures, bicycle storage and changing facilities, and preferred parking for fuel-efficient vehicles. Invented by a university professor, a new type of concrete masonry unit that contains 20 percent recycled industrial glass was also incorporated into the building.
College of Charleston Hosts Recycling Competition
The college increased recycling and reduced trash dumped in the landfill by 13 percent during a three-week competition that ran from late September to mid-October. The campus-wide “RecycleMania” was hosted and organized by the Office of Sustainability and was modeled after the national RecycleMania competition.
Concordia U Buildings Earn LEED Certification
The PERFORM Center and the John Molson School of Business building were awarded LEED Gold and Silver status, respectively. The center features low energy consumption, water use reduction and the use of local materials. The Molson building features a solar wall that generates energy that is consumed in the building.
Connecticut Colleges to Share Energy Efficiency Loan
Connecticut’s Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority has announced that it is lending $1 million for “Campus Efficiency Now”, a new program aimed at advancing energy efficiency and promoting cleaner energy for the state's independent colleges. The Campus Efficiency Now pilot program will enable the participating colleges to move forward with energy saving measures with no upfront funding by the college.
Florida State U Students to Create Campus Garden
The Tallahassee Sustainability Group has received approval from the student senate to build and maintain an on-campus garden. The garden will utilize the most efficient permaculture techniques possible to grow a variety of crops including satsuma trees and seasonal foods like tomatoes.
Franklin Pierce U Wins Localvore Cooking Challenge
The university’s dining services team won a competition in which higher education institutions competed to create the best entrée out of locally produced ingredients. Twelve other New England colleges and universities participated in the competition, including Keene State College, Southern New Hampshire University, Plymouth State University, Colby-Sawyer College, and Rivier University.
George Washington U Unveils Ecosystems Enhancement Strategy
The university has released its Ecosystems Enhancement Strategy, which describes how it will enhance the ecosystems on its campus, in the region, and around the globe. Some of the strategy’s areas of focus include: strengthening habitats, promoting healthy air and climate, fostering clean and abundant fresh water, and supporting sustainable food production systems. The Office of Sustainability is forming working groups to develop action plans to meet these goals.
Hagerstown CC Collaboration to Support Alternative Energy Program
The college has partnered with First Solar, Inc. to provide students and faculty educational opportunities that include internships, site visits to a 20-megawatt Maryland Solar facility, and access to an energy dashboard. Maryland Solar will also provide the college with solar panels, enabling the college to install and maintain a ground-mounted solar power plant as well as a roof-mounted photovoltaic system.
Indiana U Pennsylvania Debuts Campus Energy Channel
The university has begun broadcasting a channel in the lobbies of residential buildings that displays energy use on campus. The goal of the project is to increase students’ awareness of their energy impact, while reducing energy consumption in the residence halls and promoting a lasting awareness among students of energy conservation and sustainability.
