USA Today Highlights 'Electric Avenue' at Portland State U
The grand opening of Portland State University's (OR) Electric Avenue, where students and visitors can plug in and charge electric cars, trucks, bicycles and motorcycles for free, was recently featured in USA Today. The collaborative, two-year project by the university, Portland General Electric and the City of Portland features seven electric vehicle charging stations from six manufacturers.
U South Alabama Debuts New Bike Program
The University of South Alabama has provided 500 bikes as part of the launch of its new bike sharing program, Jag Bikes. The program originated with a student idea that was promoted by the Faculty Senate and approved by university administrators.
U Toledo Purchases Biodiesel Buses
The University of Toledo (OH) has purchased four new biodiesel buses and one new hybrid bus in an effort to move toward a more environmentally friendly transportation fleet. The university spent almost $315,000 on the new additions, and plans to replace the oldest of the 14 campus buses.
Washington State U Faculty Project Promotes Sustainability
Washington State University has created the Palouse Project, an initiative that brings together faculty from across campus to raise interest in sustainability education. The project will encourage faculty to apply locally inspired lessons to their classes and hold a monthly series, open to the community, that will feature interdisciplinary conversations about sustainability related to research and teaching.
Washington U St. Louis Names Director of Sustainability
Phil Valko has been named director of sustainability at Washington University in St. Louis (MO). Valko will work with senior administrators, faculty, staff and students to incorporate and implement sustainable practices into the university's operational procedures, resource management and strategic planning, and provide leadership and support for the university's current sustainability initiatives and programs. Valko was previously the active living program manager for Trailnet, an organization that promotes walking, bicycling, hiking and conservation events throughout the St. Louis, Mo. region.
Antioch U New England Installs Permeable Walkways
With the aim of managing stormwater, Antioch University New England (NH) has started replacing walkways with permeable pavement. Rain and snowmelt seep down through the porous pavement into a stone base and percolate into the soil underneath. Less stormwater runs off to pollute nearby surface waters unlike conventional pavement, which sheds water. Research from the University of New Hampshire has shown that pervious pavement can eliminate the pooling of water and reduce the need for de-icing products by as much as 70 percent.
Centennial College Debuts Green Library
Centennial College (ON) has debuted its new environmentally conscious library and academic facility. The $52.5 million project was designed and built to LEED Gold certification standards. Sustainable features include a graywater recycling system, green roof and a biowall of live plants that can remove indoor airborne contaminants.
College of St. Benedict Bans Bottled Water
The College of St. Benedict (MN) has banned the sale of bottled water on campus. The ban prohibits the sale and purchase of all bottled water in vending machines, dining venues, the bookstore and at all athletic events. Campus offices will also no longer have traditional water coolers. The college has installed 31 hydration stations around campus with at least one in each building. The cost to install the stations is offset by the elimination of the water cooler contracts.
Colorado State U Research Center Earns LEED Gold
Colorado State University’s 60,000-square-foot Research Innovation Center has earned LEED Gold certification. The design incorporates solutions that increase the energy performance of the building and lower operating costs by 42 percent. Low-flow faucets and toilets reduce the building’s water use by 38 percent, native species cut irrigation water consumption by 90 percent and low-emitting carpets and paints were used to ensure a high standard of indoor air quality. The building also hosts a 54-kilowatt solar array that provides about 6 percent of its electrical load.
Earlham College Launches Center for Environmental Action
Earlham College (IN) has launched the Center for Environmental Action with the aim of enhancing teaching and learning in relation to environmental issues. The central focus of the center is to develop and promote experiential, field-based learning opportunities both on and off campus for students and faculty.
Florida Int'l U Recycles Discontinued Student ID Cards
To deter the potential waste caused by a switch to a new official on-campus identification card, Florida International University has announced that it will partner with a company that recycles old plastic cards into new cards for purchase by other companies. More than 50,000 obsolete Panther student identification cards will be saved from the landfill and in the future, the university will have the option to purchase cards from its recycled Panther cards.
Georgia Tech Reveals New Green Classroom Building
Georgia Institute of Technology has unveiled a new sustainably designed academic classroom facility. The 220,000-square-foot building features an underground cistern containing 700,000 gallons for graywater recirculation and irrigation, and 300,000 gallons for stormwater detention. Other sustainable design features include a solar photovoltaic farm and solar hot water system, green roof, passive solar design, locally sourced construction materials and radiant floor heating. More than 95 percent of construction waste was diverted from the landfill.
Humboldt State U to Divert 100% Organic Waste
Humboldt State University (CA) has partnered with the Humboldt Waste Management Authority and Environmental Science Associates to divert 100 percent of its organic waste by December 2012. Pre- and post-consumer organic waste created at the university will be collected from campus eateries and newly installed, wildlife-resistant compost bins around campus. Organic waste will be taken to a new anaerobic food waste digester where the treated waste will produce methane, to be used to create electricity to power a local wastewater treatment plant. The second product of biodigestion will create fertilizer.
Jefferson CC Offers Renewable Energy Management Certificate
Jefferson Community College (KY) has launched a renewable energy management certificate. The program is designed to serve students who want to enter into the alternative energy field and begin searching for employment options through the use of wind turbines and solar panels. The courses will also be offered to professionals who would like to further their growth in the renewable energy field. Five wind turbines and a solar panel have been installed on campus for the program.
New River CC Offers Solar Power Certification
New River Community College (VA) has been approved to offer the North American Board of Energy Practitioners Photovoltaic Entry Level Exam and will be able to offer solar power certification. The exam certifies basic knowledge for the application, design, installation and operation of grid-tied and stand-alone solar power systems. The exam will be an advantage for students participating in the college’s alternative energy career studies certificate. Within the certificate program, students study subjects such as electricity, industrial safety, wind turbine technology and photovoltaic energy systems. These subjects address many of the primary learning objectives for the exam.
Northern Kentucky U Unveils First Green Building
Northern Kentucky University is getting ready to open the doors of its first building designed to meet LEED certification. The Digitorium features efficient lighting and plumbing, local construction materials and a green roof that covers 23 percent of the total building roof area. The facility is scheduled to open in October.
NY Times Takes Stock of Campus Sustainability
In the rush to go green, colleges and universities across the country have primarily focused on the environment, largely ignoring the social and economic pillars of sustainability, reports a recent article in The New York Times. “In the U.S., unlike much of the world, the organizing paradigm of sustainability [began] with an environmental orientation and then added on environmental justice and ecological economics,” notes Paul Rowland, executive director of AASHE in the article. Oberlin College’s (OH) the Oberlin Project is highlighted as an example of a higher education project that aims to implement a vision of full-spectrum sustainability.
Oakland U Creates Energy Management Program
Oakland University’s (CA) School of Business Management and School of Engineering and Computer Sciences have partnered to create an energy management certificate program that focuses on innovative means of reducing energy costs. Students in the six-week course will learn to better understand energy usage, implement cost- and energy-saving strategies, apply sustainable principles and practices, and acquire practical skills to evaluate efficient energy choices. The program is geared toward engineers and technicians; facility, maintenance and energy managers; design professionals; green sales representatives; architects, contractors and subcontractors; and any business professional or individual interested or involved in the green energy field.
San Francisco State U Creates Guidelines for Green Campus Living
San Francisco State University (CA) has created guidelines for greener campus living. Geared toward for incoming students, the university issued a flyer, Top Ten Tips for a Sustainable Move-In and Life at SF State, which includes ways to curb energy use. Students can also take a survey to find out their carbon footprint.
SUNY ESF Opens New Environmentally Friendly Residence Hall
State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry has constructed its first residence hall with a focus on sustainability. Centennial Hall, designed to meet LEED Silver standards, will reduce its impact on the environment through the use of stormwater management techniques, sustainable building materials, landscaping that includes native plants and a limited need to mow, extensive indoor bicycling storage facilities and a pedestrian-friendly design. The college also partnered with a local company that specifically designed furniture using red maple harvested from sustainably managed forests.
U Alaska Fairbanks to Create Living Laboratory
The University of Alaska Fairbanks has announced plans for a Sustainable Village, a dormitory that will serve as a living laboratory for students to study renewable energy, graywater recycling and elements of hyper-efficient design. In partnership with the Cold Climate Housing Research Center, the first phase of the project will house 16 students who will also serve as researchers. The 60-acre village will emphasize local building materials and environmentally sound land use. A community garden, shared open space and network of footpaths will be integrated among the buildings. Village rental fees are expected to pay off the university's initial $1 million investment.
U Arizona Expands Alternative Transportation Programs
The University of Arizona has expanded programs and resources in support of campus community members who use alternative transportation. The university completed renovations of a main campus route to include new curbs, asphalt, crosswalks, wheelchair ramps and bike lanes. Public Transportation Services has also extended the services of its Emergency Ride Home Program to students. The program offers students and faculty a free cab ride home in the event of an emergency. The university hopes the new additions will help promote alternative transportation.
U Louisville Builds Solar Energy Test Building
A group of University of Louisville (KY) students and a mechanical engineering professor have partnered with Green Building Group to construct a solar test building. The passive solar test building will use windows, walls and floors to reject solar heat in the summer and to collect, store and distribute solar energy in the form of heat in the winter. The university’s Renewable Energy Applications Laboratory has a year’s worth of solar energy experiments planned and will begin by using one of the two rooms as a control and test a modification to the building’s passive solar design in the other room. The building was funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.
U New Hampshire, China Partner to Study Agriculture and Climate
The University of New Hampshire has partnered with the Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences for a project that could yield research valuable to understanding the environmental impact of large scale agricultural projection against the backdrop of global climate change. The new CAAS-UNH Joint Laboratory for Sustainable Agro-Ecosystems Research will conduct academic exchanges and cooperate in science and technology research. Graduate students and faculty will perform research and work together on problems related to better understanding the biogeochemistry of agricultural settings during climate change.
U Wisconsin Oshkosh Installs 120 Solar Thermal Panels
The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh has completed another wave of planned solar installations with 120 solar thermal panels on the roofs of four campus buildings. The $700,000 project was funded by Regenesis Solar, who owns the thermal system and sells the energy on a metered basis to the university. The solar thermal panels are expected to generate a natural gas savings of $10,000 annually. In addition, solar panels and photovoltaic panels are in the final phase of installation at the university’s new academic hall. The new building is expected to save $182,000 annually in energy costs.
100% Renewable Energy for Oregon Institute of Technology
A new field of solar panels combined with existing geothermal facilities will enable the Oregon Institute of Technology to operate 100 percent by on-site renewable energy. Part of the Solar by Degrees program and a recently announced state-wide initiative for public institutions to increase renewable energy production, the institute’s solar panels will produce an estimated 3.3 million kilowatt hours per year.
AP Reports on Growth of Sustainable Agriculture Curriculum
Graduate students studying sustainable and organic agriculture shouldn't have trouble finding jobs as the agriculture industry replaces aging farmers and farmers increasingly look to diversify their operations, according to a recent article by the Associated Press. A growing number of universities are offering courses, certificates or degree programs focused on organic and sustainable agriculture including Washington State University's online organic agriculture certificate and the University of California, Davis' new agriculture and food systems program debuting this fall. The article also mentions that some schools have shifted their focus from organic to sustainable agriculture, which takes into account global issues that are becoming increasingly important as food and agriculture is central to issues revolving around the environment, hunger and treatment of workers.
Ball State U Launches Sustainability Guide for Students
Ball State University (IN) has released "Students + Sustainability," a guide that provides recommendations for ways that students can implement sustainable practices into their everyday lifestyles in areas including home, class, traveling, eating and shopping. The guide includes a brief narrative illustrating the importance of sustainability in the campus community and highlights several key initiatives toward the university's goal of becoming sustainable. The initiative also features a Facebook page with weekly "green challenges."
Connecticut College Installs $1 Mil Geothermal System
Connecticut College has installed a new geothermal system to heat and cool its new science center. The system will circulate water through pipes hundreds of feet below ground, where the temperature is a constant 55 degrees, into the building and then back to the building for cooling. At $1 million, the college expects the geothermal system to pay for itself through energy cost reductions within six years.
Ecotech Institute Receives LEED Gold
The Ecotech Institute (CO), which opened its doors early this year, has received LEED Gold certification. The institute has 12 rooftop solar panels and eight small wind turbines. Other environmentally conscious features include energy-efficient lighting, monitoring of campus energy consumption and low-flow fixtures. The campus also includes four electric car-charging stations.
Elon U Graduates to Sport Recycled Plastic Gowns
Commencement apparel for Elon University (NC) graduates this month will be made of recycled plastic bottles. Each cap and gown, spun from molten plastic pellets, will keep 23 used plastic bottles from winding up in landfills. Using recycled plastic instead of virgin polyester cuts carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 55 percent.
Ferris State U Student Housing Receives LEED Gold
Ferris State University's (MI) East Campus Suites has received LEED Gold certification. The student housing buildings feature green design and construction efforts including a 30 percent reduction in water use, 18 percent reduction in energy use and the diversion of more than 90 percent of construction waste from landfills.
Green Mountain College Opens Community Co-Op
After several years of students talking about the need for a co-op market at Green Mountain College (VT), the Stone Valley Community Market has become a reality thanks to $50,000 from the college's president, according to a recent article in The Chronicle of Higher Education. Besides providing desired items that are lacking in local supermarkets like bulk dry legumes, probiotic soy yogurt, hemp milk, and vegetables and meat that come straight from the farmers near town, the university hopes that the market will bring value as a local hangout and provide real-world experience to students including store management. While the market may not have opened without the initial investment, it was a group effort among the community and students. For example, the college's student government gave the co-op $10,000 from student fees as collateral for a loan from the Cooperative Fund of New England for marketing and other business start-up efforts.
Guam CC Installs Solar Energy System
Guam Community College has installed 200 solar panels on campus. The solar generated energy is expected to save the college $31,000 annually. The photovoltaic panels were also designed to withstand typhoons and run for approximately 25 years. A second set of solar arrays are set to be installed that will double the energy production by the end of the year. The college received funding provided by the federal government.
Guam CC Resource Center Earns LEED Gold
Guam Community College’s Learning Resource Center has achieved LEED Gold certification. The 22,000-square-foot building features photovoltaic solar panels, digital temperature controls, energy-efficient windows, and lighting, asphalt and furniture made from recycled materials. The majority of construction waste was diverted from the landfill.
Northern Arizona U Receives $1.5 Mil for Enviro Science Chair
Northern Arizona University has received a $1.5 million endowment gift to create a chair of environmental science and policy for the Southwest. Tom Sisk, professor of ecology and founder of the university's Lab of Landscape Ecology and Conservation Biology, is the first appointment to the position. The Charles Olajos and Ted Goslow Chair, a gift from alumna Marcey Olajos, supports interdisciplinary work linking scientific research and public policy.
RIT Researcher Recognized for Sustainability Innovation
The research of an assistant professor at Rochester Institute of Technology (NY) to reduce the footprint of the information and communication technology industry was recently honored with the AT&T Technology and Environment Award. The $25,000 award will go toward developing a combined research and curriculum initiative that explores the sustainable design of information and communication technology products. Now in its 15th year, the AT&T award recognizes university and college research focused on how information and communications technology affects the environment. It is intended to stimulate research surrounding environmental issues, engineering, science and other disciplines.
Sierra Magazine Names 2011 'Coolest' Schools
Sierra, the official magazine of the Sierra Club, has released its fifth annual ranking of America's greenest campuses. Climbing up from number four last year, the University of Washington takes the top spot in 2011. The list was created out of 182 schools that responded to a Sierra survey that included questions in categories including energy supply, efficiency, food, academics, purchasing, transportation, waste management, administration and financial investments. The remaining top 10 schools, in order, are: Green Mountain College (VT); University of California, San Diego; Warren Wilson College (NC); Stanford University (CA); University of California, Irvine; University of California, Santa Cruz; University of California, Davis; Evergreen State College (WA); and Middlebury College (VT).
Southern Maine CC Debuts Sustainability Center, Curriculum
Southern Maine Community College is preparing to open the doors of its new Sustainability and Energy Alternatives Center. The center will be home to a new one-year building science and sustainability curriculum program for students and community members that includes energy auditing, building science, residential weatherization, renewable energy and introductory sustainability courses. The center, which received a $375,000 grant from Efficiency Maine and $100,000 from MaineHousing, will begin offering classes this fall.
U Buffalo Converts to Single-Stream Recycling
The University at Buffalo (NY) has implemented a single-stream recycling program that no longer requires that recyclables be sorted according to type. The new program is expected to make recycling easier and lead to the diversion of more campus materials from landfills. The list of items that can be recycled has also been expanded. The conversion of the containers has been gradual and more than 1,000 old recycling lids will be donated to Buffalo State College.
U California Davis to Offer Sustainable Ag, Food Systems Degree
The University of California, Davis has announced that it will offer a new interdisciplinary sustainable agriculture and food systems major. The major will be designed to help students acquire the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to develop and work in more ecologically, economically and socially viable food and farming systems.
Unity College Holds Orientation Trip with Sustainability Focus
Unity College's (ME) Nova Wilderness Orientation Program recently held its Sustainable Living Tour for incoming students. With the aim of connecting students with the farm community, the trip consisted of tours and service projects at local farms.
U South Florida to Add 100 Solar Golf Carts
After a successful year-long pilot period, the University of South Florida's Office of Sustainability has announced plans to add about 100 solar golf carts to its campus fleet. Outfitted with a solar panel on top, the carts are also carbon emission free. At $750, each solar panel pays for itself in about two years. The university will use Student Green Energy Fee funds to pay for the additional carts.
U Tennessee Knoxville Creates Sustainable Living Guide
The University of Tennessee at Knoxville has created a new sustainable living and working guide for students. The Big Orange Green Guide includes information on reducing waste and recycling, saving energy and water, eating healthy, commuting by bike and getting involved on campus and in the community. It also provides practical tips for “going green" on campus and at home. The university hopes the guide will inspire students to adopt sustainable practices into their everyday routine.
U Vermont Receives $30K for Renewable Energy Study
The University of Vermont has announced that it will receive a proposed $30,000 grant from Central Vermont Public Service (CVPS) to fund a study to improve the energy production of manure-based methane. Methane is the energy source for the CVPS Cow Power initiative. The study will analyze microbes that produce methane in an effort to improve the cost-effectiveness of farm methane energy systems.
Weber State Completes Solar Installation
Weber State University (UT) has installed 84 photovoltaic solar panels atop its Davis building that are expected to offset 1.9 percent of its electricity consumption. An interactive kiosk has been installed to track the constant production of energy. The project is the first in a series of planned campus solar initiatives. Other projects include a 38-kilowatt rooftop solar energy system and the installation of 48 solar thermal panels to heat the gym pool. The Davis building panels were through Rocky Mountain Power’s Blue Sky Program and the Utah’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The planned projects are part of the university’s Climate Action Plan to be carbon neutral by 2050.
Antioch College Creates College Farm
Antioch College (OH) has announced the creation of a college farm as part of its first major sustainability project. The farm will provide opportunities for students to grow produce and learn sustainability practices. The college hopes to integrate the farm into campus facilities, curriculum and the community.
Binghamton U Announces Water Harvesting Project
Binghamton University (NY) has announced the installation of four tanks for a green water harvesting project. Two hundred thousand gallons of water will be retained for toilet flushing and to provide water for the campus cooling towers. Once the tanks are installed, the university will put in a rainwater retention system collected from parking lots and roofs. The accumulation and storing of water is planned for 2013 with the opening of its Center for Excellence.
Boise State U Partners for Geothermal Expansion
Boise State University has announced plans to further expand renewable and natural geothermal heat in Boise, Idaho by bringing geothermal heat across the Boise River and completing a loop through the Boise State University campus. Phase one of the project, announced in the spring of 2009, will connect six existing campus buildings through a geothermal pipeline. The recently announced phase two, funded by matching grant money from the Department of Energy and Department of Housing and Urban Development, along with the university and the City of Boise, will complete the geothermal loop and provide geothermal energy to a total of about one million square feet of campus building space. The project is currently undergoing environmental review with construction expected to occur this summer.
