U Kentucky Helps Fund New City Bike Lanes
For a more interconnected campus and city bicycle network, the University of Kentucky will help fund new bike lanes and sharrows in the adjacent community. A partnership between the university and the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, the project aims to increase the viability of biking as an alternative to driving.
U Maine Offers Renewable Energy Curriculum
The University of Maine has announced three new undergraduate minors in renewable energy. The renewable energy engineering minor will focus on the design and implementation of both existing and emerging technologies. The renewable energy science and technology minor will focus on electricity production, climate change and life cycle analysis, providing students with a foundation in renewable energy science, both in terms of generation and lasting environmental impacts. The renewable energy economics and policy minor will focus on the financial, ethical, political and legal considerations that constrain or enhance energy decisions, providing a conceptual understanding of energy science and detailed exposure to the varied impacts of energy systems. The College of Engineering is also designing a Master of Science in renewable energy engineering and the environment for deployment in fall 2012.
U Maryland Eastern Shore Renovation Earns LEED Gold
The renovation of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore's Somerset Hall, a 60-year-old former dormitory that is now the campus' most energy-efficient building, has received LEED Gold certification. Renovations to the building, which now houses the pharmacy school, were designed and built to consume less energy. Sustainable features include housekeeping products that are recyclable and non-toxic, designated parking spaces for electric and hybrid cars, and bicycle racks.
U Washington Creates Campus Sustainability Dashboard
The University of Washington has created a new sustainability dashboard. The site provides a one-stop source for information on all the sustainability measures happening on campus. The site is also hopes to be a resource for the growing number of organizations and publications that are ranking and reviewing the sustainability efforts of universities and other major institutions.
U Wyoming 'Clean Coal' Project on Hold
The University of Wyoming's High Plains Gasification-Advanced Technology Center research project is delayed indefinitely. The university's partner, General Electric, said the energy market is too uncertain to move ahead with the project, which aims to turn coal into a gas that will burn more cleanly than does coal itself. General Electric cites low energy prices and the lack of a clear federal energy policy, but says that it will take another look at the situation in 18 to 24 months.
Campus Sustainability Planning: An August Update
The University of Kansas has created its first Campus Sustainability Plan. For the past year, a group of more than 150 administrators, faculty, staff and students have been working on a host of action steps and recommendations that will build a more sustainable community over the next 40 years. The plan focuses on nine major areas: administration, built environment, campus grounds, curriculum and research, energy, procurement, student life, transportation and waste reduction. In related news, Pennsylvania State University has begun drafting its first strategic plan for sustainability. The development will involve students, faculty, staff, leadership, alumni, supporters and corporate partners. The council’s plan aims to make the university a living laboratory of sustainable ideas. The goals under consideration include ensuring that graduates have a deep understanding of sustainability; engaging the community in learning about and pursuing sustainability; creating an integrated living laboratory for global sustainability; and advancing sustainability within the greater community.
Canadian Research Teams to Study Climate Change Adaptation
Five teams made up of Canadian institutions and universities in developing countries will participate in the International Research Initiative on Adaptation to Climate Change (IRIACC). Each team will receive $2.5 million over five years to study how best to protect people, communities and vital economic sectors, like agriculture and tourism, that are most at risk from the effects of climate change. Two teams will focus specifically on vulnerable indigenous populations. Together, the research projects, which will take place in Canada and in developing countries across four continents, aim to address how to anticipate, manage and reduce climate risk vulnerability through adaptation.
Clark U Student Orchestrates Bike Initiative for Campus Police
A student at Clark University (MA) has launched a University Bike Patrol initiative on campus. Funded by the university's Big Idea Contest, one officer was outfitted with a patrol bike and uniform. In a show of support, the Police Department purchased a second bike and uniform. In addition to increased safety and officer visibility among students, the bike patrol will help decrease the university's greenhouse gas emissions with fewer sports utility police vehicles.
Dartmouth College Greek Community Creates Sustainability Council
Two Office of Sustainability interns at Dartmouth College (NH) have begun working to initiate a new Greek council on sustainability. The council will provide a forum for Greek organizations to share ideas and work together to promote efficient use of resources. The current council has identified short and long-term goals, the first of which is to increase recycling in Greek houses. Long-term goals include conducting energy audits, energy-efficient lighting and ensuring that there is insulation in place for the winter. Additionally, the council hopes to organize a competition that would award a prize to Greek organizations for improvements in sustainability.
EPA Announces Top Campus Purchasers of 'Green Power'
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has revealed its top 20 list of campus green power purchasers. Four universities in Pennsylvania are among the 10 institutions in the U.S. that bought the most "green power," characterized by renewable energy certificates, on-site generation and utility green power products. The University of Pennsylvania topped the list, purchasing nearly half of its total electricity in the form of solar and wind power.
Macalester College Raises Chickens
Macalester College’s (MN) Urban Land and Community Health program has begun raising chickens on campus. Students, faculty, staff and community members will be provided with an ongoing hands-on education and will have an opportunity to learn how to care for chickens as part of a more sustainable urban landscape. A group of students worked with Amish furniture makers to design and construct the coop. The eggs will be distributed among the caretakers.
Messiah College Creates Sunflower Power Project
Messiah College (PA) has launched the Sunflower Project, a plan to squeeze the oil out of the sunflower seeds to be used in the campus dining hall and biofuel. The college is growing five acres of sunflower plants for cooking oil. Once it is used in the dining hall, it will be converted to fuel for campus vehicles. The college expects to produce 500 gallons of oil. The college has been recycling cooking oil for the last three years to power some of its vehicles and heat some of its buildings.
New Jersey IT, Rutgers U Students Build Sustainable Home
A group of architecture, planning and engineering students from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and Rutgers University (NJ) have built a one-story house as a submission to the 2011 Solar Decathlon, an international green technology contest staged every two years by the U.S. Department of Energy. The 940-square-foot house features a modular structure, precast concrete walls and an inverted roof to catch water and sunlight. Solar and thermal technology is integrated into every exposed surface of the house, which produces enough energy to power all of its appliances and maintain a comfortable temperature year-round.
Oregon State U Offsets Nearly 100% of Energy Use
Oregon State University has purchased $430,000 in renewable energy certificates for a total offset of nearly 100 percent of its campus energy use. The certificates were initially purchased from student green fees but the students wanted to redirect the money to fund local energy projects. The university administration agreed to continue to purchase renewable energy off-site. The certificates were purchased from the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, which reinvests profits from the sale of carbon offsets into watershed restoration and renewable energy programs.
Pennsylvania State U Installs Wind Turbine
Pennsylvania State University has installed a 2.4-kilowatt wind turbine. The turbine is part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Powering America Program. The university will collect data from the turbine and work with K-12 schools that want to set up their own small-scale turbines for hands-on learning.
San Diego State U Students Assess Sustainability in the Dominican
San Diego State University students recently traveled to the Dominican Republic to complete research for a sustainability evaluation of the Punta Cana region as part of a four-week study abroad program on sustainable development. The students are developing a sustainability evaluation that will create benchmarks based on the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, and will be used to assess development in the region as the region applies for the United Nations Global Cities Compact Certification.
U Chicago Transforms Dormant Campus Space into Garden
Three University of Chicago (IL) departments have announced a collaboration to convert a dormant campus space into an "Avant Garden." University staff and interns volunteered to transform a large empty lot into a common space for interaction, production and innovation. Herbs and vegetables will be harvested in the space and the plants were strategically placed in locations that emphasize their aesthetic qualities.
U Colorado at Boulder Holds Low-Income Youth Computer Intensive
For the first time, the University of Colorado at Boulder's decade-old "Computers to Youth" program has selected students to come onto the campus for a week to get a sneak peak of college life. The program, which provides computers to college-bound students from low-income families, exposes the students to the anatomy of computers in an attempt to bridge the "digital divide" that can affect economically disadvantaged groups. At the end of the camp, the students get to take home the donated computers that have been recycled and refurbished.
U Delaware Class Installs Green Roof
A University of Delaware professor and a group of chemical engineering students have created a green roof as a solution to their classroom building’s hot temperature. The idea bloomed on an especially hot day in 2008, when the temperature was 86 degrees inside and the construction outside was too noisy to open the window. The class treated it as an engineering problem and came up with a green roof as the solution. The roof contains 14,000 square feet of small sedums planted in trays with 4 to 8 inches of soil. The plants act as a natural heat shield, absorbing and deflecting the sun’s radiation. Recent temperature readings revealed that the plants cause the peak temperature of the roof to occur later in the day.
U Michigan Creates Peregrine Falcon-Friendly Campus
To celebrate the first known hatchlings of a breeding pair of peregrine falcons that have nested on the University of Michigan's campus for several years, the university is offering children at a local hospital the opportunity to name the baby falcon through an online contest. The university hopes to create awareness of environmental stewardship and sustainability on campus and in the community. The falcons nest on the roof of the University Hospital, where staff modified the box to withstand higher wind speeds and other weather damage. The university also plans to build an access hatch that will allow Michigan Department of Natural Resources staff to band future chicks and better track their movements.
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Posted Aug 2, 2011
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Other News
U Minnesota Hits Energy Reduction Goal of 5%
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities has reduced its energy consumption by 5 percent for the second consecutive year, avoiding $2 million in annual energy costs. The savings were the result of the campus-wide "It All Adds Up" conservation program, initiated in 2009 by the university's Energy Management department. The program includes recommissioning buildings and engaging the campus community to reduce operational energy use. Since the program began, the university has avoided $4.6 million in annual energy costs and the reduced carbon emissions by 50,000 tons annually.
U Minnesota Research Touts Benefits of Flexible Work Schedule
Two sociology professors at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities have published a study about the effects of flexible work time on employees. In 2005, Best Buy introduced Results Only Work Environment (ROWE) to its employees, an initiative that allows employees to choose their work hours and places, as long as they achieved the desired results. Surveying 608 Best Buy employees, half who were given a ROWE work environment and half who continued under standard work hours and locations, the study found that flexible scheduling reduced work-life stress and increased enjoyment and commitment to the position. The employees also reported that they could avoid rush hour and reduce their commuting time by up to 75 percent.
U Missouri Dining Starts Composting Program
The University of Missouri’s Campus Dining Services has partnered with the Bradford Extension Farm to compost discarded dining hall food. The farm plans to combine food waste with animal waste to make compost and will use the compost to grow vegetables to be served on campus. The university is currently constructing an aerated compost facility. The potential in food waste is up to 250 tons per year of compostable food. The Mid-Missouri Solid Waste Management District has donated a grant to help cover the costs of the new facility.
U Oregon Initiates Take Back the Tap Campaign
The University of Oregon’s Dining Services has announced plans to implement a pilot program in support of the Take Back the Tap campaign in the fall. The campaign is a trademark of Food and Water Watch that promotes access to quality tap water and the discontinued use of plastic water bottles. Members of the university's Climate Justice League received support for the campaign in May from the university's president, and recently held meetings with Student Affairs, Housing and Athletics in an effort to promote the use of tap water over sales of single-use plastic bottled water. The campaign has also received support from Fraternity and Sorority Life, Campus Recycling, various student groups and more than 1,700 students. To encourage more student interest, the Climate Justice League has installed more than 25 spigots, posted informative fliers and handed out reusable water bottles.
U South Florida Dining Services Eliminates Styrofoam
The University of South Florida's Dining Services has eliminated Styrofoam take-out boxes in campus dining halls in favor of reusable to-go boxes. The plastic containers are offered to students for a $4 refundable deposit. The university purchased 7,500 reusable containers for $17,000 but has saved $23,000 by not using Styrofoam. With the reduction of plastic foam, the university aims to reduce carbon emissions and landfill space.
U Texas Conducts Solar Panel Research
A University of Texas mechanical engineering research team will study the output of three different types of solar panels from three different manufacturers under the same conditions. Research on the new solar panels will show how they respond to different temperatures, partial dirtiness and aging. The project is being funded by a $195,000 grant from federal funds.
U Toledo Creates New Green Chemistry School
The University of Toledo (OH) has announced the creation of a new school that will teach students about green chemistry and engineering. The School for Green Chemistry and Engineering will focus on the need for sustainability with the design of products that use renewable raw materials and environmentally safe processes. The university is positioning itself to be a leader in teaching, researching and applying green chemistry and biomimicry, which is green chemistry and engineering that uses natural raw materials and processes that mimic nature and produce zero waste.
Winona State U Plans Sustainability Theme House
If approved by the Winona City Council, Winona State University (MN) plans to build a pilot theme house dedicated to sustainability. Ten students with similar interest and studies in sustainability will live together in the university-owned house. If the university can demonstrate that the pilot house is successful, it plans to implement more theme houses in the future. University officials describe the pilot project as a compromise solution to concerns that have been raised as the city works through the process.
American U Sharjah Students Harvest Power from Noise
The Institute for Engineering and Technology has recognized the efforts of four American University of Sharjah (United Arab Emirates) students, who have developed a device that can convert otherwise wasted mechanical energy, acoustic noise and ultrasonic waves into electricity. Using piezoelectric technology, the students looked toward places where a lot of mechanical energy or noise is wasted like footsteps on a pavement or the cacophony of a football stadium. One of their envisioned applications includes installing piezoelectric devices in shoes to capture the energy produced while walking or running to power small electronic devices like cell phones.
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham U Conducts Sustainable Outreach
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University's (India) Center for Environmental Studies has launched training and extension programs for individuals, farmers and non-government organizations. Topics on organic farming, wastewater management, composting, medicinal plants and tree planting are discussed and include field demonstrations. The center has also partnered with the state forest department to help instill a sense of protection for trees and forest wealth within the community.
Australian National U Announces Green Precinct Project
The Australian National University has announced that it will establish itself as one of 13 Australian Green Precinct demonstration sites. The Green Precincts Fund is an Australian Government initiative to prepare Australia for a future with less water and to encourage local communities to better manage their water and energy use for current and future generations. The Education Precincts for the Future project, co-funded by the university and the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities under the Green Precincts Fund, will create a showcase sustainability precinct on campus to demonstrate effective climate change solutions, significant water savings, community motivation and mobilization, and the strategic extension of solutions to the wider community.
Banff and Buchan College Installs 100 Solar Panels
More than 100 solar panels have been installed at Banff and Buchan College (United Kingdom) as part of a continuing £20 million expansion. At peak daylight times, the solar photovoltaic array can generate up to 20 kilowatts of energy. The college will use some of the electricity for itself, but sell off the rest to the national grid.
British Universities Fail to Meet Carbon Emissions Targets
A new report released by the Guardian reveals that British universities are on track to fail to meet carbon emissions targets set by the government. Academic institutions have been told to reduce their emissions by 48 percent between 2005 and 2020. According to the People & Planet Green League of UK higher education institutions, the emissions from the 142 universities that provided data for the survey have risen 3.9 percent in total since last year, despite the fact that funding for English universities is linked to their ability to meet these targets.
Byron Region CC Plans 'Greenskills Community Education Network'
Byron Region Community College (Australia), which features sustainability at the core of its community education programs, has announced plans to create a Greenskills Community Education Network. The network of institutions, community organizations and local government will create a support system to encourage movement toward sustainable changes and include professional development opportunities. The college also hosts a Greening your Centre sustainability webinar series.
Central European U Establishes Sustainability Committee
Central European University (Hungary) has established a new Sustainability Advisory Committee. Guided by the university’s Sustainable Development Policy, the committee engages the university community to promote sustainability in education, research, management, operations and outreach. Members include representatives from university faculty, students, staff and administrators.
Chron of Higher Ed: Energy, Water Dominate Int'l Research
Water and energy took center stage as the top research topics discussed at the International Exhibition and Conference on Higher Education in April, according to an article in The Chronicle of Higher Education. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Saudi Arabia) is concentrating its research on energy, food, and water and believes that universities around the world should tackle the same problems as geography and climate lead to different solutions based on local needs. Energy is also leading the research agenda at the University of Groningen (Netherlands).
CQ U Establishes Environmental Steering Committee
CQUniversity (Australia) recently created an Environmental Sustainability Committee and has joined the national body, Australasian Campuses Towards Sustainability. Including a range of representatives from across campus, the committee aims to foster discussion and action about sustainability issues in all aspects of operation including curriculum, resource use, waste management, recycling and purchasing policies. The university will undertake an electricity and water audit this year as required by the state government and electricity usage audits of selected individual buildings are also planned as part of a research project by the university's Power Engineering Research Group.
EAUC Announces 2011 Green Gown Awards Shortlist
The United Kingdom's Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC) has announced the shortlist for its 2011 Green Gown Awards. Now in its seventh year, the awards program recognizes exceptional initiatives being undertaken by universities and colleges across the United Kingdom to become more sustainable. Winners from the shortlisted entries will be announced at an awards ceremony in November 2011 in London.
Galway-Mayo Institute of Tech Awarded Int'l Green Campus Award
The Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology has become the first institute in Ireland to receive the international Green Campus Award from the Green Campus Program, an international environmental education and award program that promotes long-term, whole college action for the environment. The institute's sustainability efforts in the past year include a 7 percent reduction in campus energy use; significant waste diversion and recycling success; water saving measures; and energy efficiency initiatives such as energy shutdowns during holiday periods and the switch to a renewable energy supplier.
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.
Hokkaido U Debuts Campus Sustainability Office
Hokkaido University (Japan) has opened its first Office for a Sustainable Campus. The office was established to spearhead a campus-wide sustainability management system by collecting ideas, suggestions and recommendations for implementing sustainability across campus departments. Currently, the university features several sustainability initiatives including campus biodiversity surveys, green building guidelines and sustainability outreach to students, faculty and staff. The university plans to reduce its carbon emissions by 20 percent by 2020.
Indian Youth Climate Network Reports on World Environment Day
From a plastic waste removal event to an environmental march, the Indian Youth Climate Network has documented the efforts of its chapters for World Environment Day in June. Its Jammu chapter created awareness through a movie screening and Green Campus Challenge and the Gwalior chapter organized a painting competition themed "Go Green" where students were asked to imagine how they would promote messages like "Go Green" and "Save the Environment."
Karakoram Int'l U to Save 30% Water with New Irrigation System
Facing an acute shortage of water with depleting reservoirs in the mountainous region, Karakoram International University (Pakistan) has installed a new Pop-Up Sprinkler system that is expected to save up to 30 percent of water. Ninety-five of the new water-efficient sprinklers will irrigate two acres of campus.
Kingston U Launches Smart Communities Project
Kingston University (United Kingdom) has launched the Smart Communities project. A team of university researchers will help around 500 households reduce their energy consumption by encouraging the community to come together to change their daily routines. The three-year project will be led, as much as possible, by the people in the community with support from the university. In related news, the university has also announced that it will host Green Growth workshops to help businesses. The workshops will help identify sustainable enterprise opportunities and develop a business model to commercialize ideas. The program will be taught at the university by experts in sustainable design, research and enterprise. The workshops are slated to begin in fall 2011.
Korea U Students Launch Organic Farmers Club
With the objective to teach themselves about organic farming techniques, a group of Korea University (South Korea) students have created the Seed Folks group. The group will provide students with the chance to plant and grow vegetables on campus and learn about organic farming through a Real Garden School workshop. So far, the workshops have attracted about 60 students.
La Trobe, Melbourne U Students Help Farmers with Sustainability
Australian students from La Trobe University and Melbourne University have traveled to Indonesia to work with farmers. The program links institutions and growers to help improve the sustainability of agricultural practices. The students held meetings with area farmers to talk about sustainable practices including storage, use of chemicals and diversifying crops.
London Metropolitan U Students Build Solar Decathlon Home
London Metropolitan University (United Kingdom) students have created an energy-efficient home for the 2012 Solar Decathlon Europe competition. Using techniques in digital design and manufacturing, the team of students designed a home to demonstrate the technology available in today’s market that offers a new way of sustainable living. The curved design has been specifically configured to work with its surrounding environment to reduce its energy consumption. Photovoltaic panels to power the home are being placed using precise solar data and parametric techniques to optimize energy generation.
Monash U Produces Video: 5 Green Actions for Students
Monash University (Australia) has released a video to encourage students to foster sustainability on campus with five green actions. The video encourages students to turn off lights - which account for 25 percent of the university's total electricity - when not in use; eat green through its Health Smart Earth Smart program; take the university's environmental pledge, signed by nearly 6,000 students and staff since its debut in 2010; use sustainable transport; and recycle to further increase the campus recycling rate, which jumped from 15 percent to 30 percent in the past year.
Nanyang Technical U to Create New Solar and Clean Energy Center
Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) has announced plans to invest close to $3 million over three years in a new research center that will pioneer the development of solar cells that are expected to be highly efficient, cheaper and easier to manufacture. The center will also develop new systems to harvest solar energy. The center will operate jointly with the university’s School of Materials Science and Engineering and School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences.
New Australian National U Website Promotes Urban Biodiversity
Australian National University has developed a new website, Life in the Suburbs, to teach local residents how to maintain urban biodiversity and improve species habitat for local birds and animals. Stemming from a recent comprehensive ecological survey of Sullivans Creek, which revealed the role that urban landscapes have in providing living spaces for local species, the website shows residents how to best share their suburban spaces with the species that can be found there. The site includes guidelines for managing urban habitat, steps to reduce human-induced threats to urban biodiversity and practical guidelines for developing habitat gardens and landscapes.
