Connecting the Dots...By Tina Lynn Evans The support network for each completed project noted in the Bulletin is likely to be extensive. Students, faculty, staff and community members may spend countless hours engaged in mundane work (endless meetings, minute taking, facilitation of focus groups, handling paperwork for curriculum changes, data gathering, etc.) that is essential to bringing a magnificent or even a modest project to fruition.
In reading this week’s Bulletin and considering the theme of the approaching AASHE conference, “Investing in the Future," let’s be proud of the newsworthy accomplishments of those in our sustainability education community and also commit to recognizing those in our midst who invest their time and energy behind the scenes in creating those successes. Read more  | |
Education & Research
Curriculum
Co-Curricular Education & Student Organizing
Campus Operations
Buildings
Energy
Transportation
Waste
Water
Planning, Administration & Engagement
Affordability & Access
Coordination & Planning
New Resources
Opportunities
Jobs & Internships
Events
Campus Sustainability Discussion Forums Highlights
Education & Research
Curriculum
Five campuses are pooling their resources to launch a collaborative online Master of Science degree in sustainable management. The program is a follow-up to the Bachelor of Science degree in sustainable management, which was developed three years ago.
See also: AASHE Resource: Sustainability-Focused Master's Degree Programs
Co-Curricular Education & Student Organizing
The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York has certified approximately 500 grapevines at the university’s orchards. The vineyard was created as part of a two-semester sustainable and organic grape and wine production course.
Campus Operations
Buildings
Ninety-five percent of construction waste was diverted from landfill during the renovation of the Hauser Hall Basement Office Suite, which now features lighting, temperature and ventilation occupancy sensors, and materials manufactured within 500 miles of the project site.
Designed to meet LEED Platinum certifications, the classroom facility features an interactive computer screen and explanatory boards that introduce students to environmentally sensitive mechanical systems and sustainable features including rainwater harvesting, photovoltaic systems, net metering of electricity and a wind turbine. The building was designed and constructed by Studio 804, a nonprofit design-build project of graduate architecture students at the University of Kansas.
Designed to meet LEED Gold certification requirements, the 384-bed facility features recycled construction materials, water bottle filling stations and elevators that generate electricity as they slow down.
See also: AASHE Resource: Green Residence Halls
The university’s Center for Applied Energy Research has debuted a new laboratory that will support research and manufacturing of biofuels, solar technology and high-tech batteries. The 43,000-square-foot facility is expected to achieve LEED Gold certification and features geothermal heating.
Energy
The university has completed the construction of a geothermal well field that will serve Tinker Hall, the largest student residence on campus. The system is expected to improve temperature control and indoor air quality, and reduce energy costs.
The university has connected several large solar panels to the Tennessee Valley Authority’s power grid. The university received a one-time $1,000 payment as an incentive for becoming a TVA Generation Partner and will receive 12 cents for each kilowatt of power the panels produce.
See also: AASHE Resource: Campus Solar Photovoltaic Installations
Transportation
Following the success of its first bike fix stand, installed at the beginning of the year, the university has announced plans to add six more across campus. The stand is free for all to use and includes tools for helping bicyclists repair flats and complete basic tune-ups.
The university has launched GreenRide, an online map-based carpool program that connects people who want to share rides. The free service will also let users see how much they save by sharing a ride to campus.
The university has distributed 50 bikes throughout campus to help deter vehicle traffic. Students are encouraged to use any available bike as needed.
See also: AASHE Resource: Bicycle Sharing & Rental Programs (AASHE Member Resource)
Students living in three south campus residence halls will have access to 30 bicycles for one-day rentals as part of the recently launched Tar Heel Bikes. The two-year pilot program received $40,000 in grants and hopes to expand to include the entire campus.
Two charging stations have been installed on the campus as part of a U.S. Department of Energy funded research project focused on the large-scale adoption of plug-in vehicles, led by Progress Energy Carolinas. Data collected from the public-access stations will inform charging needs outside the home as well as the impact on the grid and associated costs and issues. At the project's completion in April 2013, ownership and maintenance responsibilities for the stations will transfer to the college.
The university has partnered with Zipcar to launch a campus car sharing program for students, faculty, staff and members of the Iowa City community. The university and Iowa City have identified 10 designated parking places around campus and downtown where registered members can find vehicles to rent.
See also: AASHE Resource: Car Sharing on Campus (AASHE Member Resource)
Waste
The Office of Sustainability has launched a new single-stream recycling initiative to boost recycling among the 812 students in campus apartments. The university received a grant from Keep America Beautiful and The Coca-Cola Foundation for 305 recycling bins.
See also: AASHE Resource: Campus Recycling and Waste Minimization Policies (AASHE Member Resource)
The university recently hosted a plant giveaway for staff, relocating more than 200 plants displaced from the renovation of the Radcliffe Institute.
Water
The university's planned $10 million expansion of its water and environmental quality research and teaching program will include a new Meadows Center for Water and the Environment. The initiative will be funded by a $1 million gift from the Meadows Foundation, additional endowment gifts during the next few years totaling $5 million, and state funds earmarked for emerging research universities.
Installed atop the College of Nursing’s Procter Hall, the green roof contains drought resistant plants that will help achieve energy savings, sound insulation and stormwater run-off reduction.
Planning, Administration & Engagement
Affordability & Access
The college has received a $306,265 grant from the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development and the state Energy Sector Partnership to offer unemployed residents a tuition-free green energy technology training program. The program includes hands-on training, instructional materials, certification testing and job-placement assistance.
Coordination & Planning
The economic impact of the university’s sustainability efforts in the region is more than $900 million according to the university’s first collective sustainability impact report. The report, compiled by the university’s Sustainable Community Development Initiative, uses 2010-2011 data. It includes 11 sections that outline practices used by students, faculty and staff members to decrease the university’s footprint and increase the impact of sustainable activity on campus and in the community.
During 2011, AASHE launched a new website, expanded and enhanced its resources to include a campus solar PV database, created new publications including its first e-book, and expanded the STARS program to offer data displays. The hiring of an education manager expanded activities addressing education for sustainability and professional development opportunities. At the end of 2011, AASHE's 1,103 institutional members were advancing sustainability in all 50 U.S. states, seven Canadian provinces, and 18 other countries.
The program offers the chance to credential sustainability work through single seminars or a six-seminar sustainability leadership certificate. All work is completed online. Participants will learn to assess their organization's green policies and practices, communicate sustainability initiatives and evaluate best practices. New online seminars begin 11 times each year. Next two session start dates: September 20 and October 11. Discounts are available to AASHE members. Upcoming seminars include "How Green is Your Organization: Sustainable Policy and Practice" and "How Green is Your Organization: Sustainable Infrastructure." Most Ithaca sustainability seminars are now GBCI (Green Building Certification Institute) approved.
This position is responsible for providing visionary leadership, strategy and direction for advancing and integrating sustainability and energy conservation principles into the operational functions of the university. The director will lead the effort to update and support the long-term sustainability vision, mission and operating principles for NYU and develop the high-level strategy for integrating sustainable operations and development into university core processes and decision-making. Successful candidates will have a minimum of a bachelor's degree in engineering and at least seven years of experience and leadership in the area of sustainability initiatives including policy development and implementation, energy conservation, project development and implementation.
This position will be responsible for leading the campus toward achieving the sustainability goals identified in the Strategic Plan and the Climate Action Plan. Successful candidates will have a bachelor’s degree in a related field and demonstrated leadership experience.
This position will manage projects and systems that will contribute to a sustainable and healthy campus. The facilitator is expected to implement projects that will improve the university’s impact on climate change, water availability and ecosystems in an urban setting, with the intent to enhance social equity and economic prosperity. Successful candidates will have a bachelor’s degree in a related field and three years of professional experience.
This position will manage the administrative and financial functions of the institute including providing regular financial reports, managing personnel matters and payroll, tracking and administering grants, and coordinating events. Successful candidates will have a bachelor’s degree and at least two years of related experience.
This position will administer the campus recycling program by developing recycling routes, creating and managing an operational budget, analyzing recycling data, and promoting campus recycling. Successful candidates will have at least two years of post-secondary education plus two years of full-time work experience with an emphasis on program coordination and customer service.
Oct. 14-17, 2012; Los Angeles, CA
AASHE 2012: Investing in the Future will feature campus tours, a Student Summit with keynote speaker Billy Parish, and workshops including "Campus Recycling & Zero Waste" and "Communicating Sustainability to Create Change." New this year, the conference will feature advanced sessions and an advanced track. The final conference schedule is now available.
Sept. 5, 2012; 2 p.m. Eastern; Online
This American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) webinar will discuss the potential for colleges and universities to expand their scope 3 emissions, or indirect emissions, reporting beyond the ACUPCC requirements for commuting, air travel and solid waste. The panel will discuss the implications for higher education of the updated Scope 3 Reporting Standard from the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, new tools and streamlined reporting in Clean Air-Cool Planet’s soon to be released web-based Campus Carbon Calculator, and the practical implications of additional reporting from New College of Florida.
Sept. 13, 2012; 1:00 p.m. Eastern; Online
Hosted by the College & University Recycling Coalition (CURC) with support from AASHE, this webinar will take a detailed look at the challenges and solutions specific to campus composting. Participants will hear from industry and collegiate experts about the technologies and systems being used in successful dining hall composting programs, and learn about the challenges and solutions specific to special event composting programs.
Nov. 14-16, 2012; San Francisco, CA
AASHE is a sector partner for the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) Greenbuild 2012 International Conference and Expo. This year's event will feature three days of speakers, networking opportunities, industry showcases, LEED workshops and tours of the host city's green buildings. USGBC Center for Green Schools and AASHE will present the Innovation in Green Building Award, recognizing a leading college or university that is transforming the built environment and creating living laboratories for sustainability.
| Campus Sustainability Discussion Forums Highlights |
Click on the titles below to view the full discussion thread.
We are currently putting together a freshmen sustainability education program in the dorms at UCI. We were thinking of giving away reusable Klean Kanteen water bottles, but we are in no financial position to purchase them even at wholesale costs. Also many RA's have complained that they find reusable water bottles in the trash because students have them already. Does your school give any sort of sustainable product to freshmen when they start school? Do you have any ideas of useful and sustainable give-aways?
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