Getting Green for Green Fundraising for Environmental Initiatives at Swarthmore College Presentation at the AICUP Institute for College and University.

Getting Green for Green

Fundraising for Environmental Initiatives at Swarthmore College

Presentation at the AICUP Institute for College and University Economic Development – Oct. 9, 2008

•Founded as a coeducational college in 1864 by Quakers, in Swarthmore, PA•11 miles southwest of Philadelphia•Private, nonsectarian, liberal arts college with an engineering program•1500 students, all undergrad•Intellectual powerhouse

Swarthmore ranks 3rd (behind CalTech and Harvey Mudd College) for the percentage of PhDs it has produced overall (20.5% of grads), and 4th (behind CalTech, Harvey Mudd, and MIT) in Sciences and Engineering. Swarthmore is just one of 152 institutions of higher learning in PA.

Swarthmore College’s Crum Woods contain the best examples of mature, native forest in Delaware County.

It’s also on the DEP’s list of impaired waters. Stresses on Crum Creek include stormwater discharges, leaking sanitary sewers, nonpoint pollution loading, and streambank erosion.

Professor Machado’s NSF grant will enrich the ecology curriculum by: --establishing a long-term field study--engaging students in a genuine experience with the scientific method--enabling teacher and student to work side-by-side as co-researchers

In 2005, interested members of the Crum Woods committee submitted a Growing Greener proposal to restore riparian buffer along particularly eroded sections of the Crum Creek streambank.

This green roof, installed in 2001 by Charlie Miller of Roofscapes, Inc., is a “turn-key” system, with a proprietary soil matrix and plant design. To this day, it serves as a testing ground for data analysis and experimentation for Environmental Studies and Engineering students and faculty, and members of the College’s Facilities Department.

Green Roof Advantages:--mitigate storm water--reduce rainfall pollution and acid rain effects--save energy (particularly in summer)--plant transpiration and reduction in absorbed heat reduces heat island effect--aesthetically pleasing--song bird and insect habitat--extends roof life 2-3x by reducing temperature fluctuations and UV protection

Installation costs range from $6 - $20/sq. ft

To construct a 28,500 square-foot vegetated roof at LPAC, the College is requesting an Energy Harvest grant of $317,475, which it will match with a contribution of $238,998 in construction, project management, and education/outreach costs.

Swarthmore has become a comparative laboratory for studying green roof performance. The results will benefit all Pennsylvanians by driving technological innovation in green roof design.