Green Campus Initiative 12 steps to a more sustainable campus “It’s not easy being !” Kermit T. Frog William M. Leahy Director of Operations Institute for Sustainable Energy At Eastern Connecticut State University
Dec 21, 2015
Green Campus Initiative
12 steps to a more sustainable campus
“It’s not easy being !”Kermit T. Frog
William M. LeahyDirector of Operations
Institute for Sustainable Energy
At Eastern Connecticut State University
The Green Campus Initiative • Universities have an obligation to operate in a
manner that is ecologically and socially sound, as well as economically viable.
• To do this they need to act in a sustainable manner considering all three when making planning and operational decisions.
• Universities are being asked to support the regional, national and worldwide climate change efforts. This includes actions to educate, lower emissions, reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
• Organizations are also internally driven to reduce unnecessary cost for maintenance and energy.
• Universities should become “Learning Laboratories” for the future citizens and leaders of the world.
Twelve Steps to a more
Sustainable Campus1. Teaching and Research2. Purchasing and
Administrative Services
3. Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling
4. Energy Conservation5. Energy Purchasing6. Water and Waste
Water Management
7. Hazardous Waste Management
8. Transportation9. Food and Food
Service10. Campus Grounds and
Land Use11. New Construction12. Campus Planning
and Design
Teaching and Research
• The Campus as a “Learning Laboratory”
• Demonstrate Sustainable Technology
• Teach Environmental Literacy• Engage in Community
Outreach• Take an Interdisciplinary
Approach• Strengthen Core Programs to
Promote Sustainability
Purchasing and Administration• Buy environmentally friendly
products• Use Energy Star Standards• Include in all requirements
for providing all goods and services
• Only buy what you need • Use Buying Power and
Investor Influence to recognize and encourage responsible behavior in designers and suppliers
Solid Waste Management and Recycling
• Establish a Waste Reduction Ethic
• Perform Analysis • Minimize Waste
• Provide Convenient Stations• Special Collection Days• Promote Repair and Swap• Recognize Performance
Energy Conservation
• Track Use and Cost• Meter & Sub-meter• Benchmark• Life Cycle Analysis• Retrofit and Renovate• Participate in Existing
Utility Programs• Encourage Staff and
Student Involvement• Investigate
Performance Contracts
Energy Purchasing
• Improve Campus Efficiency First
• Improve Campus Load Profile and Demand
• Convert from High Emission Fuels
• Purchase Clean and Green Power
• Install Renewables• Consider Combined
Heat and Power• Carbon Sequestering
Water and Waste Water Management
• Report, Respond and Repair
• Specify and Retrofit with “Water Savers”
• Try Waterless• Minimize Irrigation• Capture Rainwater• Protect Groundwater
Hazardous Waste Management
• Exceed Haz-Mat requirements
• Develop Tracking• Implement Swapping• Educate Generators• Switch to Non-Toxics• Recycle & Recover
CFCs
Transportation
• Design for Bikes and Walking
• Convert Vehicles to Alternate Fuels
• Support Ride-Share
• Encourage Car- Pooling
• Use Mass or Public Transportation
Food and Food Service
• Buy Locally in Season• Eat “Low on the Food
Chain”• Minimize Disposable
Trays, Plates, Utensils• Support Organic Food
Producers• Promote Reusable Mugs
Campus Grounds and Land Use
• Redefine Campus Beauty• Reduce Lawn Areas• Protect Wetlands,
Watershed and Wildlife• Protect Trees• Plant Native Species• Natural Walkways Evolve
New Construction
• Don’t Oversize & Overbuild• Use High Performance
Building Standards• Exceed Energy Codes• Use Natural Systems• Incorporate Renewables• Use Environmentally Friendly
Materials• Use Life-Cycle analysis• Recycle Construction Debris
Campus Planning and Design
• Develop a Master Plan• Preserve Open Space• Maintain Indigenous
Plantings• Preserve Solar Access• Minimize On-Campus
Driving• Perform Impact Review
of All Expansion Plans
Steps in the Process• Commitment – get buy-in at the top, • Inventory – energy, emissions and disposal data &
establish a base case,• Action Team – involve key players, • Brainstorming – evaluate all options. Perform life
cycle analysis. Look for funding from federal, state, local utility programs, and third party sources,
• Action Plan – develop a short (1- 5 yrs.) and long range action plan (10 to 50 yrs),
• Implementation – put your plan to work,• Monitoring – create indices and measure your
progress,• Communicate & Recognize – publicize and reward
success
Resources• www.sustainenergy.org - Links to this presentation,
resources, and examples of best practices
• www.ulsf.org - Talloires Declaration
• www.nwf.org/campusecology - Report card
• www.cleanair-coolplanet.org - for CO2 inventory
• www.energystar.gov - for higher education
• www.unep.org/ - decade for education on sustainable development
• www.usgbc.org/ - LEED Green Building Rating System