Sustainable Facilities on Campus

7/21/2019 Sustainable Facilities on Campus

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White Paper

The Quiet Revolution:Sustainable Facilitieson Campus

James SimpsonDirector, Higher Education Solutions

Johnson Controls, Inc.



Introduction

The power of the college and university campus cannot be underestimated. Americanstudents have been activists from the 1930s, when the student-led American Youth Congreslobbied against racial discrimination, to the 1960s, when groups such as Students for aDemocratic Society fought for a broad range of social and political causes. These effortswere usually well-intentioned and sometimes successful, although along the way they oftenresulted in conflicts with college administrations.

Now a new type of activism is underway on college campuses: The drive for sustainability.The most popular definition of sustainability is derived from the 1983 United Nations’Brundtland Commission report: “Sustainable development is development that meets theneeds of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirown needs.”1 Modern-day interpretations of the term often relate to behaving in ways thatenhance current and future social, environmental and economic resources – commonlyreferred to as the “triple-bottom-line.”2

Students are using campus’ environmental involvement to help them choose their educationpath. Some 66% of the 15,722 respondents to the popular annual college guide, The PrincetoReview’s “College Hopes & Worries Survey,” said that “they would favor having information

about a college’s commitment to the environment and that it may impact their decisionto apply to or attend the school.”Almost a quarter said it would “Strongly” or “Very Much”contribute to their assessment of a school.3

The sustainability movement on campus is similar to past student campaigns in that it takesmany forms depending on the location and culture of the campus, and it seeks to changethe status quo through both creative and intellectual pursuits. It also is similar as the lessonslearned during a student’s four years on campus may well go beyond the classroom and heldefine students’ lives after they graduate.

But the drive for sustainability is different in one major respect: In contrast to past studentactivism, it often is being developed in collaboration with university officials; in fact, it may binitiated at almost any level within an institution.

• A student may seek to reduce her personal environmental footprint, so she starts a“green team” within her dorm.

• A facility manager may seek to save energy to stay on budget, so she looks to newtechnologies that also reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

• An admissions professional may be looking to differentiate the college to newapplicants, so he promotes the campus’ green aspects.

• A professor realizes the job opportunities for engineering students in developing algaenergy systems at wastewater treatment plants and develops an internship programwith the local utility.

• A college president recognizes the leadership role the school can play in thecommunity and commits to buying hybrid vehicles from a local auto dealer.

To be sure, many college communities over the years have had progressive faculty, staff andadministrators who agreed with students on the need for change and worked with them tohelp achieve it. But more than at any time in the past, this revolution on campus requires theunderstanding and involvement of everyone to succeed.

“This is a movement that involves the entire campus. Students and administrators care deepabout greening their campuses. Actions are taken by student groups and residential life toencourage behavioral changes such as turning off lights and appliances or taking shortershowers. The administrators assist with these efforts by supplying recycling facilities or buyi

2

Students are

using campus’

environmental

involvement to help

them choose their

educational path.



local or organic food. There is tremendous awareness at all levels of steps that can be takento lower the environmental impact of the campus,” says Melissa Gallagher-Rogers, Manager,Government & Higher Education Sectors, U.S. Green Building Council.

In response to student interest, The Princeton Review developed a green rating system to helpstudents make a decision. In addition, at least three other organizations have begun providingmore specific guidelines for initiating and evaluating a university’s sustainability efforts, with atopics including:

• Education & Research, Operations, Administration and Finance (Association for theAdvancement of Sustainability in Higher Education)

• Administration, Climate Change & Energy, Food & Recycling, Green Building, andTransportation (Sustainable Endowments Institute)

• Administration, Climate Change & Energy, Food & Recycling, Green Building,Transportation, Endowment Transparency, Investment Priorities, and ShareholderEngagement (National Wildlife Federation)

Although the topics often are interwoven, this paper will focus on improving campusoperations, most notably buildings, as a way to demonstrate sustainability. It will examine thefactors that are prompting universities to develop plans, show why buildings are a good placeto start on the sustainability path, and cite examples of organizations across the country that

are using the approach in their buildings. This paper also looks at how student engagement ishaving an impact on campus.

More Students, More Buildings

What happens on college campuses has a huge impact across America as universitypopulations continue to grow. In fall 2009, a record 18.4 million students were expectedto attend the nation’s two-year and four-year colleges and universities, according to theDepartment of Education’s National Center for Educational Statistics.4

A good portion of the almost $365 billion that is annually spent on degree-granting public

and private postsecondary institutions is for construction and operations. In its 35th AnnualOfficial Education Construction Report, American School & University reported schooldistricts and higher-education institutions spent $43.4 billion in 2008 for addition andmodernization construction.5

Total spending on new, addition and modernization construction by school districts andhigher-education institutions increased to $43.3 billion in 2008 from $32.9 billion the yearbefore. The amount colleges specifically allocated to new buildings especially is increasing,reflecting the pressure to continue constructing new spaces to keep up with enrollmentgrowth. College spending on new construction alone jumped to $7.3 billion from $5.3 billionin 2006.6

Additionally, many structures were built before 1980, so it is likely that much of what hasalready been built will need to be replaced. At the very least, the internal systems of olderbuildings—heating, cooling, security, water – will require upgrades to ensure energy efficiencyand code compliance.

At the same time higher-education institutions are feeling pressure to reduce maintenanceand operations budgets caused by difficult economic conditions and rising costs – especiallyenergy. Colleges and universities spend close to $2 billion each year on energy.7 The situationis expected to escalate as total world consumption of marketed energy is projected toincrease by 44% from 2006 to 2030,8 plus rising fuel costs, the need for new power plants andupdating an aging grid means some electric utilities anticipate raising their prices.

What happens on

college campuses

has a huge impactacross America

as university

populations

continue to grow.



4

Embracing Opportunities

While many see these as threats, more progressive universities are seeing these asopportunities. For instance, saving energy can also help reduce global warming. Using fossilfuels such as oil, coal, and natural gas to heat and power buildings increases the amount ofcarbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, and CO2 is a major contributor to climate change athe resulting global warming.

Research by the McKinsey Global Institute finds that using existing technologies to boostenergy productivity could cut global energy-demand growth by more than half over the next15 years. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions results in a number of environmental and socibenefits – from healthier students and employees to a healthier planet – able to sustain thegrowth expected both on campus and throughout the world.9

A growing number of leaders at institutes of higher learning are taking action to reducegreenhouse gas emissions on campus. The American College & University Presidents ClimatCommitment (ACUPCC) was launched in 2006 to address global warming by achieving climatneutrality for campuses and developing the capability of students to help society do the samAs of August 2009, some 650 schools representing more than a third of the higher educatiostudent population in America have joined the commitment to develop and implement a

comprehensive plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.10 “America’s success in addressing climate change depends on proactive, leadership by higheeducation - the only institution in society that has the influence, the critical mass and thediversity of skills needed to develop capabilities for society to re-stabilize the world’s climataccording to its 2008 Annual Report.11

On top of voluntary efforts, many states are enacting climate change reduction legislation, andfederal legislation could mandate emissions measurement and reductions to meet global goals

Educators also are working with funds from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Actto enhance programs and facilities. Through the Energy Independence and Security Act of2007 grants and loans have been made available to fund projects. These projects includessix green building demonstration projects at four universities, grant programs for renewable

energy research and 10 million allocated to establish a university based research anddevelopment program.12

Students in schools also want to be prepared for what’s being called “green collar jobs.” Whthe definition of the term varies, it generally involves employment in industries that promoteenvironmental progress. For instance:

• Renewable energy and energy efficiency currently provide more than 9 million jobs an$1,045 billion in revenue in the U.S. As many as 37 million jobs can be generated by trenewable energy and energy efficiency industries in the U.S. by 2030-more than 17%of all anticipated U.S. employment.13

• According to employment projections reported by the U.S. Department of LaborStatistics, the total number of HVAC-related skilled trade positions will jump from

291,000 in 2006 to more than 317,000 by 2016. An aging workforce and an increasingdemand for cost-effective and efficient facilities all contribute to the increasing need fHVAC program graduates.

With these and other environmental, financial and social reasons to act, colleges are movingforward and developing sustainability plans. A survey of the 332 schools with the largestendowments surveyed in the Sustainable Endowments Institute’s College Sustainability Repo

Card 2010 found that a considerable number of schools have recognized the need for fulltimcampus sustainability administrators. Other findings include:

• More than two-thirds report having full-time sustainability staff dedicated tosustainability, with others planning to hire soon.

Students in schools

also want to be

prepared for what’s

being called “green

collar jobs.”



• More than half of schools have signed the Presidents’ Climate Commitment.

• Many schools are already taking action with 40% purchasing renewable energy orrenewable energy credits, while 45% have facilities that are producing solar, wind,or geothermal.

The study also found that most schools have adopted green building policies. And that iswhere many universities start down their own path to sustainability.14

Beginning with Buildings

Buildings that contain the people who teach, learn and facilitate are the common factorsthat touch almost everyone in a university community. Students will be the first to say thatbuildings play a big role in the learning environment. A 2008 APPA survey of 1,481 studentsfound that the top building elements were noise, air temperature, lighting and cleanliness asthe most important building element to impact the students’ personal learning.15

Additionally, it has been found that all U.S. non-residential buildings account for:

• 70% of electricity consumption

• 39% of energy use• 39% of all carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions

• 40% of raw materials use

• 30% of waste output (136 million tons annually)

• 12% of potable water consumption.16

Of the colleges that had completed new projects or were planning to complete constructionby 2011, more than 88% said green/sustainable concepts were important in determining thetypes of materials or products used in their construction project. That’s especially true inthe New England and Mountain states. Most said they would be including lighting or controlsprojects, or HVAC expenditures.17

LEED is a

comprehensive

set of voluntarily

applied standards

that designers,

builders and owners

can use to maximize

both the economic

and environmentalperformance of

buildings.

Vet School Reduces Carbon Footprint

Saving energy and water also reduces greenhouse gas emissions, a fact

that can drive sustainability on campus. For instance, the Oklahoma State

University (OSU) Center for Veterinary Health Sciences (CVHS) upgraded

five buildings, doing everything from glazing windows and installing lighting

controls to retrofitting the buildings’ plumbing and air flow systems. OSU

is expected to realize approximately $9 million in cost avoidance over

20 years through performance contract with Johnson Controls, Inc. At the

same time, CVHS is mitigating its carbon footprint by reducing the amount

of fossil fuels needed to produce electricity. In less than two years, the

amount of energy saved by the project is equivalent to what would be

consumed by 175 single family homes. The amount of water conserved

could fill 18 Olympic size swimming pools.



6

Leading with LEED

More than a decade ago, leaders in the building industry recognized the challenge of creatina common set of standards that would lay the groundwork for building project teams todesign, construct and operate fully green buildings. The premiere methodology emergingin the building industry for defining and measuring how to build sustainable facilities is theLeadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ fromthe U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

LEED is a comprehensive set of voluntarily applied standards that designers, builders andowners can use to maximize both the economic and environmental performance of buildingsIt promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in fivekey areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings,energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

Since USGBC’s founding in 1993, the Council has grown to more than 20,000 membercompanies and organizations. Federal, state and local government entities across the UnitedStates are adopting LEED standards for public-owned and public-funded buildings, and LEEDprojects are in progress in dozens of countries, including Canada, Brazil, Mexico, India andChina.18 The number of colleges and universities involved in LEED also continues to grow. As

of late 2009, some 4,300 LEED projects were registered or certified on college campuses.19

Green, Not Just LEED

As much as LEED is becoming the de facto standard, some colleges choose to go green byusing the rating system as a guideline only and not seeking certification. Dennis R. Topper,D.Eng. is the Dean of Administrative Services at Lee College in Baytown, Texas. He says thatthe college chose to incorporate LEED concepts into the design for a new Performing ArtsCenter, but not the rating itself for two reasons.

“We did not have the money to seek a full LEED rating, so we did the best we could with

the funds we had. Another constraint was the special purpose use of the building with all itsacoustical requirements. For example, some of the walls are double thick to prevent noisetransmittal. Double thick walls are not an LEED feature. We may eventually obtain an LEEDrating on the building as resources and technology advances permit,” he notes.

Nonetheless, more than half of the nation’s top-endowed schools have adopted greenbuilding policies, whether they are LEED-specific or not. Almost 60% of schools have adoptecampus-wide green building policies that specify certain minimum performance levels suchas achieving LEED Silver certification. A similar number of these schools have at least onebuilding certified through the LEED rating system or are in the process of constructing one.20

Fiscal ManagementAdministrators and facility managers are addressing sustainability issues through theirbuildings, not just in the name of the environment, but also in the name of sound fiscalmanagement. They are finding that building green is not just the right thing to do; it is thesmart thing to do.

Robert Nall, Assistant Vice President for Facilities at the University of Central Oklahoma,says the university became interested in sustainability because, “Like everyone else, we areobviously concerned with global warming, environmental damage and protecting our planet.

“Like everyone else,

we are obviously

concerned with

global warming,environmental

damage and

protecting our

planet. In addition,

we have found that

numerous issues

save the university

considerable money,

which could be

plowed back intoother sustainable

efforts.”

Robert Nall,

Assistant Vice

President for Facilities

at the University of

Central Oklahoma



In addition, we have found that numerous issues save the university considerable money,which could be plowed back into other sustainable efforts.”

Because of ever-tightening budgets, green buildings are cost-neutral in upfront costscompared to traditional construction. They are less costly to operate over the life of thebuilding, and returns on investments come much sooner, which is especially important tomanagers of owner-occupied buildings like those found on campuses. Green buildings haveseveral beneficial characteristics in common that include:

• Optimal environmental and economic performance

• Increased efficiencies – saving energy and resources

• Satisfying, productive, quality indoor spaces

• Whole-building mindset from the start of design and over the building’s entire life cycle

• Fully integrated approach to design, construction and operation for teams, processes,systems

No Cost Difference to Be Green

Although some believe that the construction of an environmentally friendly, energy- andresource-efficient building brings with it a substantial price tag and extended timetables, thatis simply not the case. Breakthroughs in building materials, operating systems and integratedbuilding automation technologies have made building with an eye on our global future notonly a timely, cost effective alternative, but the preferred method of construction among thenation’s leading professionals.

A 2006 study, The Cost of Green Revisited, updated an earlier research and confirmedthat there is no significant difference in average costs for green buildings as compared tonon-green buildings.

The authors reviewed 221 facilities built to LEED standards, including academic buildings,laboratories and libraries. According to the study, despite the fact that construction costs

have risen dramatically, “Many project teams are building green buildings with little or noadded cost, and with budgets well within the cost range of non-green buildings with similarprograms. We have also found that, in many areas of the country, the contracting communityhas embraced sustainable design, and no longer sees sustainable design requirements asadditional burdens to be priced in their bids”

Furthermore, university leaders understand that buildings are huge investments, and like anysound investment, investors expect a significant return. Today’s building-industry leaders areenjoying increases in efficiency and productivity, and reductions in design, construction andoperational costs, all of which helps to drastically improve bottom lines.21

Integrated DesignWhile LEED certification involves many factors, three elements – daylighting, indoor airquality (IAQ) and energy – offer colleges and universities the opportunity to create a learningenvironment where students can see clearly, be comfortable, increase the possibility of higherachievement and reduce expenses at the same time. They also provide building designers anddecision makers with the opportunity to create unique and distinctive spaces, which becomepositive factors in recruiting and retaining teachers and in improving their overall satisfaction.

Many project teams

are building green

buildings with littleor no added cost,

and with budgets

well within the cost

range of non-green

buildings with

similar programs.



8

Integrated design remains the key. For instance, daylighting and IAQ can have a profoundeffect on student performance. Daylighting refers to the wise use of natural sunlight for taskillumination normally provided by artificial lighting fixtures. Air quality is concerned withchemical and biological airborne impurities that can have an adverse effect on student andfaculty health.

As an example of how these two elements interact, an architect calls for large, energyefficient windows that allow the sun’s light to pass through, but nearly eliminate heat

exchange. The windows may cost marginally more than traditional windows, but the costwill likely be defrayed by smaller, less expensive HVAC equipment needed to heat and coolthe space due to the high efficiency windows. The smaller equipment also uses less energy,generating greater utility-cost savings for the life of the building.

Daylighting

Using a single green design strategy, in this case daylighting, the upfront costs remainrelatively the same while the learning environment is substantially improved and operationalcosts are reduced for years. Therein lays the power of building green and, more specifically,integration: making design decisions based on their impact on other aspects of the building.

The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) has issued several reports on thecorrelation between high performance buildings and improved student performance. Onestudy found students learning in classrooms with the most daylighting progressed 20% fasteon math tests and 26% faster on reading tests in one year than those with the least amount daylight. Similarly, students in classrooms with the most daylighting were found to have 7% 18% higher scores than those with the least.22

Indoor Air Quality

For years, news reports, scientific inquiries, and educational efforts have communicated thesymptoms, causes and solutions to indoor air quality problems in schools. There’s no doubtthat better indoor air quality results in lowering indoor pollutants such as chemical toxins anbiological agents that can create significant health risks and adverse learning conditions. CHpostulates that greater indoor air quality results in healthier students and faculty, which in

turn results in lower absenteeism and further improves student achievement. In the corporatworld, studies show that proper lighting and thermal comfort can increase productivitybetween 6% and 16% and can reduce absenteeism by as much as 15%.

Sustainable design, by definition, helps improve indoor air quality (IAQ) and helps to eliminatconditions related to Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) and other Building Related Illnesses (BRI)SBS is said to result in a range of health complaints including headaches, eye, ear and noseirritation, pneumonia and flu-like illnesses, and re-occurring allergic diseases such as asthmBRI, a more serious condition, is brought on by exposure to the building air where symptomof a diagnosable illness are identified (e.g. certain allergies or infections) and can be directlyattributed to environmental agents in the air.

The sources for SBS and BRI break down into two major categories contributing to indoor aquality problems: heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems; and, contaminant

The HVAC system controls the circulation of air throughout a building, the introduction of freair into the mix, and the filtration of airborne particles. Poorly ventilated or seldom cleaned,these systems can pump contaminants through a building again and again. One of the mostcommon pollutants contributing to these effects is mold, which can significantly impacthealth, but also contributes to significant building bio-deterioration and premature aging ofa building’s mechanical systems. Problems can also occur when a building is operated ormaintained in a manner that is inconsistent with its original design or prescribed operatingprocedure.23

The returns on

investment in

energy efficiency

make it a strong

priority for action.



As SBS is such a broad category of illnesses, there is little corollary research availablebetween it and student performance or between it and student health. However, collegeadministrators can recognize the logical inference that the physical well being of students aswell as the faculty and staff is an important factor in increasing student performance.

Integrated design and construction helps address these two major concerns of daylightingand IAQ well before the site is even selected. Position of the building relative to the sun,in addition to bays of large windows and skylights can enhance fixture illumination. Highly

efficient building systems that balance the exchange between indoor and outdoor air docreate a healthy building environment. But the benefits of integrated design and constructionarise only when colleges and universities establish “green” as a specific design goal for theirbuilding project from the very beginning.

Energy

Perhaps the most urgent concern on the green building spectrum is energy. With costscontinuing to rise, facility managers are looking at reducing energy as a priority. They also arelooking at ways to develop on-site renewable energy generation as a means of revenue andto provide a stable energy supply, especially in areas where “brownouts” occur or where

Three important opportunities are inherent in a long-term approach to energy alone,according to the National Wildlife Federation.

• Investments in efficiency and a clean energy future will yield good returns, and savingswill compound over the years.

• Decoupling fossil fuels from the campus energy system will lead to greater stability ofprice and supply - and offer a hedge against an uncertain regulatory future.

• The prospects for new careers and a more relevant college education for students willonly get better.24

Dozens of higher education institutions are undertaking projects such as major energyefficiency facility upgrades and alternative schedules to reduce energy use.25 The returns oninvestment in energy efficiency make it a strong priority for action. A 2008 joint report fromEPA and the U.S. Department of Energy on energy efficiency in several building sectors offered

these conclusions:• When comprehensive energy efficiency measures are implemented, overall energy

savings range from 15% for supermarkets to 30% for retail stores and office buildings,with peak demand savings ranging from 21 to 42%.

• O&M measures alone result in overall cost-effective energy savings of 9 to 24% andpeak demand savings of 3 to 10%.

• Implementation of comprehensive energy efficiency measures increases the buildings’EPA energy performance ratings by 17 to 46 points.

• Proper sequencing of energy efficiency measures reduces a building’s required coolingcapacity by 3 to 20%, helping to lower HVAC equipment and installation costs whileincreasing savings.26

Though not specifically aimed at higher education buildings, the trends do point to energyefficiency as a strong component of a sustainability plan. The improvements also can reduceenergy costs through efficiencies, allowing funds to be allocated to improve educationalresources or increase student amenities, furthering an institution’s mission to better educatetomorrow’s leaders.

Integration brings together owners, design teams and construction teams at the earliest stageof the building project to integrate processes and building systems. Developing buildings onan integrated, whole-building framework ensures the efficient use of energy and resources,a healthy and productive indoor environment conducive to teaching and learning, theoptimum performance of all systems, and a wealth of other benefits that directly impact theenvironment and the budget.

The key tosuccessfully

integrated design

on campus

is to follow a

consistent process,

coupled with new

technologies and

innovative thinking.



10

Path to Sustainability

While the opportunity for financial savings is impressive, improved daylighting, IAQ, energyand other strategies can be costly. The key to successfully integrated design on campus isto follow a consistent process, coupled with new technologies and innovative thinking. Byfollowing this Path to Sustainability, colleges can develop and implement sustainability plansthat address environmental, financial and social issues in a way that will meet the needs ofgenerations to come.

The elements include:

• Commit to improvement targets by senior management

• Collect data, analyze and benchmark across the portfolio, then assess facilities

• Contract for guaranteed results. The performance contracting model is best forimplementing large scale energy efficiency retrofit projects.

• Confirm performance over time to maximize energy and operational savings

• Communicate plans and progress to internal and external audiences

The importance of this type of approach is that it is simple to understand, implement andcommunicate. As indicated earlier, the sustainability movement requires involvement fromevery level within the campus. If the university community – including the board of trustees,

administrators, academic and professional staff, facility professionals, vendors and of coursestudents – is in agreement on the approach, it is more likely that it will be successful.

Commit to improvement targets by senior management

The establishment of the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment(ACUPCC) is indication enough that sustainability requires leadership.

According to the ACUPCC 2008 Annual Report, “We recognize our responsibility to minimizeour own contributions to global warming and to accelerate education and research to makethe transition to a low-carbon, more vibrant and sustainable economy. We believe that takina leadership role in this effort fits squarely into the educational, research and public servicemissions of higher education. As of October 2009, over 650 colleges and universities in all

50 states have taken up this challenge.”27

The key is to transfer this embodiment of leadership to those within the community.The formation of a “green team” with members from many levels can help facilitateimplementation. In The Cost of Green Revisited, the authors suggest that sustainabilitybe a program issue, rather than an added requirement, especially in facilities.

“Our analysis indicates that it is necessary to understand the project goals, the approach toachieving the goals, and the factors at play for the project. Simply choosing to add a premiuto a budget for a non-green building will not give any meaningful reflection of the cost for thbuilding to meet its green goals. The first question in budgeting should not be “How muchmore will it cost?’ but ‘How will we do this?’ This must be done as early as possible in theproject, and it must be considered at every step of design and construction. This is done by

• Establishing team goals, expectations & expertise• Including specific goals in the Program

• Aligning budget with program

• Staying on track through design and construction.”28

By assembling key decision makers at the earliest stages of a project, colleges and universitimaximize revenues, plan for all contingencies, and prevent cost overruns and timetable dela

By assembling

key decision

makers at the

earliest stages of

a project, colleges

and universities

maximize revenues,

plan for all

contingencies,

and prevent cost

overruns and

timetable delays.



• Engage the Administration by integrating facility sustainability into the mission, vision,and master plan; including in job descriptions and reviews; and creating opportunitiesfor everyone to share what they’ve done.30

As Michael Crow, President of ASU and Chair of the ACUPCC says, “the higher educationsector may only have 3% of our nation’s carbon footprint, but it has 100% of theeducational footprint.”31

Student EngagementA paramount goal of any learning institution is to provide the context for maximizing studenachievement and performance. A campus filled with pleasant and comfortable learning andliving environments enhances a student’s ability to learn and achieve and be ready for thefuture. It also provides a college or university with innumerable public relations opportunitiein the community, a significant point of difference from its competitors, an entrée intoa position of trailblazer rather than follower, and other benefits completely unrelated toeconomics or the environment.

In order for colleges and universities to fully realize the benefits of an environmentalsustainability philosophy, however, they must integrated throughout the organization and puinto practice at every turn. Because students are at the heart of what universities are all abothe sustainable revolution ultimately must involve students. And the more they know aboutsustainability, the easier it will be.

Colleges can engage students in many ways, including

• Adding multi-disciplinary courses on sustainability issues to the curriculum.

• Developing educational campaigns in sustainability practices

• Placing kiosks or other visual technology in classroom buildings and dorms todemonstrate energy consumption measurement

• Training Resident Assistants to encourage students to practice sustainability

• Creating items such as educational door hangers, posters or stickers

• Developing sustainability clubs and organizations for students

• Holding events, such as a light bulb swap, to raise awareness.Two different studies showed that students are willing to pay a fee of anywhere from $2 to$45 per year to pay for such initiatives as purchasing renewable energy credits and installingrenewable energy technologies on campus, or living in environmentally sustainable housing.

12

Colleges and

universities are

fertile learning

grounds for social,

economic, political,

scientific and

environmental

issues, regardless of

students’ fields of

study.

On the Way to Carbon Neutral

In its efforts to promote its leadership in

environmental stewardship, education, outreach and

research, the University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh isdeveloping a campus sustainability plan. But its goal

is aggressive: to be one of the first major universities

in the country that is carbon neutral. Working with Johnson Controls on

projects such as alternative design/build approaches to new construction,

performance contracting, and purchasing renewable energy, UW-Oshkosh

now has both strong academic achievements as well as measurable energy

and environmental initiatives.



Conclusion

At its best, higher education helps students become critical thinkers, not just masters of agiven body of knowledge. Colleges and universities are fertile learning grounds for social,economic, political, scientific and environmental issues, regardless of students’ fields of study.

Utilizing green building practices allows an institution to address all these issues at once and

provides students with positive examples of what it means to be good citizens. “I see it asbeing an ever increasing component of the educational arena as students buy in and demandmore actions. Our daily actions will begin to reflect more sustainability actions as we changetechnology to take advantage of opportunities to help cut down the damage done to ourplanet.” says UCO’s Nall.

As parental concern about increasing tuitions, the reality of state cutbacks for public collegesand universities, and rising operational costs at both public and private institutions providemore than enough financial incentives to select a green approach to building design,construction and operation. Corporate and commercial building owners, public organizationsand government institutions as well as colleges and universities can easily point to animproved bottom line as a deciding factor to build green. Yet, there are hundreds of equallycompelling, non-financial reasons for colleges and universities to choose sustainable design

for their campuses.In addition to quality of l ife and the potential for green jobs, there is a growing consciousnessthroughout the building industry regarding the impact the built environment has on the naturalenvironment. Buildings consume huge amounts of energy, electricity and raw materials. Everycollege administration has to demonstrate that plans are in place to achieve the school’smission in an effective and timely manner. Building green is an ideal platform on which toachieve the numerous goals set forth in the missions of higher learning institutions. Andstudent engagement is the way to sustain the approach for another generation.

Campus buildings can also be viewed as the outward expression of an institution’s corevalues and mission. Student and staff safety, improved student achievement, state-of-the-art technology, and meeting the changing needs of students, not to mention environmentalaccountability, are just a few issues that can be addressed and supported through greendesign, construction and operations.

A campus with energy- and resource-efficient buildings that are comfortable and productivespaces with a reduced footprint on the natural environment, then, instills a positive, lasting,forward thinking and fiscally responsible perception among students, parents, staff, importantconstituencies and the surrounding community. For all these reasons, sustainability on campusis becoming the norm and not the exception.

1



Resources1 Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future – 1983

http://www.un-documents.net/wced-ocf.htm2 John Elkington, 1998 book: Cannibals with Forks: the Triple Bottom Line of 21st Century Busine3 The Princeton Review: Princeton Review 2009 “College Hopes & Worries Survey” Findings

http://www.princetonreview.com/uploadedFiles/Test_Preparation/Hopes_and_Worries/colleg_hopes_worries_details.pdf 4 National Center for Educational Statistics, Projections of Education Statistics to 2017.

http://nces.ed.gov/programs/projections/projections2017/tables/table_10.asp5 35th annual Official Education Construction Report, American School & University-2008

http://asumag.com/Construction/planning/education-construction-report-200905/index2.html6 2008 - 35th annual Official Education Construction Report, American School & University

http://asumag.com/Construction/planning/education-construction-report-200905/7 EPA Energy Star Program.

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=higher_ed.bus_highereducation8 International Energy Outlook, May 2009. http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/ieo/world.html9 McKinsey - A Simple Plan to Cut Energy Demand Growth and Carbon Emissions.

http://www.mckinsey.com/aboutus/mckinseynews/simpleplan.asp10 Signatory List by State: Presidential Climate Commitment

http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/html/list_state.php11 American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment: 2008 Annual Report

http://www2.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/reporting/documents/ACUPCC_AR2008_053109LR.pdf

12 Alliance to Save Energy: 2007 Energy Bill Detailed Summaryhttp://www.energy.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/4D0E82A9-E167-494B-8545-EF5A272F79EF/0/FederalEnergyBillSummary.pdf

13 Green Collar Jobs in the U.S. and Colorado: Economic Drivers for the 21st Centuryhttp://www.ases.org/images/stories/ASES/pdfs/CO_Jobs_Rpt_Jan2009_summary.pdf

14 Green Report Card. http://www.greenreportcard.org/

15 APPA: School Cleanliness Affects Learninghttps://www.appa.org/files/PDFs/APPAISSACleaningAffectonLearningPR_000.pdf

16 USGBC: Green Building Research. http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=171817 American School & University 35th Annual Official Education Construction Report

http://asumag.com/Construction/planning/education-construction-report-200905/index12.html18 USGBC: Presentations. http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=172019 Green Right Now: US Green Building Council Sees Campuses as Leaders in Green Building

http://www.greenrightnow.com/kabc/2009/08/28/us-green-building-council-sees-campuses-as-leaders-in-green-building/

20 Sustainable Endowments Institute’s College Sustainability Report Card 2008http://www.endowmentinstitute.org/sustainability/CollegeSustainabilityReportCard2008.pdf

21 Cost of Green Revisited. http://www.davislangdon.com/USA/Research/ResearchFinder/2007-The-Cost-of-Green-Revisited/

22 Collaborative for High Performance Schools: Overview. http://www.chps.net/overview/index.htm23 Aerias: Air Quality Sciences- Building Related Illnesses.

http://www.aerias.org/DesktopModules/ArticleDetail.aspx?articleId=1624 Higher Education in a Warming World

http://www.nwf.org/campusEcology/BusinessCase/HigherEducationInAWarmingWorld2-21-08.pd

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25 AASHE Digest 2008: A Review of Campus Sustainability Newshttp://www.aashe.org/files/documents/AASHEdigest2008.pdf

26 Sector Collaborative on Energy Efficiency Accomplishments and Next Steps: A Resources of theNational Action Plan for Energy Efficiencyhttp://www.epa.gov/RDEE/documents/sector_collaborative.pdf

27 American College & University: Presidents Climate Commitment 2008. http://www2.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/reporting/documents/ACUPCC_AR2008_053109LR.pdf

28 Cost of Green Revisitedhttp://www.davislangdon.com/USA/Research/ResearchFinder/2007-The-Cost-of-Green-Revisited/

29 U.S. Department of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy-Performance Measurementhttp://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/commercial/performance_measurement.html

30 www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/html/documents/ACUPCC_SHOWSLIDES_covision_000.ppt31 PCC Summit Summary-2008. http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/html/

documents/2008_PCC_Summit_SUMMARY.pdf 32 AASHE 2007 Digest: A Review of Campus Sustainability News

http://www.aashe.org/files/documents/AASHEdigest2008.pdf

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