University Business - June 2007 - (Page S11)

SMART and SUSTAINABLE SHORTS Up on the Green Roof What to do with a roof that needs repair? That was the question pondered in 2001 by a group of staffers and students at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. They decided on an alternate route when considering the fixups needed for the south roof of Hamerschlag Hall. A group of students, along with Bob Bingham, professor of art, pushed for the university to create a “living roof,” otherwise known as a green roof. They formed the Green Roof Initiative and three undergraduate students were awarded a $1,000 grant. Initial funds allowed them to investigate and present the benefits of green roofs. Studies show these roofs reduce the rate of stormwater runoff (sometimes a problem in Pittsburgh) and help with insulation. They’re also pretty to look at, notes Bingham, ever a champion of better aesthetics. The group met with facilities administrators in 2002 to design the roof and enlisted specialists to help with the construction. The initiative took three years and about $170,000 to complete, but by spring 2005 Carnegie Mellon’s green roof was open, affording a bit of sanctuary on campus. Student volunteers gathered to plant the 4,000 sedums, 70 grasses, and 1,000 other plants. A camera mounted nearby keeps constant watch on the green roof and allows students and researchers to monitor growth. On a recent spring day, while visiting journalists had lunch on the green roof, Bingham gave a tour of the grasses and perennials, noting efforts to bring more green roofs to campus. —Jean Marie Angelo Green-Minded Students Gain Recognition for Their Schools As anyone who works on a college or university campus has no doubt seen firsthand, college students often meet and exceed the challenge when called upon to envision innovative solutions to the worldʼs problems. Sustainability issues are no exception. In late 2006, the mtvU GE ecomagination Challenge gave students the chance to develop creative new ways to green their campuses. More than 100 applications later, student voting and input from sponsors (television network mtvU and GE) determined a grand prize winner from among 10 finalists, whose ideas were profiled online and aired by mtvU. This spring the $25,000 grant for execution of the winning idea—Biodiesel @ MIT—was announced. The project uses a solarpowered processor to convert waste vegetable oil to biodiesel in an effort to reduce energy costs and the universityʼs environmental footprint. MIT students were treated to an mtvU Earth Day Concert headlined by the group Angels & Airways. Others in the running for that grand prize were: • Connecticut College, for a solar-powered composting program to cycle nutrients back into the Earth and educate cafeteria diners • Northeastern University (Mass.), for plans to install green roofs and implement other projects to reduce urban stormwater runoff • University of Maryland, for a solarpowered trash and recycling compactor that would decrease the volume of waste on campus • University of Massachusetts, for a device that would capture and convert mechanical energy generated by stationary bikes and rowing machines in the campus fitness center so students could charge laptops and other portable devices • University of Michigan, for a modular green roof on the highly visible outdoor activities center building • University of Southern California, for Sustainacafé, a campus sustainability and demo site for innovative technology and programs • University of Wisconsin-Stout, for a process that would compost large quantities of food waste with a minimum of energy and labor For more details on each of the finalists, see www.ecocollegechallenge.com. —Melissa Ezarik June 2007 | S11 Taking the LEED Who hasn’t had a discussion about campus facilities construction recently that didn’t at some point involve the acronym LEED? The U.S. Green Building Council created the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System as a Wolf Law Building performance benchmark for buildings. It demonstrates that your institution’s commitment to a sustainable future is more than a catchy slogan, and makes you eligible for state and local government incentives for energy savings. LEED encompasses nearly every phase of construction, from environmental impact and building materials to heating and cooling systems and, often, furnishings. Take the Wolf Law Building at the University of Colorado at Boulder as an example. It recently earned a LEED Gold rating, one of the nation’s highest for green building design. The 180,000-square-foot building features high-efficiency lighting, CO2 monitoring, low-flow water fixtures, waterless urinals, a high-efficiency cooling system, and central steam heat. Ninety-one percent of the materials from demolition and construction were recycled. The building is also powered by 100 percent renewable energy through wind energy credits. Fine, you say, next time we plan to construct a 180,000-square-foot law school, we’ll think about LEED, but what about our older buildings? The USGBC has you covered. Older facilities can qualify for LEED-EB (Existing Building) certification. LEED-EB standards address whole-building cleaning and maintenance issues, indoor air quality, energy and water efficiency, recycling programs, exterior maintenance, and systems upgrades to meet green building performance standards. True, applying for LEED certification is not a simple task, and it can be both time and money intensive. But balanced against skyrocketing fuel costs, depleting natural resources, and environmental concerns, we’d say it’s an investment worth making. Find out more at www.usgbc.org. —Tim Goral universitybusiness.com http://www.usgbc.org http://www.ecocollegechallenge.com http://universitybusiness.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of University Business - June 2007

Contents
College Index
Company Index
Advisory Board
Editor's Note
Virginia Tech Coverage
Sense of Place
Viewpoint
Admissions
On The Hill
Future Shock
Independent Outlook
Internet Technology
I Wanna Be Rich
Smart and Sustainable
Walking the Talk
Steering Toward Sustainability
An Organizing Principle for Colleges and Universities
News Shorts
News Shorts
It’s Not Easy Eating Green
Facilities Focus
The New Face of ERP
Document Management Across Campus
What's New
Direct Connect
Calendar of Events
End Note
Annual Directory of Higher Education Consultants

University Business - June 2007