Archive | April, 2012

The Value of Solar Power

By on April 27, 2012 in APUS Sustainability Efforts, Renewable Energy, Sustainability in Higher Education

by Kelly Wenner

The Sustainability Committee of American Public University System recently participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new solar array at their Charles Town, West Virginia location.  Guests from a variety of industries visited the campus to view the new installation, and had the opportunity to learn about the importance of solar energy from project managers Mountain View (MTV) Solar and Solarworld.  In choosing solar energy as an option, companies are striving to be both environmentally and financially sustainable.… Read the rest

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APUS Officially Opens West Virginia’s Largest Solar Project

By on April 23, 2012 in Adaptive Reuse, APUS Sustainability Efforts, Renewable Energy, Sustainability in Higher Education

American Public University System (APUS) is celebrating another milestone in its journey toward achieving greater sustainability – the official opening of its 1,660 panel solar array.  The array is the largest in West Virginia and is a testament to the school’s commitment to sustainability. Providing more than 480,000 kWh of electricity, the array will provide approximately 50 percent of the total energy needed to power the university’s newest addition to its Charles Town campus, a 105,000-square-foot green building still under construction.… Read the rest

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5 Ways to Reduce Your Environmental Impact in the Office

By on April 21, 2012 in APUS Sustainability Efforts, Earth Day, Green Building, Sustainability General, Sustainability in Business, Sustainability in Higher Education

In Part 2 of our series, Tatiana Sehring, Strategic Manager Environmental Leadership and Sustainability, gives us 5 quick, easy ways that we can minimize our environmental impact in the office.  As we celebrate Earth Day tomorrow, the world will turn its focus to issues related to the state of our environment.  With Tatiana’s suggestions, however, we can carry the spirit of Earth Day past tomorrow and integrate sustainable practices into our daily lives throughout the year.  Happy Earth Day!

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Celebrate Earth Day by Reducing Your Environmental Impact

By on April 20, 2012 in APUS Sustainability Efforts, Earth Day, Sustainability in Higher Education, Uncategorized

With Earth Day right around the corner, many of us are thinking of ways that we can lead more sustainable lifestyles.  If you’re looking for a way to reduce your carbon footprint, check out the podcast below.  We interviewed Tatiana Sehring, Strategic Manager Environmental Leadership and Sustainability at American Public University System (APUS) about how we can live more environmentally-friendly lifestyles.  This is Part 1 of a two-part Earth Day special focused on tangible actions we can each take to reduce our environmental impact.… Read the rest

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Three Ways to Reduce Your Impact on the Environment

By on April 20, 2012 in Environmental Protection, Green Building

If you’re looking for a way to reduce your carbon footprint, this podcast is a great start. We interviewed Tatiana Sehring, Strategic Manager Environmental Leadership and Sustainability at American Public University System, on her tips for educating yourself and your peers and how to positively impact the environment.

Three Ways To Reduce Your Impact on the Environment by APUS

If you’re looking for a way to reduce your carbon footprint, this podcast is a great start. We interviewed Tatiana Sehring, Strategic Manager Environmental Leadership and Sustainability at American Public University System, on her tips for educating yourself and your peers and how to positively impact the environment.… Read the rest

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After Earth Day

By on April 13, 2012 in APUS Sustainability Efforts, Current Events, Earth Day, Green Economy, Sustainability General, Sustainability in Business, Sustainability in Higher Education

by Ryan Harding

I am confident that, with Earth Day on the immediate horizon, the nation’s biggest publications have begun to compose those bannerheads that will run on April 22, as the whole news media takes up its annual tradition of, for a day, fixing its gaze on environmental issues. For one day, we will collectively turn our eye to the issue of sustainability, reading retrospectives on the environmental movement, which trace its genealogy, and connect the movement’s past to its present and future, or op-eds on environmental degradation, carbon emissions, and water scarcity.… Read the rest

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LEED gold-certified academic center and architecture sustainability

By on April 10, 2012 in Video

Click here for videos regarding our new LEED gold-certified academic center and architecture sustainability on Vimeo.

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Turning Brownfields Green

By on April 9, 2012 in Adaptive Reuse, APUS Sustainability Efforts, Brownfields, Green-Building, LEED Building, Sustainability in Higher Education

by Angela Crone

We’ve been talking a lot lately about the adaptive reuse and green new construction on the American Public University System (APUS) campus in Charles Town, WV. So, yes, we know that many of the buildings are green retrofits, that solar installations are estimated to offset 350 tons of carbon each year, that the appliances are Energy Star certified, and that the faucets and toilets conserve water.  But, did you know that both the recently constructed Academics Center and the under-construction Finance Center are built on what has been designated a “brownfields site?” 

The U.S.… Read the rest

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Adaptive Reuse at APUS is a Necessity and a Priority

By on April 2, 2012 in Adaptive Reuse, APUS Sustainability Efforts, Sustainability in Higher Education

by Beth Gray

When American Public University System (APUS) re-located its headquarters to historic downtown Charles Town, WV in 2003, the university’s leadership was mindful of the abundant and rich history of the area.  Rather than purchase land outside of the city center to build a standard office building, the university system undertook a comprehensive adaptive reuse policy.  To date, the university system has “recycled” 5 historic buildings in Charles Town’s downtown area for office space.

What is most notable about APUS’ adaptive reuse policy in Charles Town is the dual nature of the undertaking. … Read the rest

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