by Sarah McNair

Renewable power is quickly becoming an important option to fuel the world’s electricity demands.  Nonrenewable sources, such as coal, natural gas, oil, and nuclear energy, pollute our air and water and destroy natural habitats for plants and animals.  Renewable energy sources have less of a negative impact on the environment and include hydroelectric, solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, and electricity from municipal solid waste.  In the United States, the majority of our electricity is powered by coal, followed by nuclear, natural gas, and oil.  Less than 9% of our electricity is generated from renewable sources.

In an effort to encourage organizations and businesses to utilize renewable energy, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created the voluntary Green Power Partnership (GPP) for universities, non-profit, private, and public organizations.  Aside from the obvious benefit of environmental preservation, organizations in the GPP receive expert advice on green power, tools and resources, credibility, and publicity.  Green power percentage requirements are proportionate to the organization’s annual electricity use, with smaller organizations starting at a minimum of 20% and larger organizations beginning at 3%.  There are many participants whose energy comes from over 100% renewable sources.

The top 20 colleges and universities in the GPP have collectively purchased enough green energy to power over 120,000 homes for an entire year.  The majority of these higher education institutions use wind and solar energy.  Included in this list are the University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Utah, Oregon State University, Drexel University, Pennsylvania State University, Northwestern University, the University of Phoenix, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Maryland.

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by Beth Gray

As colleges and universities have taken up the cause of environmentalism and sustainability on their campuses, many are using green building as a means toward achieving reduced carbon emissions.  In November 2010, American Public University System (APUS) completed construction of a 45,000 square foot state-of-the-art Academic Center which is anticipated to achieve the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED Gold certification.  (To see a video from the ribbon cutting ceremony for the building, click here.)  While it is too soon to know for sure how much of an impact the newest building on APUS’ campus will have on the school’s carbon emissions, there is great hope (and precedent) that it will have a positive impact.

Green buildings and buildings that are LEED certified are becoming increasingly prevalent on college and university campuses.  In September 2010, The Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations received LEED Silver certification, becoming the thirty-fifth LEED certified project at Harvard.  The University of Washington is home to thirteen LEED certified building projects, including The Benjamin D. Hall Interdisciplinary Research Building which is the first on the West Coast, second in higher education, and eleventh in the country to receive the USGBC’s Gold CS Pilot Certification.  Arizona State University has just completed its SkySong Center which received LEED Silver Certification and was also awarded an Award of Merit from the Valley Forward Association for its green building standards.  Emory University boasts nearly 2 million square feet of LEED-certified building space.

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by Beth Gray

David Lloyd (Director of the Office of Brownfields Cleanup and Land Revitalization at US EPA), Shelly Poticha (Director, Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities, US HUD), Charles Town Mayor Peggy Smith, APUS Provost Dr. Frank McCluskey, APUS President and CEO Dr. Wallace E. Boston, and Bryna Helfer (Director of Public Engagement for Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood) cut the ribbon to officially open the new environmentally-friendly Academic Center.

This morning American Public University System (APUS) held the ribbon cutting event for its fifteenth building in downtown Charles Town, West Virginia.  The building is a 45,000 square foot, state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly building which is anticipated to receive the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Gold certification. 

 The building is constructed on a site designated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a brownfields, a site which, due to previous uses, may contain various contaminants.  The site on which APUS chose to construct its building was previously used as an industrial scrap yard; various contaminants were found in the soil at the site including lead and petroleum products.  The contaminants were removed from the soil prior to construction.  In total, the university system removed 36 tons of soil from the property before beginning the construction process.

The building features state-of-the-art technologies which will make it highly energy efficient.  For example, the windows are double-paned with argon gas between the panes which reflect ultraviolets and keep them from naturally heating the building.  The building has been designed to maximize the natural light that is allowed to enter the building so that less purchased electricity will be required to light offices.  Additionally, dual sensor light fixtures have been installed which sense movement as well as heat; within ten minutes of sensing neither, the lights will turn themselves off.

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by Ashley Adams

Are you thinking about putting in new floors, buying new furniture, or switching to wood for any other item in your home? Purchasing products crafted from reclaimed wood is one way to dress up your home without negatively impacting the environment.  There are many companies that specialize in reclaimed wood which includes wood that is no longer suitable in its current state and turned it into something functional.

For example, Centennial Woods uses old snow fences from Wyoming to create beautiful interior and exterior home products.  This company has been able to repurpose over five million feet of snow fence that would otherwise have gone to waste. The company approximates that it has been able to save 9,000 tons of CO2 emissions. Centennial Woods’ products also feature all natural and untreated wood meaning there isn’t “offgassing” once installed. Companies such as Centennial Woods benefit the natural environment and create a healthier indoor environment for consumers.

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by Beth Gray

The 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver have come to a close.  The United States stood strong atop the medal podiums, taking home a total of 37 medals, edging out Germany with 30 and the host nation, Canada, with 26.  Few would argue that the Canadians staged a successful event.  Vancouver is known for having an environmentally friendly and forward-thinking population and in planning these Olympic Games, the Canadians were cognizant of the environmental impact such an event could have.

The City of Vancouver touts an active environmental program.  Vancouver hosts a variety of programs for residents including “One Day” which encourages citizens to take proactive measures to reduce carbon emissions in the city.  The city’s One Day website boasts a variety of ways in which the city and its citizens are working toward a more environmentally friendly future.  For example, “all new commercial and multifamily buildings are required to meet the strictest energy efficiency requirements in Canada” and for more than a decade, the city has actively promoted alternative modes of transportation with great success; since 1996, Vancouver has seen a “44 percent increase in walking, a 180 percent increase in bike trips, a 20 percent increase in transit use, and a 10 percent reduction in vehicle trips.”  Vancouver also hosts a program called Green Streets which encourages citizens to beautify their neighborhoods by adopting and maintaining street gardens. 

Olympic planners stated early on that Vancouver would strive to host the most environmentally friendly Games the world had ever seen.  With more than 250,000 visitors traveling to Vancouver for the Games, the city faced a tremendous challenge in achieving that goal.  In attempting to meet their goal, however, the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) took several significant steps.  Upon winning the city’s bid to host the Games, VANOC formed a meaningful partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).  More tangible efforts toward greening the Games included low-flow toilets that used rainwater for flushing, separate waste receptacles for compostable waste, and energy-efficient grass covered roofs.  Additionally, VANOC increased its already expansive public transit system, encouraging visitors to move around the city using more environmentally friendly means. 

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