Tag Archives | US Green Building Council

Images of Sustainability at APUS – Solar Array

By on April 22, 2013 in APUS Sustainability Efforts, Earth Day, Green Building, Renewable Energy, Sustainability in Higher Education

In celebration of Earth Day, this week we will share a series of images representative of tangible sustainability efforts at American Public University System.  Happy Earth Day…everyday!

 

Solar ArrayThe American Public University System (APUS) solar array is the largest solar array in West Virginia.  The array contains 1,660 solar panels and doubles as a covered parking lot for staff.  Situated next to the university’s Finance Center (a 105,000 square-foot structure built to LEED Gold standards and currently in the certification process), the array provides approximately 50% of the total energy needed for that building. … Read the rest

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Solar Power at American Public University System

By on December 14, 2012 in APUS Sustainability Efforts, LEED Building, Renewable Energy, Sustainability in Higher Education

In November 2010, American Public University System (APUS) completed its first green building, a 45,000-square-foot structure which recently received its LEED Gold Certification from the US Green Building Council (USGBC).  Sitting atop that building are 99 solar panels which provide approximately 5 to 7% of the total energy for the structure. Just over a year later, the school completed another solar project, the largest in the state of West Virginia. With 1,660 panels and generating approximately 480,000 kWh of electricity each year, the array will provide approximately 40 to 50% of the energy needed for the school’s latest green building, a 105,000-square-foot structure which is currently in the LEED certification process.… Read the rest

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The Importance of Sustainable Building Education

By on December 3, 2012 in Book/Resource Reviews, Green-Building, Sustainability in Higher Education, Sustainability Resources

by Sarah Myers (McNair)

Construction activities have a significant impact on the health of the environment.  Building new structures requires the production of new goods and the transportation of these materials to building sites.  Throughout the supply chain, the harmful emissions add up.  Both the construction and demolition processes create large amounts of pollution and waste that fill up landfills quickly and/or are oftentimes not disposed of in an environmentally sound manner.  These impacts (and many more) are precisely the reason that higher education must prepare its students to improve upon modern building construction practices.  Second Nature and the U.S.… Read the rest

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APUS Opens New Green Finance Center

By on September 18, 2012 in American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment, APUS Sustainability Efforts, Current Events, Green-Building, LEED Building, Renewable Energy, Sustainability in Higher Education

In the latest addition to its headquarters in Charles Town, West Virginia, American Public University System (a fully online university serving more than 100,000 students) is celebrating the opening of its 105,000 square foot environmentally-friendly Finance Center.  The building sits adjacent to the school’s Academic Center which opened in November 2010.  Both buildings were built to US Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED Gold standards, a level above the Silver standard required of APUS as a charter signatory of the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC).… Read the rest

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The Progress and Promise of the ACUPCC

By on July 20, 2012 in American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment, APUS Sustainability Efforts, Current Events, Green-Building, LEED Building, Renewable Energy, Sustainability in Higher Education, Sustainability Resources

by Beth Gray

As mentioned in a recent article on this blog, the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year.  Our previous article explores the background of the ACUPCC and the progress the commitment has made in gaining support and membership.  Beginning with only twelve founding members, the ACUPCC now boasts nearly 700 signatories from across the country.  At the ACUPCC’s 6th Annual Climate Leadership Summit held in Washington, DC last month, participants were treated to a chronicling of the tangible progress made by those nearly 700 schools to date.  The quantitative progress made is significant and worth noting.… Read the rest

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Princeton Review Publishes Guide to Green Colleges

By on June 5, 2011 in Book/Resource Reviews, Current Events, Sustainability in Higher Education

by Kelly Wenner

In April 2011, The Princeton Review partnered with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to publish the Princeton Review’s Guide to 311 Green Colleges.  The Review evaluated colleges and universities on their environmentally-related policies, practices and academic offerings.  The rating, on a scale of 60-99, demonstrates whether students have a healthy, sustainable campus life; how a school is preparing students for employment in a clean energy economy; and how environmentally responsible a school’s policies are. The Review asked 703 voluntary school participants to answer questions created in consultation with ecoAmerica, a non-profit consumer research group.  Questions covered ranged from “What is the percentage of food expenditures that go toward local, organic or otherwise environmentally preferable food?” to “Does the school have an environmental literacy requirement?”  The 311 schools chosen for the book received scores of 80 or above in the assessment. 

College applicants using the guide will find a wealth of information about each of the schools.  In addition to the standard application, admission and financial aid information, each school profile contains “green highlights” and “green facts” detailing campus environmental and sustainability initiatives, as well as availability of environmental studies programs and green job career guidance.  Also included are a glossary of 40+ “green” terms and acronyms and a listing of schools with “green” distinctions such as LEED-certified buildings.… Read the rest

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Green Buildings are Not Just for Higher Education

By on April 8, 2011 in APUS Sustainability Efforts, Green-Building, LEED Building, Sustainability in Higher Education

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.… Read the rest

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APUS Opens Green Building

By on November 18, 2010 in APUS Sustainability Efforts, LEED Building, Sustainability in Higher Education

by Beth Gray

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.… Read the rest

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Reclaimed or Recycled Wood Products

By on March 15, 2010 in APUS Sustainability Efforts, LEED Building

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.… Read the rest

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APUS Building LEED Certified Academics Center

By on February 15, 2010 in APUS Sustainability Efforts, LEED Building

by Jessica Stasiw

The “gold standard” in the eco-friendly world now comes with a certification.  Obtaining the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum Certification is the top rating system for operating green buildings.

American Public University System (APUS) is raising the bar by constructing an energy-efficient academic center in Charles Town, West Virginia.  The university hopes to raise environmental awareness by setting an example with the creation of the new building.  The school’s goal is to achieve LEED Gold certification for the building which is currently under construction.  Such certification involves the measurement of water use, CO2 emissions, energy efficiency, and more.  The school anticipates the construction of the building will be complete by the end of 2010 and will be occupied by early 2011. 

… Read the rest

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