green building
A building's sustainability is more important than you might imagine: The energy, water and raw materials it uses, in addition to the waste and pollution it creates, can have a significant impact on the environment.
Commercial and residential buildings, which make up the bulk of a campus, consume 65% of the electricity and generate 30% of the greenhouse gases in the U.S. In addition, 40% of the raw materials extracted from the earth annually are used to build these commercial and residential buildings around the world.
Idea starters
- New construction and major renovations
- Talk to the administration about incorporating green design in its bidding process and about making all or a percentage of new buildings meet LEED standards developed by the U.S. Green Building Council.
- Renovation and retrofits
- Ensure that renovations have green design built in (i.e., low-emissivity windows; energy-efficient lights, appliances and motors; modern climate controls; low volatile organic compound (VOC) carpets and finishes; motion detectors; day lighting; water conservation and renewable energy).
- Renewable energy and on-site power generation
- Utilize solar, wind and geothermal energy, as appropriate, and consider on-site cogeneration of heat and power.
- Indoor air quality
- Ensure that materials used (paint, sealants, carpet, etc.) emit low or no VOCs, which are hazardous to your health.
- Materials and resources
- Convince the contractor to recycle a certain percentage of construction waste during and after the project.
In practice
The Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies at Oberlin College is listed as one of the top 10 green projects by the American Institute of Architects. The building uses less energy than a typical building, has solar-friendly design features, is constructed from certified wood that meets Forest Stewardship Council standards, and houses a living machine to process waste water. http://www.oberlin.edu/ajlc/ajlcHome.html
Resources
- U.S. Green Building Council
- https://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=1097
- National Wildlife Federation, Campus Ecology
- www.nwf.org/campusecology