Spotlight on Green Schools

Schools are focusing more and more heavily on cutting back on the energy they use and trying to reduce their impact on the environment. The articles on these pages spotlight individual campus energy conservation programs, energy initiatives, solar installations, energy-related technology, HVAC, research, grants, policy, and other topics related to green campuses.


Eastern Michigan U Taps Utilities Partnership to Help Fund Infrastructure Improvements, Academic Programs, Student Retention

Eastern Michigan University (EMU) has announced a 50-year partnership with Eagle Energy Partners (EEP) that will enable the institution to invest $115 million in infrastructure, academic, and student enrollment and retention needs.

electric vehicle charging map

Purdue and Google Cloud Partner in Electric Vehicle Charging Station Study

Purdue University and Google Cloud have partnered, using Google's BigQuery and BigQuery GIS data sets, to show where rural areas need Level 3 DC Fast Charge Stations. This information can help public and private sectors plan investments to support equitable access to electric vehicles to help reduce and eliminate carbon energy impacts.

Howard U to Engage Students with Five-Year Sustainability Plan

Howard University recently announced that it will be partnering with VEIC and CustomerFirst Renewables to develop a five-year campus Sustainability Plan.

sustainability

5 Creative Funding Solutions for a Healthier, Connected Campus

As students return to school this fall, colleges and universities must optimize campus environments while decreasing operational costs. Here are planning and funding strategies for making safe, connected and energy-efficient campuses a reality. 

New Bentley U Arena to Double as Learning Lab for Students

Bentley University has just completed construction of a new multipurpose arena that boasts the latest in sustainable design and green technology. The 76,000-square-foot facility will host the institution's hockey team as well as university events such as career fairs, high-profile speakers and concerts, according to a news release. But it will also provide students with a number of hands-on learning opportunities.

A Community Approach to Recycling Tech

Towson University's EduCycle technology recycling program reconditions and redeploys computers that would otherwise end up in the e-waste pile. Volunteers from local schools and underserved communities help perform the refurbishing work, gaining hands-on computer skills while earning service-learning hours.

Mohawk Valley College to Reduce Energy Costs by Nearly 10% with Newly Completed Solar Farm

Mohawk Valley College to Reduce Energy Costs by Nearly 10% with Newly Completed Solar Farm

Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) has completed construction on a solar farm projected to produce 3.5 million kilowatt hours of energy in its first year of operation.

Revamped Colorado College Library Packs a Sustainability Wallop

A library originally built 55 years ago at a small Colorado school has just had a $45 million renovation, turning it into what college officials are calling the largest carbon-neutral, net-zero energy academic library in the United States.

A long view of the geothermal room in Monroe County Community College

Community College Taps Geothermal to Cut Power Usage

A community college in Michigan has turned to geothermal technology to reduce what it spends on heating and cooling and to shrink its carbon footprint.

MIT Researchers Improve Datacenter Cache Efficiency with Flash Memory

The team, from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence laboratory (CSAIL), reported that it can reduce energy requirements by using flash memory — the same kind used in smartphones — for data center caching.

MIT Turns Campus into Green Lab with Sustainability Incubator Fund

MIT's Office of Sustainability (MITOS) has chosen the recipients for the first round of grants from its Campus Sustainability Incubator Fund. Four multi-departmental projects will share in $200,000 as they use the campus as a lab for sustainable design, management and operations.

Clemson U Adopts Energy Storage System to Reduce Costs

Clemson University has deployed a distributed energy storage system in an effort to reduce energy costs and to provide engineering students an opportunity to practice measuring and tracking energy savings.

As U.S. Abandons Paris, Institutes of Sustainability Take Action on Campus

A new report examined 18 universities with various models for studying the subject of sustainability, looking at approaches to governance, research, education, engagement, campus operations and best practices.

CSU Dominguez Hills Opts for Intelligent Energy Storage

The university is working with energy storage firm Stem, Inc. to implement the company’s software-driven energy storage service to drive down energy costs across the university.

Washington Rep. Intros Bill to Expand OER Use at 6 Institutions

Representative Melanie Stambaugh, who residents on Washington State Legislature's House Higher Education Committee, has proposed a bill that would award $100,000 grants to six colleges and universities to expand their use of open educational resources (OER).