From Living Buildings to Living Campuses

This is a recent article from Planning for Higher Education. If you are a SCUP member, you have the print version of this. At the moment, anyone can read the online version here. However, very soon the journal contents will be a member-only benefit of joining the Society for College and University Planning (SCUP). The authors, Tony Alfieri, David Damon, and Z Smith, conclude:

There are four key steps that can help institutions define a clear plan for their future. These steps focus on both efficiency improvements in existing campus assets and future strategic development. Develop a comprehensive sustainable master plan [that] integrate[s] sustainable initiatives with the institutional mission . . . Install energy retrofits in existing buildings . . . Establish high-performance guidelines for future buildings . . . includ[ing] policies for procurement and for approval of future development . . . Commit to the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC).

We would note that this article focuses on energy and climate aspects of sustainability. A fifth item now needs to be added to that list: Ensure that your campus engages with the Sustainability Assessment, Rating & Tracking System (STARS), which is formally launches this month, with more than 115 campuses already signed up.

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Regional SCUP Events! Enjoy the F2F company of your colleagues and peers at one of three SCUP regional conferences this spring:

• March 14–16: Baltimore, MD
• March 24–26: Cambridge, MA
• April 5–7, San Diego, CA

STARS Has Been Launched

AASHE launched the STARS 1.0 Early Release on September 21, 2009. STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System) establishes a common standard of measurement for sustainability in higher education and creates incentives for continual improvement toward sustainability. SCUP has supported this campus-wide voluntary, self-reporting framework for gauging relative progress toward sustainability since it was merely a concept. As many of us often say, if you can't measure it, you can't manage it. You should definitely take a look at the early release technical manual (PDF).

Campus Sustainability Profiles

AASHE, the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, has had an annual Campus Sustainability leadership Award program since 2006. This resource from AASHE provides you with the content of each year's applications from campuses, with the ones which won awards noted.

Smart Building Ideas: A Call for Stories

For a round-up feature in the November/December, Melissa Ezarik of University Business magazine is seeking examples of “Smart Building Ideas.” Complete this form to share your story. Respond by September 30, please.

Similar in format to previous end-of-year roundups - http://tinyurl.com/c8ynsm and http://tinyurl.com/57bel5 - this feature will include examples of how colleges and universities have been able to continue with building plans despite the economy. She plans to cover several creative financing and fundraising strategies (e.g. fundraising messaging specifically devised to convince donors of the importance of donating despite the economic situation), as well as ideas such as altering project timelines or building in phases rather than all at once.

Please share your stories via this easy-to-use form, and they will be available for Ezarik and also to SCUP. She will not be doing additional reporting, so please include in your short write-up all of the details she might need, including project dates and costs. (See the examples of previous work at the links above.)

Thanks! Complete this form to share your story.

Questions: mezarik@universitybusiness.com or terry.calhoun@scup.org.

P.S. While you are anticipating this feature article in UB, SCUP has three great related webcasts coming up in October and November

9/30 - The Future of Campus Planning and Design: Trend Spotting with 2009 Design Award Submissions
http://www.scup.org/page/profdev/notravel/2009/awards

10/21 - Campus Sustainability Day 7, Sustainability: Strategies for Vibrant Campus Communities
http://www.scup.org/page/profdev/notravel/2009/csd/7

11/19 - Carbon Neutral Campus Architecture: Climate Specific Design and Innovation
http://www.scup.org/page/profdev/notravel/2009/carbonneutral

Complete this form to share your story. Respond by September 30, please.

Keeping it Green, Even in a Recession

A review of several programs, under the rubric of:

"Higher education institutions have been implementing sustainability initiatives long before it became fashionable last summer. As the economic downturn causes campus leaders to reassess all aspects of their budgets, green programs are being spared because they can lead to both financial and environmental savings."

Read on:
http://www.universitybusiness.com/viewpage.aspx?pagename=staticpage/sustainability2009.html