At colleges nationwide, environmental responsibility is a priority
State-of-the-art facilities, highly talented student bodies, esteemed faculty and study abroad programs have long been components of colleges' marketability. Recently, however, another factor - the environmental sustainability or the "greenness" of the campus - was added to that list.
According to the United States Green Building Council, more then 110 colleges have either built structures that are environmentally friendly and meet high standards of energy efficiency, or are in the process of doing so.
Across the country, colleges and universities are showing an increasing responsibility toward the environment - starting with their own campuses. For example, at Middlebury College in Vermont, local forests supply wood for construction. At Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, students study a new building's "living roof," which is meant to reduce storm water drainage and improve water quality.
At Tufts, Sophia Gordon Hall - the new, mostly-senior dormitory opening this coming fall - will be the University's first "green" building. That is, the dorm will be Tufts' first building constructed according to U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) voluntary standards.
These parameters were developed in order to guide environmentally-friendly construction, and to encourage the use of energy-efficient technology and recycled and renewable construction materials.
Tufts takes the LEED...
According to Associate Civil Engineering Professor Chris Swan, who taught a course last semester called "Engineering and the Construction Process" that studied the actual Tufts construction site, "you get certain points for doing environmentally conscious construction, and you get a certification when you [have enough points]. This will be Tufts' first LEED-accredited building."
There are many different aspects of LEED certification, depending on "where the materials come from and how you obtained them," Swan said. "All of that goes into the LEED certification process."
In 2002, the University received a $500,000 grant from the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust to ensure the installment of energy-saving features in all new buildings.
According to Sarah Hammond Creighton, the Tufts Climate Initiative (TCI) Project Manager, there will be several energy-efficient technologies included in Sophia Gordon Hall, but the "most visible to students and to members of the Tufts community will be two solar technologies."
One of these technologies is a photovoltaic rooftop, which will generate electricity for the building. The other is a solar thermal system that will use the sun's energy to heat water.
"Solar photovoltaic panels line some of the exterior of Sophia Gordon Hall - that's energy reduction - so that gets you points in the LEED accreditation process," Swan said.
These photovoltaic panels will resemble glass awnings and will offer shade, as well as convert energy from sunlight. "We expect the photovoltaic system will generate 26,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a year and we expect the solar thermal system will offset 30 percent to 40 percent, maybe even 50 percent of the energy used to heat water in the building," Creighton said.
The grant, however, does not cover most of the costs of these technologies, and the payoff will take years. "Payback is a good thing, but we also want to be good citizens... for the health of the planet," Creighton said.
Additionally, there is a storm water management plan in place on the site to control runoff and reduce the effects of erosion and sedimentation on the storm sewer system.
...and TCI takes action
While Sophia Gordon Hall is the most visible and publicized of the campus' green initiatives, TCI has in fact implemented multitudes of projects and programs that bring Tufts to the forefront of those institutions working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the environment.
"Tufts has been taking action to address energy issues for a long time for a couple reasons," Creighton said. "One is that it saves money and two is that Tufts has a commitment to civic engagement and to environmental stewardship."
This past year, TCI was one of only 17 recipients of a prestigious award from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its efforts to reduce climate change. According to the EPA Web site, other recipients of this honor include the cities of Syracuse, New York and Boulder, Colorado, the California Energy Commission and even McDonalds, Coca-Cola and Unilever Refrigerants Naturally Partnership.
American Electric Power, the largest energy generator and consumer of coal in the United States, also received the same honor for its efforts in preventing approximately 18 million cumulative tons of carbon dioxide from being produced and for its reforestation and conservation projects.
On campus, most of TCI's projects are in collaboration with groups like the Tufts Institute for the Environment, who provide much of the projects' funding, and Tufts Division of Operations, which eventually implements the projects.
Compact florescent bulbs, motion sensors, vending misers and front-loading washing machines are just a handful of the small-scale energy efficiency projects that TCI has been responsible for initiating.
"There are a lot of initiatives that have made a difference, from things that are viewable [such as] the solar panels on Fairmount House and the solar hot water on the French house to things that you don't see unless you look for them, like motion detectors in a lot of the buildings so the lights get turned off and save energy," explained Professor Ann Rappaport of the Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning School, who is also the TCI co-director.
Additionally, more energy-saving air conditioning systems and boilers with steam traps have been installed in buildings all over campus in order to reduce energy consumption. With these numerous energy saving projects, Creighton said proudly, "[Tufts is] on the cutting edge of this stuff."
"For all TCI projects, we work with people in facilities and in operations to look for ways to save energy and reduce emissions," Rappaport said. "One of the things that got done was [in] a renovation to the French house. There was a transition from heating oil to natural gas because natural gas produces a lot less climate-altering emissions than heating oil."
An energy-saving switch
This winter, the efforts of the TCI and Tufts Energy Management lead Tufts to switch its electricity supplier. The new company, TransCanada, is located in Westborough, Massachusetts and supplies the University with hydroelectric power. The energy that comes from this new company is a mix of about 81 percent hydropower and 19 percent natural gas.
Previously, Tufts purchased its energy through a company that used only oil, natural gas and coal - sources that emit carbon dioxide and other green house gases that pollute the air. With this new source of clean hydroelectric power, greenhouse gas emissions connected to Tufts will be reduced to about 21 percent of the New England average.
"We look for multiple reasons for taking these initiatives. So, for example, something that will reduce emissions of climate-altering gas may also reduce costs to the University," Rappaport explained.
Thinking globally and locally
Additionally, the University has adopted international and local goals of keeping the air clean and reducing energy usage. In 1990, Tufts was the first University to sign the EPA Green Lights Pledge. This commitment was a promise that 90 percent of the lighting on campus would be upgraded more energy-efficient lighting.
"A lot of lighting that we had in 1990 you will not see at Tufts anymore," Creighton said.
The recent change in energy suppliers has aided Tufts in staying in line with the Kyoto Protocol, an objective aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions by seven percent of their 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012.
Tufts is also committed to the New England Governors' goal of reducing emissions by 10 percent by 2020, as well as the targets of the Chicago Climate Exchange (which aims for one-percent reductions per year from 2003-2006).
Many proactive student groups around campus also do their part by creating awareness and outreach campaigns.
Environmental Consciousness Outreach (ECO) is one such student organization. In addition to the Do-It-In-The-Dark campaign in the fall, ECO is currently planning EarthFest, a week-long event in April to increase student awareness about environmental issues.
According to sophomore and ECO Officer Emma Shields, the ground is currently working on a "paper campaign."
"We're trying to get the departments to buy recycled paper," Shields said. "We are also working on a small campaign to get the fraternities to recycle. We're starting small and we've gotten the recycling bins to ZBT and AEPi yesterday. We're starting with the land that's owned by Tufts."
"We all live in this world, and we have to share it and keep it for the future generations," Shields added. "We can't be selfish. It's so easy to be environmental and take little steps."
"Tufts is doing really well compared to its peer institutions, and that is something we're really proud of," Creighton added.
Rebecca Dince contributed to this article.
