At Rasmussen College, you see a lot of green. It’s not only one of the school’s main colors, but staying eco-friendly or “green” is something Rasmussen College tries to implement at all 22 of its campuses. The college is focusing on energy management, lighting, and small steps to become more environmentally friendly and make smarter sustainable decisions.
Energy Management:
College students across the nation are gearing up for another great year with USGBC Students to transform their campuses and build their careers. After an action-packed spring semester with building tours, job fairs and service projects, USGBC Students took the summer to recharge and organize and are ready to hit the ground running this fall.
At the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council, we are fostering a generation of “sustainability natives” – children and adults who act to benefit the earth without needing to be asked – who will help us reach our vision of healthy, high-performing schools and campuses for all students within this generation.
The Center for Green Schools and National Wildlife Federation have a growing, synergistic relationship in support of transforming campuses into more resource-efficient communities with curriculum and training to underpin long term change.
Want to find out what campuses nationwide are doing to green their operations and curriculum? Then take a look at National Wildlife Federation’s campus sustainability case study database, which is now available online.
Close to 100 new case studies were added for 2011, highlighting efforts to dramatically reduce pollution, waste and costs, including recycling, energy efficiency improvements, alternative transportation systems and green jobs training programs.
Over the last three and a half years, I’ve had the pleasure of watching colleges and universities across the country prove their ability to lead and innovate as sustainability doers. Green buildings are a starting point for institutional leadership, but by no means the end. From students and faculty, to staff and senior administrators, to boards and alumni, I’ve observed a groundswell of environmental stewardship, pedagogy and practice indicating that the changes these champions are putting into place are here to stay.
Starting today, 160 campuses across the country are competing to reduce energy and water consumption at colleges and universities. Over a quarter million students have made commitments to use less water and electricity as they race to conserve a collective gigawatt or more!
Pat oversees USGBC Students, which recruits, connects and equips the next generation of green building leaders by empowering them to transform their campuses, communities and careers. In his role, Pat leads the effort and growth of the USGBC Students program and works directly with students to assist them in integrating sustainability themes into their coursework, advocating for sustainable university practices and policies and working toward becoming LEED accredited professionals.
There are two upcoming webcasts that will be useful for campus stakeholders and advocates interested in green building and green schools. The first discusses implementing LEED in a campus setting, and the second focuses on high building performance on campuses. Below is more information, so be sure to sign up!
LEED Implementation Strategies on a Campus: Utilizing the 2010 Application Guide for Multiple Buildings & On-Campus Building Projects
December 2, 2011, 2 p.m. EST