Green Rovers 12
Designated days twice a month that call attention to sustainable movements on campus. The themes can be generated by the Sustainability Center or can be sponsored by campus groups or local businesses. Examples:
Blackout Day, Carry Your Trash Day, NV (Natural Ventilation) Day
Every living thing
Environmental
Increase in awareness and initiative to take action
Cultural
Community feel, interaction among students and locals
Economic
Low impact, but if successful, would save money (electricity, waste, etc.)
How
Who
Cost
Student involvement
Student-run organization or task force
Low
Payback N/A

Green Rovers 12
Idea
Description
Work study program where groups of 2-3 students patrol the campus to exemplify sustainable behavior, turn off lights, turn down heat, close/open windows, and report overlooked maintenance issues. They could reward students with coupons from local merchants and provide a weekly status report about the Institute’s sustainability.
Stakeholders
Every living thing
Impact
Environmental
Less waste, increase in recycling, energy conservation
Cultural
Provide good examples of sustainable habits
Economic
Low impact, but if successful, would save money (electricity, waste, etc.)
Implementation
How
Student involvement, Work Study
Who
Student-run organization or task force
Cost
Low
Payback
Medium

Green Rovers 12
Idea
Description
Adopt a policy to consider the carbon footprint and environmental impact of each purchasing decision.
Stakeholders
Everything that breathes
Impact
Environmental
Less waste, energy conservation, choice of sustainable materials, the greening of support businesses
Cultural
Provide good examples of sustainable habits
Economic
Low financial investment, moderate time investment, large environmental payback
Implementation
How RPI procurement department with student research and assistance
Who All responsible for purchasing descisions
Cost Low
Payback N/A

Green Rovers 12
Idea
Description
The facility would collect all organic waste (landscaping, food preparation, regular garbage) from RPI and local communities to compost it at a local facility. Decomposed waste will be processed with an anerobic digester to create:
• Solids to use as fertilizer by RPI or local farmers
• Methane to run a motor/generator system with resulting electricity sold back to utility via net metering
• Leachate that is biologically remediated before being released to the sewer.
Stakeholders
• Entire campus
• Sodexho
• City of Troy
• National Grid
• Local Farms
Impact
Environmental
• Eliminates organic waste currently going to landfills
• Produces electricity for the grid made by renewable resource
• Eliminates methane gas emissions from anaerobic decomposition
Cultural
• Changes campus mindset regarding organic waste disposal.
Economic
• Revenue from electricity and fertilizer
• Eliminate cost of landfilling.
Implementation
How Facility would be located on purchased land within a 5-mile radius of campus.
Who Facility construction would be overseen by Campus Planning & Facilities Design, and its operation would be the responsibility of
Envriomental and Site Services or a private company.
Cost Medium
Payback Calculated revenue from electrical generation is $500-$1000 day. Estimated savings in not having to landfill is
$50,000-$100,000

Green Rovers 12
Idea
Description
A neighborhood of small off-grid single family homes designed by interdisciplinary design studios (perhaps in conjunction with a Solar Decathlon studio) , built by students (perhaps a summer session activity for credit), built in walkable distance to campus, owned by staff and faculty, or by the institute for grad student or married student housing, utilizing and showcasing current RPI research efforts.
Stakeholders
Everything that breathes.
Impact
Environmental
Reduces energy use per capita in our community. Reduce staff-fac commute.
Cultural
Demonstrates the feasibility of low impact sustainable living especially in an urban setting. Improves Campus
Edges and gateways. Establishes an interesting, attractive and engaging approach to campus.
Economic
Develop new housing in our community. Prototype homes could be produced and sold to owners in other neighborhoods and communities.
Implementation
How
Who research examples , develop a curriculum, establish courses, identify buyers/clients, locate land
School of Architecture as lead, other schools interdisciplinary, CPFD, some outside contractors needed
Cost some research funding, faculty cost, building materials,
Payback client/owner pays for the house so some cost is recovered immediately. RPI has less expense for mowing of open.

Green Rovers 12
Idea
Description
Reduce the length of commute by staff and faculty
Reduce the need to commute by staff and faculty
Reduce the environmental and financial cost of commuting by staff and faculty
Stakeholders
Everything that breathes
Impact
Environmental
Conserves natural resources
Cultural
Less time spent commuting means more time spent on career and family and recreation.
Economic
Less money spent on commute means more money for investment in meaningful endeavor.
Less money spent on road repairs.
Implementation
How incentives to purchase local homes, incentives to rent locally, promote local business development and local schools to make neighborhoods more livable, incentives to carpool
Who Institute Administration HR, CPFD, Transportation
Cost housing incentives - $250,000 per year Promotional Materials and training – low cost,
Payback economic impacts described above, less parking lots to maintain on campus, building of local
Intellectual Community surrounding campus.

•
• Visual displays that indicate energy use within the building
•
• Fosters interdepartmental collaboration
•
• One large windmill on top of the hill – energy producing and visual reminder
• Series of smaller windmill installations in overly windy areas (i.e., DCC wind tunnel)
•
• Develop on-campus living community for student or faculty that encourages local and sustainable living
• Reduce commuting footprint. Incentives for faculty/staff to live close to campus
•
• Generating electric power from the river flow
•
• Encourage walking and bicycling as alternative means of transportation
•
• Participation in events such as Solar Decathlon and the EcoHall Challenge