Campus Sustainability Report 2010
Table of Contents
Welcome from the Chair of the University Sustainability Council
1
Introduction from the Director of Sustainability
2
Leadership
University Sustainability Council
New Policies
Independent Facilities Site Review Committee
3
CAMPUS: Sustainable Infrastructure and Operations
Climate Action
Energy
Green Buildings
Stormwater
Water
Green Cleaning
Waste Management
Dining
Transportation
5
CULTURE: Sustainable Behaviors
Campus Action
Student Action
Faculty/Staff Action
18
CURRICULUM: Sustainability Education (and Research)
Sustainability Across the Curriculum
New Academic Programs
Sustainability Research
24
COMMUNITY: Engaging the Greater Community in Sustainability
Engaging the Local Community
Engaging the Global Community
28
Acknowledgements
32
On the Cover:
The green roof on Cumberland Hall, completed
in 2008, is the largest planted roof on campus.
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among 18 universities to make the Princeton
5HYLHZ·VGreen College Honor Roll for 2011,
recognized as a
Campus Sustainability Leader
on the College Sustainability Report Card for 2010,
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and winner of the
contest in 2009 thanks to student, faculty, and staff activism.
Thank you for your support!
Welcome
Dear colleagues, students, alumni, and visitors:
The University of Maryland is rapidly becoming a model energy-efficient, resource-smart, and low-carbon community.
Local and global environmental issues such as the health of the Chesapeake Bay and global climate change remind us all
ƚŽĐŽŶƐŝĚĞƌŚŽǁŽƵƌŝŶĚŝǀŝĚƵĂůĂŶĚĐŽůůĞĐƚŝǀĞĂĐƚŝŽŶƐŝŶĨůƵĞŶĐĞƚŚĞƉůĂŶĞƚ͛ƐĞĐŽƐLJƐƚĞŵƐ͘/ĂŵƉƌŽƵĚŽĨƚŚĞhŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ͛Ɛ
recent successes in reducing its environmental impacts including decreasing our carbon footprint, increasing our
recycling by 40 percent since 2003, increasing the amount of stormwater that is captured, and expanding sustainability
education and learning.
KƌŐĂŶŝnjĂƚŝŽŶƐƚŚĂƚƌĂƚĞĐŽůůĞŐĞƐĂŶĚƵŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚŝĞƐĨŽƌƚŚĞŝƌƐƵƐƚĂŝŶĂďŝůŝƚLJƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞŚĂǀĞŶŽƚŝĐĞĚƚŚĞhŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ͛ƐĞĨĨŽƌƚƐ͘ The Princeton
Review included the University of Maryland among 18 institutions in the nation to make their Green College Honor Roll for 2011, and the
Sustainable Endowments Institute again recognized the University as a Campus Sustainability Leader on their 2010 College Sustainability
Report Card. The University community should be proud of these recognitions and we should maintain the expectation for more to come in
the future.
The University Sustainability Council will continue the work it started in 2009 to seek opportunities to reduce further the UnivĞƌƐŝƚLJ͛Ɛ
environmental footprint and foster a culture of sustainability for the entire University of Maryland community. The Council will administer
the new Campus Green Fund, which is generated by student fees. Proposals to the Fund that promote environmental sustainability and
positively impact the student experience are reviewed by a student-majority committee which provides recommendations for funding to
the Council. Nearly $150,000 is available this year to help fund sustainability projects. The fund will grow to nearly $200,000 in the 20112012 academic year.
We live in an exciting time with needs that require us to rethink many of the existing technical, cultural, and economic systems in the
context of their sustainability. I encourage your participation, both large and small, in sustainability efforts. Our collective focus will make a
positive impact.
Ann G. Wylie
Vice President, Administrative Affairs
Chair, University Sustainability Council
1
Introduction
Campus Community:
Since the last Campus Sustainability Report was issued in fall 2008, the University has made great strides to integrate
sustainability into campus culture and operations. Many departments across the university are involved with this effort,
and the student body is organized and engaged through Student Government, internships, and volunteerism. It is an
ĞdžĐŝƚŝŶŐƚŝŵĞƚŽďĞŝŶǀŽůǀĞĚŝŶDĂƌLJůĂŶĚ͛ƐƐƵƐƚĂŝŶĂďŝůŝƚLJĞĨĨŽƌƚĂŶĚƚŽƐĞĞŝƚƚĂŬĞŚŽůĚĂƚĐŽůůĞŐĞƐĂŶĚƵŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚŝĞƐĂĐƌŽƐƐ
the country.
This Campus Sustainability Report has been prepared to share the many initiatives and successes of the University as a whole and to
highlight the excellent work being done by units and individuals across our community. The University continues to move toward its goal of
ďĞŝŶŐ͞ǁŝĚĞůLJƌĞĐŽŐŶŝnjĞĚĂƐĂŶĂƚŝŽŶĂůŵŽĚĞůĨŽƌĂ'ƌĞĞŶhŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ͘͟
Many exciting projects and initiatives are underway including the award of a $20 million energy performance contract to reduce electricity
use and greenhouse gas emissions; the formation of a new high level University Sustainability Council to advise the President and campus
on sustainability policy; and the establishment of a new Independent Facilities Site Review Committee charged with reviewing potential
new building locations relative to environmental and sustainability criteria. Also, two green buildings opened in 2010 ʹ South Campus
Commons Building 7 and Knight Hall ʹ the first LEED designed buildings on the College Park campus, both of which achieved LEED Gold
certification.
The Office of Sustainability has been a partner in many sustainability projects including the development of the campus Climate Action Plan;
the completion of three campus-wide greenhouse gas inventories; the development of the Chesapeake Project, a two day workshop to train
and encourage faculty to incorporate sustainability issues into their courses; and the development of sustainability metrics. The Office
continues to support a wide array of university units in their sustainability efforts while furthering sustainability policy, measurement, and
performance. To learn more about how you can get involved, please visit www.sustainability.umd.edu.
I invite all members of the campus community to do their part at work and at home to move us toward a more sustainable future. Your
willingness to incorporate sustainability into your everyday routine is critical to our collective success. The Office of Sustainability is
committed to supporting the entire campus community in this endeavor.
Scott Lupin
Associate Director, Department of Environmental Safety
Director, Office of Sustainability
2
LEADERSHIP
University Sustainability Council
New Campus Policies
President Mote established the University Sustainability
Council in 2009 to advise the President, the Office of
Sustainability, and the campus community about issues
related to the integration of sustainability into the
diverse operations of the University. This includes
helping the campus weigh the costs and benefits of
ƐƚƌĂƚĞŐŝĞƐ ĚĞƐŝŐŶĞĚ ƚŽ ŵĞĞƚ ƚŚĞ WƌĞƐŝĚĞŶƚ͛Ɛ ůŝŵĂƚĞ
Commitment and considering policies that will
encourage more sustainable operations and behavior.
dŚĞŽƵŶĐŝůŽǀĞƌƐĞĞƐƚŚĞhŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ͛ƐŵŝƐƐŝŽŶ͕ĂƐƐƚĂƚĞĚ
in the Strategic Plan, to be widely recognized as a
national model for a Green University. The Council is
ƌĞƉƌĞƐĞŶƚĞĚďLJĂůůŵĞŵďĞƌƐ ŽĨƚŚĞWƌĞƐŝĚĞŶƚ͛Ɛ ĂďŝŶĞƚ
(or designees), appointed faculty, undergraduate and
graduate student representatives, the campus Energy
Manager, and the Director of the Office of
Sustainability.
Environmentally Preferable Procurement Policy
During its first year, the Council recommended three
new sustainability related policies that were adopted by
the President. These were related to environmentally
preferable purchasing, indoor lighting standards, and
energy conservation. The Council also adopted a
process to administer the new undergraduate student
sustainability fee which will be collected annually and
applied to campus sustainability projects. In addition, a
new advisory committee was approved to focus on
waste minimization and recycling.
3
Policy VIII-3.10(C)(abbreviated): Effective November 4, 2009, the University
of Maryland, College Park will procure all supplies, services, maintenance,
construction and architect-engineer services in a manner consistent with
the promotion of sound environmental stewardship and, in particular,
promoting the reduction of carbon emissions as envisioned by the
hŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ͛Ɛ ůŝŵĂƚĞ ĐƚŝŽŶ WůĂŶ͘ ŽŶƐŝĚĞƌĂƚŝŽŶ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĞŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚĂů
impact of products and services must be an integral part of the
procurement process and should be weighed along with price and other
factors when making procurement decisions.
Policy on Building Temperatures
Policy X-12.00(A)(abbreviated): Effective February 25, 2010, this policy
establishes the optimal temperature range in University facilities. In brief,
this policy states: It is the goal of the University to maintain occupied
buildings in the temperature range of 68 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit year
round. Within this temperature range, Facilities Management (FM) will
balance occupant comfort and program/research needs with the
hŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ͛ƐůŝŵĂƚĞŽŵŵŝƚŵĞŶƚĂŶĚĞŶĞƌŐLJĐŽŶƐĞƌǀĂƚŝŽŶŐŽĂůƐ͘
Policy on Lighting Levels
Policy X-13.00(A)(abbreviated): Effective February 25, 2010, this policy
establishes the standards for lighting levels in or on certain University
buildings and grounds. In brief, this policy states: The lighting levels
recommended by the Illuminating Engineer Society of North America
(IESNA) shall be the established lighting standards. To advance the
University's Climate Commitment, building occupants are strongly
discouraged from adding supplemental lighting to attain lighting levels
above the IESNA standard.
Facilities Site Review Committee
The College Park campus is a growing institution that encompasses over 1250 acres and must meet a wide array of
University priorities and initiatives. Since the development of the 2001 Facilities Master Plan, environmental
considerations and the broader issue of sustainability and smart growth have become a greater part of the campus
culture. In light of this evolving ethic, the University Senate commissioned an effort to review the way new facilities are
cited on campus. The goal of the special taskforce was to determine whether the current selection process provides
adequate consideration of and protections for environmental conservation, sustainability, and campus teaching and
research opportunities.
In April 2010, the University Senate and President Mote approved a new Independent Facilities Site Review Committee
that will review potential locations for new facilities to ensure individual projects meet campus environmental and
sustainability policies and practices, and the missions of teaching, research, and service. The new Committee must also
ĞŶƐƵƌĞƚŚĂƚƚŚĞƌĞǀŝĞǁƉƌŽĐĞƐƐŝƐ͙͞ĐŽŶƐŝƐƚĞŶƚ͕ƚƌĂŶƐƉĂƌĞŶƚ͕ŽƉĞŶĂŶĚƉƵďůŝĐ͙͟ƐŽůŝĚŵĂũŽƌŝƚLJŽĨƚŚĞǀŽƚŝŶŐŵĞŵďĞƌƐ
are to be made up of independent faculty and staff members as well as undergraduate and graduate students. The
Independent Facilities Site Review Committee will provide advice to the University Facilities Council before projects are
included in the Facilities Master Plan and before they are submitted for funding.
CAMPUS
SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE AND OPERATIONS
Climate Action
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dŚĞ hŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ ŽĨ DĂƌLJůĂŶĚ ŝƐ Ă ĐŚĂƌƚĞƌ ƐŝŐŶĂƚŽƌLJ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ŵĞƌŝĐĂŶ ŽůůĞŐĞ ĂŶĚ hŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ WƌĞƐŝĚĞŶƚƐ͛ ůŝŵĂƚĞ ŽŵŵŝƚŵĞŶƚ ;ůŝŵate
Commitment), a network of more than 670 American colleges and universities that have made institutional commitments to eliminate net
greenhouse gas emissions from specified campus operations, and to promote the integration of climate change and sustainability into
research and education. In September 2009, the University submitted its Climate Action Plan to Climate Commitment organizers. This
strategic plan was collaboratively developed by the Climate Action Plan Work Group, a diverse group of more than 50 students, faculty, and
staff representing 35 different schools, departments, and offices.
The Climate Action Plan outlines more than 40 strategies, which if fully implemented, would enable the campus to achieve its goal of carbon
neutrality by 2050. The strategies include policy changes; mitigating emissions from power and operations, transportation, and solid waste;
and opportunities to integrate climate change and sustainability into the curriculum and research.
Total GHG Emissions
350,000
300,000
CAP 2012 Target: 270,748 MT-CO2e (15% below 2005 emissions)
CAP 2015 Target: 238,895 MT-CO2e (25% below 2005 emissions)
MT-CO2e
250,000
200,000
CAP 2020 Target: 159,264 MT-CO2e (50% below 2005 emissions)
150,000
100,000
50,000
CAP 2050 Target: Net-Zero GHG emissions
0
5
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Fiscal Year (2002-2008) and Calendar Year (2009)
Progress Toward Carbon Neutrality
The Climate Action Plan was reviewed by the campus community and ultimately endorsed by the University Senate and President Mote.
Even before it was submitted, diverse units were working to implement core strategies in the plan. In September 2010, a third campus
greenhouse gas inventory was completed for the campus, detailing emissions for calendar year 2009. The 2009 inventory shows sound
progress with an 8.5 percent reduction in emissions over baseline emissions in 2005.
The Climate Action Plan set an initial milestone of a 15 percent reduction over 2005 levels by 2012. Due in part to energy efficiency and
conservation measures, emissions associated with purchased electricity use were down by over 13 percent. These included the $20M
Energy Performance Contract with Johnson Controls, lighting retrofits, Tawes SCUB, and SCUB3 projects. Emissions from refrigerant
releases were down 36 percent and solid waste associated emissions were down 70 percent. There were also a number of reductions
associated with improved accounting practices, as campus units improve their ability to track emissions associated with diverse University
operations.
2009 GHG Emissions by Source
On-Campus
Power Plant
42.8%
Purchased
Electricity
21.6%
University Fleet
1.6%
Stationary
Sources
1.9%
Refrigerant
Releases
0.9%
Shuttle-UM
0.8%
Agriculture
0.7%
Faculty/Staff
Commuting
7.0%
Student
Commuting
7.6%
Air Travel
14.6%
Solid Waste
0.5%
Going forward, the University will need to seek reductions from each contributing sectorͶand promote innovation across a diverse array of
campus functions and units. In addition to making the campus infrastructure more efficient, the University needs the cooperation of the
entire campus community to reduce energy use in buildings and promote the adoption of more sustainable means of transport.
6
Energy
Energy Performance Contract
Hallway Lighting Project
The State of Maryland recently pre-qualified a group of Energy
Service Companies (ESCOs) to make performance contracts
available to state agencies, including the University.
Performance contracts allow energy conservation measures and
technologies to be installed without any upfront capital cost to
the University. The ESCO is repaid through utility bill savings
over the term of the contract. The ESCO guarantees projected
savings and a measurement and verification program ensures
that these savings are realized.
Since 2008, Facilities Management has retrofitted hallway
lighting in 24 buildings across campus. The program consists of
replacing T8 fixtures with more energy efficient dimmable T5
fixtures while reducing the total number of fixtures in each
hallway. It provides a standard illumination of 5-8 foot candles
as well as the capability of being further reduced by 50 percent
ĚƵƌŝŶŐ ŶŝŐŚƚ ƚŝŵĞ ƐĞƚďĂĐŬ ǀŝĂ ƚŚĞ hŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ͛Ɛ ďƵŝůĚŝŶŐ
automation system.
On April 1, 2009, the University entered into a 15-year Energy
Performance Contract with Johnson Controls, Inc. The $20
million contract provides energy conservation measures in nine
buildings on campus resulting in $1.7 million in guaranteed
avoided energy costs annually; this is a 22 percent reduction in
energy consumption for these buildings when compared to its
baseline. It also reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 4,100
tons annually, the equivalent of planting 20,700 trees.
Each building received a comprehensive energy audit to
determine a customized list of conservation measures that
would provide the best results. Energy conservation measures
include lighting upgrades, water conservation measures, building
envelope improvements, chiller plant upgrades, building
automation control enhancements, HVAC system improvements,
steam trap replacement, window replacement, and
incorporation of renewable energy technology.
7
From the twenty four buildings completed to date, hallway
lighting retrofits average a 73 percent reduction in watts per
square foot and a 3 year payback. Annual savings equal
$164,000. There are twenty four remaining academic buildings
eligible for retrofits.
Photovoltaic Panels on Cole
A 5.25 kW photovoltaic solar array was installed on the roof of
the Cole Student Activities Building in 2009. An interactive
computer monitor will soon be installed in the lobby of the
Driskell Center that will provide information on the project
including the amount of electricity being produced and general
information about University sustainability efforts.
Solar Hot Water at the Diner
Solar hot water panels installed at Ellicott Dining Hall in
early 2010 provide about 30 percent of the energy needed
to pre-ŚĞĂƚ ĚŽŵĞƐƚŝĐ ǁĂƚĞƌ ĨŽƌ ͞ƚŚĞ ŝŶĞƌ͘͟ dŚĞ ƐLJƐƚĞŵ
includes 20 panels with 3 solar storage tanks, pumps,
temperature sensors, and controls. As Dining Services
continues to install water saving devices, the percentage of
solar-heated water used at the Diner will continue to
increase.
USM Renewable Energy Contract
In December 2009, the University System of Maryland
(USM) Board of Regents approved the award of four
renewable energy projects, however only two of the
projects have successfully executed 20-year power
purchase agreements with USM and the State. These two
projects are:
13 megawatt SOLAR project at Mount St. Mary's University
10 megawatt WIND project in western Maryland
Execution of power purchase agreements with these two
ƌĞŶĞǁĂďůĞ ĞŶĞƌŐLJ ƉƌŽũĞĐƚƐ ĚĞŵŽŶƐƚƌĂƚĞ ƚŚĞ hŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ͛Ɛ
commitment to reducing its carbon footprint over time.
University President Mote commented that "It is one big
step among many to come toward our goal of carbon
neutrality by 2050."
Green Buildings
Knight Hall
Knight Hall, the new home of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism, opened its doors in the winter of 2010 as the first University-owned
and operated green building. Certified as LEED Gold by the US Green Building Council, Knight Hall features 53,400 square feet of high-tech
classrooms, multimedia labs, offices, and spaces for professional journalism centers. Green features of the building include:
97 percent of the waste generated during construction ʹ soil, as-phalt, concrete, etc. ʹ was diverted from landfills and recycled.
31 percent of building materials were obtained from regional and local suppliers, reducing the amount of energy and cost required
to transport material to the job site.
ϯϰƉĞƌĐĞŶƚŽĨ<ŶŝŐŚƚ,Ăůů͛ƐďƵŝůĚŝŶŐŵĂƚĞƌŝĂůƐǁĞƌĞĨƌŽŵƌĞĐLJĐůĞĚƐŽƵƌĐĞƐ͘
Considerably less energy is used on an average daily basis through shading devices and specialty glass that reduces solar heat and
glare. The building is oriented for optimum natural day-light and solar control.
100 percent of the water needed for landscaping irrigation
is supplied by a 10,000-gallon cistern under the courtyard that
collects rainwater from the building site.
86 percent of regularly occupied spaces receive natural
daylight and 92 percent of regularly occupied spaces have
exterior views. Both of these factors contribute to energy
savings.
A 40 percent reduction in water use ʹ compared to
baseline standards ʹ was achieved by using low-flow toilets
and automatic sensors on faucets.
A great amount of care was placed in selecting outside
plant species that will survive and thrive in conditions with
minimal maintenance, while providing func-tions such as
shade and aesthetic value.
All cleaning products meet the Green Seal standards for
industrial and institutional cleaners. These do not contain
environmental contaminants and mandate cleaning practices
to improve indoor air quality for building occupants and staff.
South Campus Commons 7
In January, 2010, the University of Maryland opened the doors to its first LEED Certified
student housing facility. The facility was also the first campus building to achieve LEED Gold
Certification. Building 7 of South Campus Commons is a 370 bed, apartment-style residential
building that is home to upper-division, undergraduate students. It was constructed through
a Public-Private Partnership between the University and Capstone Development Corp.
The development team, comprised of Capstone Development Corp., Design Collective Inc., A.
Morton Thomas, and the Whiting Turner Contracting Company, collaborated closely with the
University to design and construct Building 7 with the following LEED goals in mind:
Energy savings
Water conservation
CO2 emissions reduction
Improved indoor environmental quality
Stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts
Building 7 differs from a conventional residence hall in many ways, but one of the most
profound is in the area of energy consumption. High-efficiency heat pumps and Energy Star
appliances in each residential unit (washers/dryers, ovens/stove tops, and dishwashers)
optimize energy performance. The building also includes energy efficient windows and a
white roof to reduce heat gain in the summer.
Adele H. Stamp Student Union Renovations
The Adele H. Stamp Student Union completed renovations in 2010 that include:
WůĂŶƚĞĚŐƌĞĞŶƌŽŽĨƐŽŶƚŚĞƚƌŝƵŵĂŶĚƚŚĞWƌŝŶĐĞ'ĞŽƌŐĞ͛ƐZŽŽŵ
Bamboo flooring and enhanced natural day-ůŝŐŚƚŝŶŐŝŶƚŚĞŝŶƚĞƌŝŽƌŽĨƚŚĞƚƌŝƵŵĂŶĚƚŚĞWƌŝŶĐĞ'ĞŽƌŐĞ͛ƐZŽŽŵ
Water conserving faucets that use 70 percent less water
Energy efficient light bulbs with six times the lifespan of previous fluorescent bulbs
Long-lasting, low-toxin paint on some building surfaces
Environmentally preferable carpeting made from 20 percent post-consumer recycled materials
A hydration station with freshly filtered water for patrons, thereby reducing the use of bottled water
10
Stormwater
Knight Hall Cistern
Adele H. Stamp Student Union Green Roofs
The Knight Hall building site is estimated to reduce stormwater
runoff by 27 percent compared with pre-construction
conditions. This reduction was achieved by converting an
impervious parking lot into a green building surrounded by
green space and capturing the rain that falls on the site in a large
cistern buried under the courtyard.
dŚĞƚƌŝƵŵĂŶĚƚŚĞWƌŝŶĐĞ'ĞŽƌŐĞ͛ƐZŽŽŵŝŶƚŚĞĚĞůĞ,͘^ƚĂŵƉ
Student Union underwent renovations in 2009 and now include
two new green roofs. Green roofs use plants called sedums,
which are thick-leaved succulents that store water in their leaves
and are consequently tolerant of extreme weather. These plants
sit atop several layers of soil and drainage protection and serve
to:
This system collects
rainwater from roof
drains, channels the
water through a high
capacity filter in the
courtyard, and stores
it in an underground
cistern.
A drip
irrigation
system
detects the amount
of moisture in the soil
so that plants are
only
watered
as
needed. When the
irrigation system calls
for water, pumps
send water from the cistern through the irrigation system for
distribution on-site. The cistern is sized to handle the average
rainfall for the month of July (worst-case demand scenario).
/Ŷ ĂĚĚŝƚŝŽŶ ƚŽ ƌĞĚƵĐŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ĐĂŵƉƵƐ͛Ɛ ƵƐĞ ŽĨ ƉŽƚĂďůĞ ǁĂƚĞƌ ĨŽƌ
irrigation, the quality of the stormwater runoff is also improved
by filtering the water collected from the roof through the
mechanical filtering provided by the capture system and the
natural filtering provided by plants and other organisms in the
soil.
11
better insulate the building from heat, cold, and sound
absorb water and air pollution
extend the life of the roof by protecting it from the
elements
provide a habitat for birds and insects
dŚĞhŶŝŽŶ͛ƐŐƌĞĞŶƌŽŽĨƐĂĚĚƚŽƚŚĞŐƌŽǁŝŶŐŶĞƚǁŽƌŬŽĨƉůĂŶƚĞĚ
roofs on campus, including the extensive green roof on
Cumberland Hall and the fruit, vegetable, herb, and flower
plantings on the roof of the Diner (see Dining section).
Low Impact Development Projects
A number of Low Impact Development (LID) projects were completed over the past two years to improve permeability,
capture and reuse rainwater, and reduce the damaging effects of storm water runoff. At Symons Hall, permeable pavers
were installed to promote groundwater recharge, and a rain garden was planted to capture and treat runoff. At the East
end of parking lot 4i, a sand filter was designed and constructed; the filter captures and slows runoff, and prevents parking
lot pollutant runoff from entering Paint Branch Creek. Between Math and Glenn L. Martin Hall, a small courtyard was
constructed out of permeable pavers which allows for groundwater infiltration and helps to provide water to the
surrounding trees. Finally the parking lot between Architecture and Preinkert was removed as part of Phase III of the
Mayer Mall construction which will slow storm water runoff.
12
Water Conservation
Campus Water Conservation
The campus uses approximately a half billion gallons of water
annually, however, water consumption decreased 14.4 percent
between 2007 and 2009. The reason for the sharp decrease in
water consumption is likely the result of new water saving
devices such as low-flow toilets, showers, faucets, and moisture
sensors on irrigated fields.
Total Potable Water Consumption
600,000
500,000
kgal
400,000
300,000
Low-Flow Devices in Residence Halls
200,000
100,000
0
2006
2007
2008
2009
Calendar Year
Water Savings through Performance Contracting
13
The nine campus buildings included under the energy
performance contract are not just saving energy; they are saving
a significant amount of water as well. Most of the water savings
result from low-ĨůŽǁ ͞ŚĂŶĚƐ-ĨƌĞĞ͟ ĨĂƵĐĞƚƐ͕ ƚŽŝůĞƚƐ͕ ĂŶĚ ƵƌŝŶĂůƐ͘
New toilets and urinals represent the greatest proportion of the
1,140,000 gallons of water saved through these projects in less
than a year.
Throughout 2009, Residential Facilities installed low-flow
showerheads and dual-flush toilets in numerous campus
residence halls, including almost all of North Campus halls. The
new toilets have two flush buttons, one for solid and one for
liquid waste, using an appropriate amount of water for each
flush. The new toilets operate both manually and with an
ĂƵƚŽŵĂƚŝĐ ͞ĞLJĞ͟ ƚŝŵĞƌ͘ dŚĞ ƉƌŽũĞĐƚ ŝƐ ĞdžƉĞĐƚĞĚ ƚŽ ƐĂǀĞ ĂďŽƵƚ
$120,000 annually.
Green Cleaning
Green Cleaning Products are the Norm
There are four main units on campus responsible for
cleaning:
Residential
Facilities,
Facilities
Management, Stamp Student Union, and Dining
Services. Residential Facilities began using Green
Seal Certified products and bio-renewable products in
2005 and have since converted to green cleaning
products wherever possible. All products used on a
daily basis are Green Seal Certified and some
specialty cleaners, such as graffiti cleaner and oven
cleaner, are bio-renewable (made from corn and
soy). Facilities Management and Stamp Student
Union administration have followed Residential
&ĂĐŝůŝƚŝĞƐ͛ ůĞĂĚ ĂŶĚ ŝŵƉůĞŵĞŶƚĞĚ ĞdžƉĂŶƐŝǀĞ ŐƌĞĞŶ
cleaning programs of their own. Dining Services is
investigating green cleaning products that will suit
their unique needs.
Residential Facilities Earns High
Honors
In October 2009, Residential Facilities became
the first university housekeeping unit in the
nation to attain the
requirements for the
Cleaning
Industry
Management
Standards
Green
B u i l d i n g s
Certification
(also
known as CIMSʹGB)
with Honors.
CIMS is awarded by the
International Sanitary Supply Association to
organizations that comply with environmentally
ĨƌŝĞŶĚůLJ ƉƌĂĐƚŝĐĞƐ͘ /Ŷ ĂĐŚŝĞǀŝŶŐ ͞,ŽŶŽƌƐ͕͟
Residential Facilities demonstrated compliance
ǁŝƚŚ ŵŽƌĞ ƚŚĂŶ ϴϱ ƉĞƌĐĞŶƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŝŶĚƵƐƚƌLJ͛Ɛ
standards, thereby improving the health of its
workers and its residents.
Percentage of Cleaning Products Budget Spent on Green
Seal Certified Products
100%
80%
60%
2008
40%
2009
20%
0%
Student
Union
Residential
Facilities
Facilities Management
Dining
Services
Staff Spotlight: Steve Schatz, in memory
Stephen M. Schatz, Assistant Director for Facilities at the
Adele H. Stamp Student Union, died suddenly on June 8,
2009. Steve had been employed at the University of
Maryland for 12 years, beginning in 1997 as the Assistant
Director of Administrative Services for the Department of
Residential Facilities. He moved to the Stamp in July 2006
where he had responsibility for the day-to-day oversight
of the Stamp facilities which included housekeeping,
maintenance, shipping/receiving, environmental safety
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During his time at the Stamp, Steve was directly
responsible for many of the sustainability initiatives that
included a switch to certified green cleaning processes,
implementation of a comprehensive recycling program,
retrofitting of light fixtures to energy efficient ballasts/
bulbs, and extensive research to reduce paper
consumption in the Stamp. In addition he was
instrumental in the planning of the renovation of the
$WULXP DQG 3ULQFH *HRUJH·V 5RRP WKDW LQFOXGHG WKH
installation of green roof technology and use of
commercial grade bamboo floors in the renovation. He
was a valued member of the University family and is
sorely missed.
Waste Management
Can the Can
´7UDVKWR7UHDVXUHµ0RYH-Out Event
The University has made great strides to increase its waste diversion rate.
More solid waste is being diverted from landfills than ever before and
programs continue to expand to reuse and
recycle more types of materials. In 2010,
&ĂĐŝůŝƚŝĞƐ DĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚ ĞdžƉĂŶĚĞĚ ŝƚƐ ͞ĂŶ
ƚŚĞ ĂŶ͟ ƌĞĐLJĐůŝŶŐ ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵ͘ hŶĚĞƌ ƚŚŝƐ
program, standard office trash bins are
replaced with quart-size containers for non
-recyclable trash. Each office is also given
a recycling container.
Housekeepers
provide removal of recyclables from the
offices and individuals are responsible for
carrying their own non-recyclable trash to
a centrally located container.
dŚĞ ͞dƌĂƐŚ ƚŽ dƌĞĂƐƵƌĞ͟ ĚŽŶĂƚŝŽŶ ĚƌŝǀĞ ŝƐ Ă
partnership with Goodwill, SGA, RHA, Residential
Facilities, and Resident Life. The collection was a
success with all six stations receiving a significant
number of donations from residents as they moved
out of the halls. Donated materials ʹ including TVs,
clothes, small pieces of furniture (bookcases, end
tables, chairs, entertainment units) small appliances
(fans, space heaters, coffee pots) and carpets ʹ filled
'ŽŽĚǁŝůů͛ƐϮϰ-foot truck from top to bottom.
The Main Administration building is an
early adopter of the program. After
implementing the program in May 2010,
the recycling rate for the building climbed
from 49 percent to 71 percent! Can the
Can will continue to roll out across campus
during the 2010-2011 academic year.
Expanded Plastics Recycling
In early 2009, the University began recycling all seven varieties of plastic.
This expansion required a revised contract with the recycling company that
serves campus, which previously had only allowed for recycling plastic
materials stamped with 1 or 2. Now, in addition to recycling drink
containers and milk jugs, the campus can recycle all plastics, everything
from milk crates and flower pots to plastic trays like those supplied by
Goodies-To-Go.
15
´3OHDVH'RQ·W/LWWHUµ&DPSDLJQ
In 2009, Facilities Management (FM) developed a
͞WůĞĂƐĞ ŽŶ͛ƚ >ŝƚƚĞƌ͟ ĐĂŵƉĂŝŐŶ ĂŶĚ ĂĨĨŝdžĞĚ ƐŝŵƉůĞ
green bumper stickers to FM service vehicles. The
campaign reminds people of the importance of
properly recycling and disposing of solid waste on
campus. While recycling continues to grow on
campus, FM estimates that daily litter removal costs
the campus more than $300,000 per year.
eTerp: Paperless Hiring Process
In March 2010, the University implemented eTerp
(PeopleAdmin), a web-based employment system
that has transformed the way faculty and staff
searches are conducted on campus. Paper is virtually
eliminated from the classification and hiring process,
as all documents are uploaded to a central website
and search committee members can choose what
they wish to print, rather than receiving hard copies
of all documents.
Dining
Polystyrene Phase-Out
Rooftop Gardens
In early 2009, Dining Services eliminated the use of
polystyrene foams (e.g. Styrofoam) in all non-licensed dining
operations across campus. Take-ŽƵƚ͞ĐůĂŵ-ƐŚĞůů͟ĐŽŶƚĂŝŶĞƌƐ
were replaced with compostable containers made from
bagasse ʹ fibrous residue remaining after sugarcane or
sorghum stalks are crushed to extract their juice ʹ and
polystyrene hot and cold beverage and soup cups were
replaced with compostable coated paper cups. This change
translates to one million fewer polystyrene containers being
added to the campus waste stream annually.
The roof of the Ellicott Community Diner has become a model of
urban agriculture, demonstrating that food can be grown just about
anywhere. During summer 2010, students and Diner maintenance
staff collaborated to build planters out of salvaged wooden pallets,
rain barrels from salvaged 55 gallon soda barrels, and an irrigation
system that collects HVAC condensate water.
Eat IN-itiative
In conjunction with its polystyrene phase-out, Dining
Services began an educational/information campaign to
encourage students and the larger campus community to
eat in the dining halls rather than carry-out their food.
Since then, the number of carry-out containers used across
campus has decreased by 15 percent.
Compost Pilot
Dining Services tested two new pieces of composting
equipment in the spring 2010 semester: a waste-to-water
machine, piloted at the Diner, and a soil amendment
machine, piloted at South Campus Dining. The waste-towater machine adds water and an enzyme to compostable
waste, so that it breaks down into a liquid that can be
treated at wastewater treatment plants.
The soil
amendment machine transforms compostable waste into
nutrient-rich fertilizer that can be used for the campus
grounds.
Ultimately, Dining Services is seeking a
composting method that will be able to accommodate all
compostable waste generated in its facilities.
As of July 2010, the Roof Top Garden had grown peas, bok choi, mint,
eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, sage, rosemary, oregano, dill,
lavender, okra, basil, cucumbers, squash, and ornamental vines and
flowers. The produce was distributed among the students and staff
who have helped to build the garden and some produce was
donated to the Maryland Food Collective in the basement of the
Stamp Student Union to
ďĞƵƐĞĚŝŶƚŚĞŝƌĚĂŝůLJ͞ŚŽƚ
ƐƉĞĐŝĂůƐ͘͟
Beginning in fall 2010, a
modified CSA (community
supported agriculture) will
be established which will
distribute the roof top
harvest to members of the
University
community
who volunteer to help
maintain the garden.
Funding for the Roof Top
Garden has come from
the Student Government
Association,
Din in g
Services, and alumni.
Transportation
Zimride Carpool Matching
In Spring 2010, the Department of Transportation
Services partnered with Zimride to help University
commuters connect and coordinate carpools. Zimride
uses mapping software to match users based on criteria
such as commute route and schedule. Zimride can also
be used to find one-time long distance rides. Carpooling
saves money on gas and car maintenance but
Transportation Services also offers participants halfprice parking permits for any registered carpool. As of
summer 2010, there were 2,400 active rides posted for
the UM community. For more information, visit the
Zimride webpage at zimride.umd.edu.
BikeUMD
BikeUMD is a new program and information resource
that covers everything related to bicycling at the
University of Maryland. It is funded by student fees and
monies recouped by lower than expected fuel costs for
the Shuttle-UM system. BikeUMD has worked to ensure
that there is ample bicycle parking across campus (including secure bike locker rentals in several campus garages), developed a bike map
showing campus bike parking and shower locations, and relocated the Campus Bike Shop to a more accessible location in Cole Field House.
It conducted a bicycle safety campaign in April 2010 to educate both cyclists and drivers about how to co-exist peacefully and safely on
campus roads.
New Shuttle-UM Routes: New Carrolton Metro and Shady Grove
17
Shuttle-UM is launching a New Carrolton Metro route. This will add Greyhound Bus and Amtrak to the alternative options for traveling to
ĂŶĚĨƌŽŵĐĂŵƉƵƐĂƐǁĞůůĂƐ ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞĚŝƌĞĐƚĂĐĐĞƐƐƚŽDĞƚƌŽ͛ƐŽƌĂŶŐĞůŝŶĞ͘ůƐŽŶĞǁƚŽƚŚĞ^ŚƵƚƚůĞ-UM schedule is a Shady Grove route.
Anyone with a UMD ID can park at Universities at Shady Grove for free and ride Shuttle-UM into campus.
CULTURE
SUSTAINABLE BEHAVIORS
Campus Action
$PHULFD·V*UHHQHVW&DPSXV
Campus Recycling Rate
The University of Maryland was named the winner of the
"America's Greenest Campus" contest, which challenged
colleges across the country to spread awareness about energy
use and reduce their carbon footprint. Among the more than
450 competing universities, Maryland had the highest number of
students, faculty, and staff participating, with 2,257 signing up
on the Campus Culture web site to calculate their individual
carbon footprints. For winning, the Student Government
Association received a $5,000 award, which they will use to fund
internships in campus departments that want student help in
becoming more sustainable.
Students, faculty, and staff have really pitched in! The campus
recycling rate increased from 17.7 percent in 2003 to 57.4
percent in 2009! Facilities Management increased the number
of recycling bins on campus during that period and expanded the
number of materials that can be recycled, but the campus
community also deserves praise for this achievement. The
campus Climate Action Plan has set a goal of increasing recycling
and waste diversion to 60 percent in 2010 and 75 percent by
2013.
Campus Recycling Rate
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
46.5%
54.8%
57.4%
45.8%
25.2%
20.4% 17.7% 22.1%
0%
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Calendar Year
18
Preserving the Wooded Hillock
For nearly a year starting in February 2009, students and faculty
organized a protest of the potential development of approximately nine
ĂĐƌĞƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ͞tŽŽĚĞĚ ,ŝůůŽĐŬ͕͟ Ă ϮϮ͘ϰ ĂĐƌĞ ĨŽƌĞƐƚĞĚ ĂƌĞĂ ůŽĐĂƚĞĚ ŽŶ
north campus. The hillock had been identified as the best available site
for the relocation of certain campus support operations. The relocation
of these operations was necessary due to the pending East Campus
redevelopment project, itself a smart and sustainable redevelopment
initiative that would significantly improve the commercial and
residential core of downtown College Park.
Students supported the East Campus Redevelopment, but were
opposed to the proposed relocation site. To make their position
ŬŶŽǁŶ͕ ƚŚĞ ^ƚƵĚĞŶƚ 'ŽǀĞƌŶŵĞŶƚ ƵŶĂŶŝŵŽƵƐůLJ ƉĂƐƐĞĚ ͞ ZĞƐŽůƵƚŝŽŶ
Supporting Alternatives to the Wooded Hillock East Campus
ZĞĚĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚ WƌŽũĞĐƚ͘͟ /Ŷ ĨĂůů ϮϬϬϵ͕ ƚŚĞ 'ƌĂĚƵĂƚĞ ^ƚƵĚĞŶƚ
Government passed a similar resolution and undergraduate and
ŐƌĂĚƵĂƚĞ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐ ƐƵďƐĞƋƵĞŶƚůLJ ũŽŝŶĞĚ ƚŽ ŽƌŐĂŶŝnjĞ Ă ƉĞƚŝƚŝŽŶ ƚŽ ͞^ĂǀĞ
ƚŚĞ,ŝůůŽĐŬ͘͟
With the support of the student governments, faculty brought the issue
to the University Senate which voted in favor of preserving the hillock
as part of the East Campus project. Fortunately, a former Washington
Post printing plant became available during the discussions and was
purchased by the University to meet the relocation needs of the
project. The purchase of the plant was viewed as a sustainable
alternative since it was nearby and a large existing structure.
To improve future site review and selection efforts, the Senate
subsequently recommended and the President approved the formation
of a new Independent Facilities Site Review Committee that will review
potential locations for new facilities to ensure individual projects meet
campus environmental and sustainability policies
The controversy over the Wooded Hillock was a teachable moment.
dŚĞ hŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ͛Ɛ ƌĂƉŝĚůLJ ĞǀŽůǀŝŶŐ ǀŝƐŝŽŶ ŽĨ ďĞŝŶŐ Ă ŶĂƚŝŽŶĂů ůĞĂĚĞƌ ŝŶ
sustainability involves increased interest by many on and off the
campus. As a result, wider participation and greater transparency is
now an integral part of resolving competing environmental and
development challenges.
Recyclemania ² Best in the ACC
Earth MONTH
Recyclemania is a ten-week recycling contest among 600
colleges and universities, sponsored by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency. Each week from the end of January through
Ɖƌŝů͕ ƚŚĞ hŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ͛Ɛ ƌĞĐLJĐůŝŶŐ ƌĂƚĞƐ ĨŽƌ ŵŝdžĞĚ ƉĂƉĞƌ͕ ĐĂƌĚ
board, bottles and cans, and pre-and post-consumer food waste
are calculated. In 2009, the University was 1st among Atlantic
Coast Conference (ACC) schools in the Waste Minimization
category, with 50 cumulative pounds of recycling and solid
waste generated per capita. In 2010, though the University
slipped to 4th place in the ACC, the campus measured strong
improvement with a 5 pound per capita decrease in the amount
of waste generated per person during the competition.
The campus was a buzz with eco events during April 2010 to
recognize the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. The Office of
Sustainability tracked nearly four dozen sustainability-related
events that took place on campus during the month, posted
them in an online calendar, and promoted the calendar of
events on the University homepage, on the
campus sustainability listserv, on Shuttle-UM, and
through cross promotion with campus partners.
Environmental and Sustainability Career and
Internship Fair with the Career Center, Clark
School of Engineering, and Environmental
Science and Policy
2.5 Million Rides on Shuttle-UM!
Students, faculty, and staff rode Shuttle-UM a million more
times in 2009 than they did in 2005! Ridership steadily increases
each year as more students live on- or near- campus and chose
not to drive to the University. This trend should continue as
additional housing is expected to come on-line in fall 2010 and
2011.
Shuttle-UM Ridership
3,000,000
Millions of Rides
In addition, the Office of Sustainability helped to
plan a number of high-profile events throughout
April that involved many campus departments:
2,500,000
2,000,000
͞ĞLJŽŶĚƚŚĞ>ĂƚƚĞ- The Ripple Effect of Your
ƵƉŽĨŽĨĨĞĞ͟ǁŝƚŚƚŚĞ^ŵŝƚŚ^ĐŚŽŽůĞŶƚĞƌ
for Social Value Creation and Dining Services
Chevrolet Volt Drive and Forum with Clark School and Smith
School faculty
Maryland Day Office of Sustainability tent on McKeldin Mall,
which included student-developed displays on greening the
home
Chesapeake Project Faculty Learning
Community Luncheon with the Center for
Teaching Excellence
1,500,000
1,000,000
Green Building Tours of Knight Hall with the
College of Journalism
500,000
0
2004
2005
2006
2007
Fiscal Year
2008
2009
Rain Barrel Workshop with Dining Services
Student Action
Student Sustainability Fee
In April 2007, undergraduate University students overwhelmingly voted in favor of increasing student fees to create a Student Sustainability
Fund. Each undergraduate student paid $4 (approximately $100,000 in total) toward the fund when the fee came into effect in the fall of
2009. The fee increased to $6 per student (approximately $150,000 in total) for the 2010-2011 academic year and will reach $8
(approximately $200,000 in total) for the 2011-2012 academic year.
Renewable Energy Credit Purchase
dŚĞ hŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ ^ƵƐƚĂŝŶĂďŝůŝƚLJ ŽƵŶĐŝů͛Ɛ ^ƚƵĚĞŶƚ
Sustainability Fee Subcommittee recommended in
spring 2010 to use year one funds to purchase
renewable energy credits (RECs) for the campus. A
REC represents one megawatt-hour of electricity
produced from renewable energy sources such as
wind or solar. Purchasing RECs promotes the
development of wind farms and other renewable
energy projects while allowing the University to
count these RECs as reductions to its carbon
footprint. The University purchased 66,000 RECs in
2010, which put the University of Maryland among
the top ten universities in the nation for the
purchase of renewable energy.
Campus Green Fund
21
Starting in the fall 2010, the Student Sustainability
Fund will be used to fund projects that reduce
environmental
impacts
and/or
enhance
sustainability education on campus. University
departments, student groups, and other officially
recognized campus entities can apply for funds via
the
campus
sustainability
website
(www.sustainability.umd.edu).
Green Greek Challenge
Earth Day Celebration
During fall semester 2009, the Office of Sustainability partnered
with the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life on the Green
Greek Challenge, an initiative to encourage energy conservation
among Greek students. For nine weeks , residents of all 14
ŚŽƵƐĞƐ ŽŶ &ƌĂƚ ZŽǁ ƌĞĐĞŝǀĞĚ ǁĞĞŬůLJ ͞ĞŶĞƌŐLJ ƌĞƉŽƌƚƐ͟ ĚĞƚĂŝůŝŶŐ
their electricity use and tips on how to reduce energy
consumption. One off-campus house (Phi Sigma Sigma) also
participated.
In April 2010, hundreds of students gathered on McKeldin Mall
to celebrate Earth Day for the 40th time on the College Park
campus. Dubbed the
͞KƚŚĞƌ DŽƚŚĞƌ͛Ɛ ĂLJ͕͟
the
SGA
Student
Sustainability
Committee organized
celebration
hosted
over
40
student
groups,
University
departments,
and
companies from the
surrounding
DC/MD
area. Throughout the
day students learned
about
sustainability
efforts on campus in
areas
of
dining,
transportation,
and
procurement
in
addition to surrounding community efforts from organizations
ƐƵĐŚĂƐWƌŝŶĐĞ'ĞŽƌŐĞ͛Ɛ'ƌĞĞŶWŽǁĞƌŽĂůŝƚŝŽŶ͕WŝĐŬhWŵĞƌŝĐĂ͕
and REI.
Displays, activities, and
merchandise were available for students
who were able to create organic smoothies
using a human-powered blender, make kites
from recycled materials, and decorate a
banner in support of student efforts toward
sustainability.
Results from the competition are encouraging. Electricity
consumption on Frat Row dropped more than 10 percent during
weeks when chapters were rewarded with pizza for electricity
conservation and when the residents were reminded to unplug
electrical devises when they left for Thanksgiving break. Kappa
Alpha won the 2010 Green Greek Challenge by achieving the
greatest savings, an 18.3 percent reduction from their baseline
usage. When asked what motivated their behavior change, KA
ďƌŽƚŚĞƌƐ ƐĂŝĚ ͞ǁĞ ŐĞƚ ƉĞƌƐŽŶĂů ƐĂƚŝƐĨĂĐƚŝŽŶ ŬŶŽǁŝŶŐ ƚŚĂƚ ǁĞΖƌĞ
ĂĐƚƵĂůůLJŵĂŬŝŶŐĂĚŝĨĨĞƌĞŶĐĞ͘͟
Student March for a Greener College Park
On Election Day, November 3, 2009, 80
students marched from McKeldin Mall to
College Park City Hall to cast their ballots.
The march, organized by the student activist
group UMD for Clean Energy, was designed
to increase student participation in City
Council elections. By casting their ballots for
green-minded candidates, the students
hoped to see more support of environmental
initiatives for College Park, such as funds to
help citizens make energy upgrades to their
homes, and tax cuts that would encourage
green businesses to locate in the area.
22
Faculty/Staff Action
Energywi$e UM
Energywi$e UM was a fall 2009 pilot effort between the Office of Sustainability and Facilities Management to see whether and how much
ďƵŝůĚŝŶŐŽĐĐƵƉĂŶƚƐĐŽƵůĚĂĨĨĞĐƚƚŚĞŝƌďƵŝůĚŝŶŐƐ͛ĞůĞĐƚƌŝĐŝƚLJĐŽŶƐƵŵƉƚŝŽŶƚŚƌŽƵŐŚƚĂƌŐĞƚĞĚĐŽŶƐĞƌǀĂƚŝŽŶĐŚĂůůĞŶŐĞƐ͘ƵƌŝŶŐĂ six-week pilot,
occupants in three campus buildingsͶthe Chesapeake Building and Van Munching
and Martin HallsͶwere given weekly electricity usage reports. Each week,
ďƵŝůĚŝŶŐŽĐĐƵƉĂŶƚƐǁĞƌĞĞŶĐŽƵƌĂŐĞĚƚŽďĞĂƚƚŚĞƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐǁĞĞŬ͛ƐƵƐĂŐĞďLJĂĚĚŝŶŐ
an additional conservation strategy ʹ simple things like turning off lights, powering
down computers when not in use, and putting on a sweater instead of plugging in
a space heater.
Compared to a weather adjusted baseline for each building, the reductions ranged
from 1 to 10 percent, with the Chesapeake Building seeing the largest reduction.
Electricity savings during the six-week pilot amounted to 32,000 kWh, which at
average daily rates would have cost the University $3,800. This translated into
more than 50,000 pounds of CO2 emissions.
Surveys indicated that a number of building occupants were willing to change their
behavior because of participating in Energywi$e. In the Chesapeake Building for
instance, 45 percent of survey respondents reported that during Energywi$e, they
were more likely to turn off unneeded lighting during the day. Sixty-four percent
ƌĞƉŽƌƚĞĚĐŚĂŶŐŝŶŐƚŚĞŝƌďĞŚĂǀŝŽƌďĂƐĞĚŽŶĂƌĞŵŝŶĚĞƌƐŝŐŶ;Ğ͘Ő͕͘͞dĂŬĞƚŚĞ^ƚĂŝƌƐͿ
and 40 percent reported using the conservation tips at home.
Student Affairs Sustainability Plan
The Division of Student Affairs adopted a comprehensive sustainability plan in
September 2009. The departments and offices within Student Affairs are
committed to including environmental, economic, and social sustainability
considerations in their operations. The plan includes initiatives in purchasing, such
as buying local, recycled, and energy-efficient office materials; rewarding student
projects that promote sustainability; reducing waste at office events; providing
recycling options for items such as batteries and ink cartridges; and much more.
View the plan at www.studentaffairs.umd.edu/pubs/SustainabilityPlan.pdf.
23
CURRICULUM
SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION AND RESEARCH
Sustainability Across the Curriculum
Chesapeake Project
Student Sustainability Advisors
The Chesapeake Project is an initiative to integrate sustainability
ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ƚŚĞ hŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ͛Ɛ ĐƵƌƌŝĐƵůƵŵ ƐŽ ƚŚĂƚ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐ ŚĂǀĞ ƚŚĞ
opportunity to explore sustainability through artistic, cultural,
historical, mathematical, philosophical, and scientific lenses.
Central to the project is a twoday
workshop
where
participants learn about core
concepts of environmental,
economic,
and
s o ci a l
sustainability
and
explore
unique ways of integrating
sustainability into their existing
courses.
Beginning in 2008, the Office of Sustainability has worked with
exceptional juniors and seniors as Student Sustainability
Advisors. These advisors are peer-educators who teach an
interactive lesson about sustainability in first-year seminar
classes such as UNIV 100. The goal for this sustainability lesson
is to make it a core
component of first-year
education so that all
students have a basic
understanding of the
fundamental issues of
sustainability including
population
growth,
consumption, and the
consequences of living
ďĞLJŽŶĚ ƚŚĞ ĂƌƚŚ͛Ɛ
carrying capacity.
Fifty
faculty
members
participated in the May 2009
and May 2010 workshops and
sustainability has been integrated into 56 courses. Courses that
now incorporate an assignment, discussion, or overarching theme
of sustainability include the History of American Art To 1876
(Professor Renee Ater), Business Ethics and Society (Professor
Brian Nelson), Science Fiction by Women (Professor Jane
Donawerth), Elements of Nutrition (Professor Nancy BrenowitzKatz), Black Theatre and Performance (Professor Scot Reese), and
51 others.
A full list of revised courses is available at
www.chesapeakeproject.umd.edu.
The Sustainability Advisors presented the lesson to 19 freshman
seminar classes in the 2008 and 32 freshman seminars in 2009,
reaching over one thousand students and receiving rave reviews.
The Office of Sustainability hopes to expand the reach of the
Sustainability Advisors over the next several years.
24
New Academic Programs
0DVWHU·V LQ 6XVWDLQDEOH (QHUJ\
Engineering
In 2008, the A. James Clark School of
Engineering launched one of the
ŶĂƚŝŽŶ͛ƐĨŝƌƐƚƉƌŽŐƌĂŵƐĨŽƌĂDĂƐƚĞƌŽĨ
Science in Sustainable Engineering.
Drawing on school and faculty crossdisciplinary strengths and the
University of Maryland Energy
Research Center, the new program
offers a ten-course, thirty-credit
degree in this cutting-edge field.
Sustainable Energy Engineers are in
high demand locally, nationally, and
internationally, so students will be
uniquely prepared for the job market.
Sustainability Track within the
Geography Major
25
Society and Sustainability is a new track
within the undergraduate major in
Geography. This track allows students to
study environmental change by examining
the interrelationship between social factors
and environmental factors locally as well as
globally. Only by analyzing how societies
and environmental systems work can we
understand the sustainability of our society
and environment. Students will also acquire
skills needed to gather and analyze spatial
data related to human and environmental
change.
0DVWHU·V LQ /DQGVFDSH
Architecture
Created in 2009, the Master of
Landscape Architecture (MLA) is a
professional degree program that
prepares students for work as
academicians and practitioners. The
three-year first professional degree
curriculum is for students who have a
bachelor degree in a non-design field.
The two-year post-professional degree
curriculum is for students who have a
bachelor degree in landscape
architecture or a related design field.
Through the required courses,
concentration electives, and individual
research, each student will acquire a
thorough theoretical basis, grounding in
methods and practices, and exposure to
contemporary local and global issues.
The required studio courses and the
thesis or creative project, conducted
with faculty and community partners,
advances the knowledge base of
landscape architecture through research
and community outreach activities.
´Lµ-Series Courses
During the Spring 2010 semester, the
University of Maryland piloted a new set
ŽĨ 'ĞŶĞƌĂů ĚƵĐĂƚŝŽŶ ͞ŝ͟-series courses.
One outcome of the 2009 General
Education Task force, i-series courses
ŝŶǀŝƚĞ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐ ƚŽ ͞ŝŶǀĞƐƚŝŐĂƚĞ ŝƐƐƵĞƐ ǁŝƚŚ
imagination and intellect, with a belief
that they will inspire future investigation
and provide concrete mechanisms to
ŝŵƉůĞŵĞŶƚ ŝŶŶŽǀĂƚŝǀĞ ŝĚĞĂƐ͘͟ KĨ Ϯϰ ŝseries courses offered in the pilot
semester, 7 focused explicitly on issues of
sustainability, including:
AOSC 200i - Weather and Climate
AREC 200i - The Chesapeake Bay
Ecosystem: Intersection of Science,
Economics and Policy
ENCE 189i - Managing Natural
Disasters: Hurricanes, Floods,
Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Tsunamis,
and Fires
PLSC 189i - Specialty
Crops: Plantation Agriculture to
Globalization
PLSC 289i - Greening Cities: Who
Wins, Who Loses, and Who Cares?
PUAF 289i - Cross-examining Climate
Change
URSP 250i - The Sustainable City:
Opportunities & Challenges
Research
Bio-Filtration System Tested On Campus
Technological advances developed by Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Allen Davis promise
significant reductions in urban runoff polluting the Anacostia watershed and the Chesapeake Bay. With a grant
from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Prince George's County Government totaling nearly
$600,000, Davis's team will conduct a three-part demonstration project near parking lots at the University's
Comcast Center. The project is designed to reduce phosphorus, nitrogen, sediment and the volume of runoff
from the University into the Anacostia watershed, one of the rivers feeding the Chesapeake Bay.
Impact of Pollution on Chesapeake Bay Microorganisms
Associate Professor of Biotechnology Feng Chen and other faculty working with the University of Maryland
Center for Environmental Science are undertaking a study of microorganisms in the Chesapeake Bay. While the
ĂLJ͛Ɛ ĨŝƐŚ ĂŶĚ ĐƌĂďƐ ŚĂǀĞ ďĞĞŶ ƚŚĞ ĨŽĐƵƐ ŽĨ ŵƵĐŚ ƌĞƐĞĂƌĐŚ͕ ƚŚŝƐ ŶĞǁ ƐƚƵĚLJ ƐĞĞŬƐ ƚŽ ůĞĂƌŶ ĂďŽƵƚ ƚŚĞ ŝŵƉĂĐƚ ŽĨ
pollution on these invisible residents of the bay. The year-long study, funded by a $100,000 federal grant, will be
conducted at the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology in Baltimore.
Developing Super Batteries
Engineering Professor Gary Rubloff, Director of the Energy Frontier Research Center, and Professor Sang Bok Lee,
Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, have been developing a super battery that can deliver more
power and recharge faster, with potential for use in electric cars. Funded by a $14 million grant from the U.S.
Department of Energy, the Energy Frontier Research Center brings together faculty in engineering, chemistry, life
sciences, and computer science, to research innovations in energy resources.
Keeping Amphibians from Extinction
Biology professor Karen Lips focuses her research on the decline in the frog populations in North and Central
America, due to a devastating, widespread fungus that affects amphibians. Her research facility shelters rare
breeds of frogs from Panama and Costa Rica, in hopes of protecting them from extinction. As part of her
research, Lips also investigates the impact of decreasing amphibian diversity on water and forest ecosystems.
Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria in the Industrial Food System
ƐƐŝƐƚĂŶƚWƌŽĨĞƐƐŽƌŽĨWƵďůŝĐ,ĞĂůƚŚŵLJŚĂƉŝŶ^ĂƉŬŽƚĂ;hD͛ϵϳͿƐƚƵĚŝĞƐĂŶƚŝďŝŽƚŝĐƌĞƐŝƐƚĂŶƚďĂĐƚĞƌŝĂ͘KŶůĂƌŐĞ
farms, where healthy animals are treated preventatively with antibiotics, these resistant strains of bacteria travel
through water, air, and soil to infect other animals and humans. While many researchers focus on bacterial
ƐƉƌĞĂĚ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ ĨŽŽĚ͕ ^ĂƉŬŽƚĂ͛Ɛ ƌĞƐĞĂƌĐŚ ŝŶƐƚĞĂĚ ĞdžƉůŽƌĞƐ ƚŚĞ ĞŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚĂů ƉĂƚŚǁĂLJƐ ŽĨ ĐŽŶƚĂŵŝŶĂƚŝŽŶ
associated with the American food system.
Faculty Spotlight: Herman Daly
Herman Daly, Professor Emeritus in the School of Public
Policy, is an economist who began researching the fusion of
economics and ecology in the 1970s, highlighting the
necessity to consider the laws of nature when structuring an
economic system. His work supports the idea that for the
human economy to subsist, it must function at a steady state
within the productive and assimilative capacity of the Earth's
ecosystem.
Dr. Daly published numerous books and articles that
contradicted much of neoclassical economic theory and cofounded The Journal of Ecological Economics in 1989. In
1996, Dr. Daly received the Heineken Prize for Environmental
Science awarded by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts
and Sciences, as well as the Right Livelihood Award,
Sweden's alternative to the Nobel Prize. In 1999, he was
awarded the Sophie Prize (Norway) for contributions in the
area of Environment and Development, in 2001 the Leontief
Prize for contributions to economic thought, and in 2002, the
Medal of the Presidency of the Italian Republic for his work
in steady-state economics. In January 2010, Dr. Daly was
presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the
National Council for Science and the Environment. He retired
from teaching in 2010 with a distinguished record or service
to the University and the field of economics.
New Research Center
Center for the Use of Sustainable Practices (CUSP)
dŚĞĞŶƚĞƌĨŽƌƚŚĞhƐĞŽĨ^ƵƐƚĂŝŶĂďůĞWƌĂĐƚŝĐĞƐ;h^WͿǁĂƐĨŽƵŶĚĞĚŝŶϮϬϬϴĂƚhŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJŽĨDĂƌLJůĂŶĚ͛Ɛ^ĐŚŽŽůŽĨƌĐŚŝƚĞĐƚƵƌĞ, Planning &
Preservation as an inter-and multidisciplinary center for the design and research of sustainable practices for buildings, communities, and
cities. CUSP joins the National Center for Smart Growth and the Environmental Finance Center at the University of Maryland as a sister
center, in order to explore research, design, education, and outreach activities related to sustainable practices at the scale of the building,
the community, and the city.
In spring 2010, a team of University of Maryland students, faculty, and mentors, led by CUSP, earned one of 20 coveted spots in the elite
international U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 Competition. Over 300 University students have signed on to participate
and CUSP is collaborating with students and faculty in Architecture, Engineering, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Communications, and
Bioengineering. The solar house, WaterShed, will be designed and constructed over the next year, and displayed in the National Mall in
October 2011 as part of the international competition.
27
COMMUNITY
ENGAGING LOCAL AND GLOBAL COMMUNITIES IN SUSTAINABILITY
Engaging the Local Community
Engineers Without Borders ² Edmonston Stormwater Project
/ŶƚŚĞƐƉƌŝŶŐŽĨϮϬϬϵ͕ϮϰƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐĨƌŽŵƚŚĞhŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ͛ƐĐŚĂƉƚĞƌŽĨŶŐŝŶĞĞƌƐtŝƚŚŽƵƚŽƌĚĞƌƐƚƵƌŶĞĚƚŚĞŝƌĂƚƚĞŶƚŝŽŶĨƌŽŵĞŶǀironmental
ŝƐƐƵĞƐŝŶĚĞǀĞůŽƉŝŶŐĐŽƵŶƚƌŝĞƐƚŽƐƵƐƚĂŝŶĂďůĞƐŽůƵƚŝŽŶƐŝŶƚŚĞĐĂŵƉƵƐ͛ƐŽǁŶďĂĐŬLJĂƌĚ͘dƵƌŶŝŶŐĐůĂƐƐƌŽŽŵŬŶŽǁůĞĚŐĞŝŶƚŽĐŝǀŝĐ action, the
students created and implemented a bioretention system to help the nearby community of Edmonston, MD, cope with storm water
flooding along the Anacostia River.
Normally, rainwater runoff from parking lots, roofs, and other impervious
surfaces runs into the Anacostia, carrying pollutants into the river and
redistributing them over the ground when flooding occurs. To reroute and filter
this polluted water, the students designed a bioretention system to channel
runoff into basins filled with soil and water-tolerant plants. These natural
elements slowly soak up the water, filter out pollutants, and direct remaining
water more gradually into the Anacostia, alleviating both contamination and
flooding.
During the five months of planning, the student team, led by undergraduates
Kristen Markham and Ethan Schaler, and faculty member Kevin Calabro, worked
with community partners, including the Anacostia Watershed Restoration
WĂƌƚŶĞƌƐŚŝƉ͕ ƚŚĞ ŶĂĐŽƐƚŝĂ tĂƚĞƌƐŚĞĚ ^ŽĐŝĞƚLJ͕ ƚŚĞ WƌŝŶĐĞ 'ĞŽƌŐĞ͛Ɛ ŽƵŶƚLJ
Department of Environmental Resources, and the Maryland-National Capital
Park and Planning Commission. The bioretention system is now under the
oversight of the town of Edmonston.
Student Spotlight: Dylan Rebois
Dylan Rebois is a senior mechanical
engineering major with a 4.0 GPA and has
been an active member of Engineers Without
Borders since his freshmen year. Dylan led
a team of 30 students in designing and
constructing a sustainable youth center in
Addis Alem, Ethiopia in January 2010. Two
years ago, he worked with a team that
designed and built a solar powered water
pump system in Burkina Faso.
Dylan has an amazing ability to work on
international projects while keeping focused
on his academics and campus activism. His
Gemstone team is designing a cogenerative
power plant that minimizes carbon
emissions, as well as evaluating strategies
for the University to reduce its carbon
footprint. He teaches first-year students
about sustainability as a Student
Sustainability Advisor and is very active in
making the University of Maryland a model
sustainable community. In 2010, Dylan was
awarded a Truman Scholarship, the
prestigious national award recognizing
leadership, intellectual ability, and potential
to 'make a difference.'
Students Help Local
Company Go Green
Terps for Change:
Invasives Removal
University of Maryland Extension (UME)
Spotlight Program: Grow It, Eat It
Students in the Society for
Green Business consulted
with Bozzuto Management, a
major real estate company,
to help the company go
green. Tian Tian Feng, a
junior international business
ŵĂũŽƌ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ^ŽĐŝĞƚLJ͛Ɛ sŝĐĞ
President
of
Advocacy,
initiated the partnership
after a summer internship
with Bozzuto. The student
group
provided
recommendations
to
ŽnjnjƵƚŽ͛Ɛ DĂƌLJůĂŶĚ ĂƌĞĂ
office
regarding
energy
conservation,
recycling,
environmental procurement,
maintenance, and education
for tenants and employees.
Terps for Change brings
together students who are
passionate
about
understanding
the
complexities of social issues
and who are inspired to
collaborate with community
partners to affect positive
social change.
Students
commit to work with one
community
agency,
addressing specific social
issues, once a week for 2-3
hours
throughout
the
semester.
Economic recession and concern for food safety in Maryland
created an overwhelming public demand for food gardening
information in 2008 and 2009. University of Maryland
Extension responded with a comprehensive statewide
interdisciplinary campaign, Grow It Eat It (GIEI), to connect
people with fresh produce.
The Terps for Change
environmental sustainability
group worked with the
Maryland-National
Capital
Park
and
Planning
Commission
throughout
2009-2010. Students worked
with Park Rangers on the
Paint Branch Trail near
campus to pull invasive
species, such as bamboo,
pick up trash, and a variety of
other tasks.
In a coordinated effort, Master Gardener volunteers
educate the public through classes, workshops,
demonstration gardens, and displays. The Home and
Garden Information Center (HGIC) supports new gardeners
by providing a comprehensive website (growit.umd.edu)
complete with social media tools, how-to videos, and basic
information on starting a garden. HGIC supports the Master
Gardeners and the public by answering plant problem and
pest questions 24/7 via individual phone consultations and
its website (hgic.umd.edu).
'//͛Ɛ ŐŽĂůƐ ĂƌĞ ƚŽ͗ ϭͿ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞ
the number and productivity of
MD
food
gardens
and
gardeners; 2) teach sustainable
garden practices; 3) create an
engaging, interactive network
of food gardeners using social
media tools; 4) answer plant
and pest questions; and 5)
reach new audiences (especially
young people, non-whites, and
low-income communities). In
2010,
GIEI
earned
the
EŽƌƚŚĞĂƐƚ džƚĞŶƐŝŽŶ ŝƌĞĐƚŽƌƐ͛
Award of Excellence.
Engaging the Global Community
Alternative Breaks
Engineers Without Borders
The Alternative Breaks (AB) program sends hundreds of University
students each year on service-learning trips across the nation and
world to address some of the most pressing social, political, and
environmental issues of our time. During the 2009-2010 academic
year, the AB program sent 24 groups to various domestic and
international locations.
A few of those trips focused on
sustainability, environment, and conservation directly.
Through the A. James Clark School
ŽĨ ŶŐŝŶĞĞƌŝŶŐ͛Ɛ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚ ŐƌŽƵƉ
Engineers Without Borders (EWB),
ƚŚĞ hŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ͛Ɛ ĐŽŵŵŝƚŵĞŶƚ ƚŽ
sustainability extends beyond the
campus and the region to global
projects in developing nations.
Founded in 2004 and led by
faculty advisor Dr. David Lovell,
the UM chapter of this national
organization sends groups of
students overseas to help
communities
meet
common
engineering
problems
with
sustainable solutions. Students
and faculty work with local groups
over several years, to assess
needs and options, and to
implement multi-phase projects.
Sustainable Development in the Bahamas: The trip examined the
relationship between tourism, environmental degradation, and
social welfare in the Bahamas.
Students met with local
government officials, visited an eco-lodge, and helped build
structures that protect the natural environment near the trails
leading to the Blue Holes tourist attraction.
Urban Agriculture in Boston, MA: Students explored sustainable,
organic, and community farming practices in an urban
environment, while learning about the issues of food security,
hunger,
and
homelessness.
Students weeded, dug, shoveled,
and transformed the space for
planting at Vision Urban Farm and
Long Island Farms among many
other activities, while volunteering
with organizations focused on food
justice.
Seashore
Conservation
at
Cumberland Island, GA: This trip
focused on the conservation and
preservation of the National
Seashore, including unspoiled
beaches, dunes, freshwater lakes,
and marshes. Students spent the
week engaging in trail maintenance
and removing invasive species.
The enormously popular EWB program has recently engaged
communities in three countries:
Dissin, Bukina Faso: Since 2007, EWB teams have helped this small
West African village with water pumps, new forms of fuel, solar battery
chargers for private homes, and water filtration and solar electricity in
the hospital.
Campone, Peru: Since 2008, an EWB team has worked with the farming
community near Cuzco, in the Andes, to introduce chlorine sanitation
to the water supply system.
Addis Alem, Ethiopia: Since 2009, EWB has worked with this small city
near the Ethiopian capital to build a much needed Community Youth
Center using locally available building materials, natural lighting, and
ventilation.
30
Discover more online at www.sustainability.umd.edu!
Acknowledgements
The Office of Sustainability would like to thank to the following people who helped produce this report:
Todd Alther
Martha Geores
Katlin Meissinger
We Lin Chang
Steve Gnadt
Nick Place
Seth Charde
Bill Guididas
Dylan Rebois
Kim Colbert
Mei-Yen Hui
Matt Sheehan
Susan Corry
Joan Kowal
Andrew Van Der Stuyf
Steve Crane
Maria Lonsbury
Cari Varner
Elizabeth Doerr
Bill Mallari
Trisha Wells
Sandy Dykes
Ria Malloy
Colleen Wright-Riva
Cindy Felice
Beverly Malone
Ann Wylie
Amy Gardner
Jeff McGee
Jesse Yurow
Report Authors: Lindsay Dunne, Mark Stewart, Heather Lair, and Scott Lupin
Photographs on the inside of cover, back cover, and page 25 are copyright of John Consoli
Photograph on page 10 is copyright of the Design Collective
Photograph on page 28 is copyright of Kristen Markham
Photograph on page 30 is copyright of David Lovell
Contact Us:
Office of Sustainability
Department of Environmental Safety
3115 Chesapeake Building
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
www.sustainability.umd.edu
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water
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41
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3,932
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