Learning Resources

Abstract: The natural resource planning theory of Walter Firey is examined as conceptual base for planning efforts aimed at achieving sustainable policies and practices on university and college campuses. Sustainable policies and practices are those that, according to Firey’s theory, are simultaneously ecologically possible, economically gainful, and ethnologically adoptable. Successful planning for sustainability must take all three criteria fully into account in order for sustainability to be achieved. While Firey’s theory may not identify specific policies and practices that are universally applicable in pursuing sustainability, it does provide robust and flexible general principles useful for planners.

Abstract: A four-step process that has awakened The Pennsylvania State University to its ecological impact and is moving it toward sustainable resource-use policies is presented as a general model for ecological reform in universities. The first step was to frame the problem by conducting a high-profile ecological assessment of the institution using sustainability indicators. This created both the justification and the momentum necessary to persuade the university to adopt an ecological mission (step 2). Next, a detailed ecological and economic analysis of a university facility was made (step 3) to establish concrete socio-techno solutions that could then be extrapolated (step 4) to form specific sustainable policies for the entire university.

Abstract: Colleges and universities are expanding at unprecedented rates, creating new hazards for our increasingly fragile natural environments. Higher education administrators and planners are finding that campus development, like suburban sprawl, can disrupt functioning natural systems and destroy the natural, historical, and cultural fabric of the place. To address environmental issues and new regulations, proactive institutions of higher education are taking the lead as stewards of the land by including an environmental component in their campus master plans. An environmental approach to planning incorporates ecological information into campus master plans to ensure a sustainable campus landscape that is beautiful, durable, and distinctive. These Environmental Master Plans are best developed using a democratic process, considering each site’s unique essential environmental resources, the constraints of the regulatory environment, and a continuing education and outreach program. A case study of an Environmental Master Plan at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill illustrates how such a plan was created at one of the nation’s oldest and largest college campuses.

Abstract: This list of print and electronic resources is designed to act as a springboard to assist practitioners in finding information to start implementing sustainability efforts on their campuses.

Abstract: Campus energy consumption causes the largest environmental impacts. College and university planners, architects, and facilities managers are uniquely positioned to play a critical role promoting campus environmental responsibility by addressing the need for campus energy sustainability. Both demand- and supply-side strategies are required. On the demand side, an aggressive campus energy conservation program can reduce campus energy consumption by 30 percent or more. Addressing the supply side of the energy equation means shifting to clean, renewable, non-carbon-based energy resources and technologies. Developing campus energy policies, coping with the computer explosion, avoiding the pitfalls of electric deregulation, buying green power, and implementing green building design are all parts of the solution.

Abstract: Green buildings offer many compelling advantages over their conventional counterparts—increased educational performance, lower energy costs, and lower environmental impact, to name a few—so green buildings should be easier to develop. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. Several strategies are important to avoid a protracted process. Develop a set of clear environmental performance goals (buildings as pedagogical tools, climate-neutral operations, maximized human performance), use Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED™) as a gauge of performance, and use the project to reform the campus building process. All of these steps need to involve a range of participants—students, faculty, administration, and facilities staff—to achieve the best results.

Abstract: The State of California has initiated a number of policies and programs to integrate sustainable building practices into the state’s capital outlay process. Many of these efforts involve new levels of teamwork between diverse state programs and departments. The state’s higher education systems have begun to show a strong level of commitment to sustainable building and have implemented a number of sustainable building measures within their organizations. This article (1) outlines the activities and recommendations of the task force, (2) discusses sustainable building activities in California’s higher education systems, and (3) highlights key issues that California is grappling with in its implementation of sustainable building practices.