Our Current Spring 2007, Volume 10 Newsletter:
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The Harvard Green Campus Initiative, Growing, Growing, Grown!
In early 2000, President Rudenstine provided the seed funding for what would become the Harvard Green Campus Initiative (HGCI). With Rudenstine's support, I was recruited to Harvard from Australia by HGCI Co-Chairs Professor Jack Spengler and Tom Vautin to establish...
Green Milestones
2000: President Neil Rudenstine provides the seed funding for the Harvard Green Campus Initiative (HGCI), to be established as a joint academic and administrative initiative. With Rudenstine's support, Leith Sharp is recruited to Harvard from Australia by HGCI Co-Chair Professor...
Allston Sustainability Update
We are all surely riveted as we watch to see how Harvard will embrace its once in a lifetime opportunity to provide the world with a new campus in Allston that effectively addresses the demands of sustainability. What follows is...
46 Blackstone Becomes Harvard's First LEED Platinum Building April 2007
Embracing principles of sustainability from the project's inception, the renovation of the 46 Blackstone Street complex is the most ambitious green building project Harvard has ever undertaken. Dedication to sustainability throughout the process was formally recognized when Blackstone was awarded...
HGCI Engaged by FAS to Write Plan to Achieve GHG Reduction Goals
In the fall of 2006, 86% of undergraduates voted to ask FAS leadership to reduce GHG emissions by 11% below 1990 levels. Students chose 11% because Yale, their rival school, has committed to a 10% reduction. The HGCI is currently...
The Leadership Tide Has Turned on Climate Change
In April 2007 the City of Cambridge, in partnership with the Kendall Foundation, launched an ambitious initiative called the Cambridge Energy Alliance. The goal of this alliance is to direct $70-100 million of private funds into supporting energy conservation across...
Renewable Energy at Harvard
Harvard continues to purchase renewable electricity credits (RECs), which represent the environmental attributes of a kwh of renewable energy to offset GHG emissions caused by our electricity use. In 2006, we purchased 20,500 MWh, which means that 6.6% of the...
Green Building Guidelines in Development for Harvard University
Even though Harvard has the most LEED registered buildings of any University in the country and even though we have established LEED Gold as the standard for all buildings in Allston, there is still one last step that we are...
LEED Certification Arrives for 60 Oxford St
On January 15th, 2007, 60 Oxford Street was awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the US Green Building Council. 60 Oxford St. was one of Harvard's first three building projects to agree to pilot the...
HARVARD'S COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS
Over the past six years, Harvard has experienced a boom in green new construction and renovation. These projects demonstrate the University's commitment to sustainability and occupant health and comfort, while providing lessons learned for each new project that the University...
HRES Partners with the HGCI to Take Charge of Energy Conservation
This spring, the HGCI continues to work closely with Harvard Real Estate Services (HRES) to compile utility baselines and audit more buildings in the search for energy conservation solutions. For HRES Residential Real Estate alone, the HGCI has conducted extensive...
HUDS are Cooking with a Green Skillet
The competitive juices are flowing in the residential dining hall kitchens, as staff compete to see which kitchen can reduce energy consumption the most and win the green skillet. This program (previously called green apron in the last newsletter), a...
Low-Emitting Vehicle Parking at Harvard Business School
Guess who's getting preferred parking in Harvard Business School (HBS) parking lots? Here's a hint... it isn't people who drive Hummers. HBS is partnering with Harvard University Parking Services and Harvard Green Campus Initiative to pilot preferred parking for low-emitting...
Harvard Green Campus Building Resource
The Green Building Resource, a project of the Harvard Green Campus Initiative, is an online project tool and database developed to assist in driving continuous improvement in the implementation of Harvard's Sustainability Principles and the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED...
Harvard's Undergraduate Resource Efficiency Program (REP) Continues to Thrive
The Undergraduate Resource Efficiency Program (REP), a joint initiative of the HGCI, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, University Operations Services and Harvard University Dining Services, trains student representatives, ("REPs"), to be environmental leaders and peer educators in Harvard's undergraduate residential...
Graduate Green Living Program Enters Its Second Year
The Graduate Green Living Program is a peer-to-peer education program based on the model of the undergraduate Resource Efficiency Program. The pilot for this program began in the fall of 2005 with the primary goals to increase recycling by 30...
FAS Engages Staff, Students and Faculty in Saving Energy
Having grown beyond the projects addressing energy consumption solely related to computer use, CERP is now tackling other direct and indirect sources of greenhouse gas emissions, such as labs, waste reduction, water conservation and green cleaning. The success of our...
CERtoon 2007: Students create cartoons about climate change
CERtoon is an annual competition run by the FAS Campus Energy Reduction Program to raise awareness about resource conservation and renewable energy in a humorous, unexpected way. Every year, we tap into the creativity of our undergraduates to encourage all...
The 2006 Harvard Sustainability Pledge
The annual online Harvard Sustainability Pledge was a huge success this year; over 7,000 students, staff, and faculty at Harvard pledged to support Harvard's Sustainability Principles and incorporate actions in their daily lives to minimize their impact on the environment....
HGSE takes action to lessen its contribution to climate change
In the fall of 2006, the HGSE partnered with HGCI to reduce the environmental impacts of its campus' operations and to promote sustainable practices within its community. The HGSE Green Program is the newest addition to the HGCI's family of...
Harvard Medical School Develops Harvard First Ever Sustainability Report Card
How do we know if we are on the right track toward sustainability? What are the environmental impacts of operating the campus? Where should we be focusing our efforts? The Harvard Medical School (HMS) is trying to answer some of...
Green Cleaning at Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical Custodial Services initiated a green cleaning program throughout the entire campus this past fall, in line with the school's concern for the environment, occupant health, and a desire to be consistent with the medical credo of "first do...
Energy Conservation Comes to Labs at Harvard's School of Public Health
Laboratories are one of the most energy-intensive building typologies, often consuming 3-5 times the MMBtu per square foot compared to office buildings. This is mostly due to the need for single pass ventilation in the building, resulting in high heating...
HSPH Green Team Kick-off Meeting
The Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) kicked off a new program in March with the first meeting of the inter-departmental HSPH Green Team. This new effort, coordinated by the HSPH Operations Department and Harvard Green Campus Initiative, is designed...
Fresh, local, sustainable food at Harvard Medical School
When was the last time you thought about where that apple you are eating comes from? What resources such as fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation water went into producing that apple? Did it travel across the world from New Zealand or...
Green Tip of the Month at Longwood
For over a year, the Longwood Green Campus Initiative has posted a "Green Tip" poster and email each month as a simple reminder of the many things each of us can do to reduce our environmental impacts. The Green Tips...
Green Campus Loan Funds for New Construction
The Green Campus Loan Fund (GCLF), a $12 million revolving loan fund managed by the HGCI, known for its success as a provider of capital for high performance campus design, operations, maintenance and occupant behavior projects is launching a new...
Harvard wins AF&PA SCHOOL RECYCLING AWARD!
The American Forest & Paper Association presented Rob Gogan, Harvard Waste and Recycling Manager, with its annual award for the best Campus Recycling program in the nation. Rob accepted this award on behalf of the enormous number of people he...
SOLAR TRASH COMPACTOR Conserves Energy
With a loan from the Green Campus Initiative, Harvard Landscape Services installed a solar-powered trash compactor at the south entrance of the Science Center on 3-29-07. The Seahorse Power "Big Belly" unit will prevent the need for up to...
An Environmental Spring Cleaning!
While you are sprucing up your office and home to welcome the Spring weather, consider these very simple tips to either space for a lesser environmental impact! Use non-toxic cleaning supplies: Chemicals in cleaning products contribute to the toxic waste...
Two Courses from HGCI Staff Now Available!
The HGCI is now involved with two courses offered by the Extension School. The previously offered Sustainability course titled ENVR E-117: Sustainability, The Challenge of Changing Our Institutions is currently being offered this Spring and again in 2008. This course...
Harvard Becomes a Leader in Ground Source Heat Pump Technology
The well head of one of Blackstone's geothermal wells. Ground source heat pumps are an exciting renewable energy technology that Harvard has enthusiastically adopted! Ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) can be used to heat and cool buildings and to...