New policies, construction planned as Richland College goes green
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As the threat of global warming and natural resource shortages become more of a reality, more businesses and organizations are going “green” in an effort to preserve our environment. Several educational institutions are also jumping aboard the green train. Richland College is among one the first community colleges in the U.S. to participate in the campaign for sustainability.
Richland’s president, Dr. Steve Mittelstet, recently agreed to sign the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). This agreement solidifies commitments from college and university presidents to contribute to a more eco-friendly world, both locally and globally. Richland will be one of only two Texas higher education institutions, the first in North Texas, to make such an agreement.
The ACUPCC signing means that the participating colleges and universities are to complete a thorough plan to achieve climate neutrality and facilitate policies and procedures like collecting inventory of greenhouse gas emissions and conceptualizing goals to reduce those gases as well as encouraging the purchase of energy-efficient appliances. Richland will also make sustainability a part of its curriculum and other educational experiences for students.
Dr. Mittelstet has also been appointed to lead a consortium of 23 community colleges across the nation in designing an “innovations distributions lab” for curricula, programs, and services that help students learn to build sustainable local and global community at societal, economic, and environmental levels. This multi-year project will be launched this October in a national Wingspread Conference in Racine, Wisconsin, in conjunction with the Johnson Foundation, the Continuous Quality Improvement Network, and IDEO, an award-winning, international design firm that helps organizations transform through innovation.
The college has already made considerable efforts prior to the signing of this agreement. GREENRichland was formed in the fall of 2005 to develop campus practices, policies, and programs to promote sustainability. This group of faculty, staff, and students has hosted a series of events including a sustainability transportation fair last month featuring hybrid cars, scooters, and electric bicycles.
Even bigger plans are in the works, as Richland prepares to construct a $40 million, 141,167-square-foot science building. College administrators are striving for platinum status under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. LEED is a nationally recognized standard for the design and construction of high-performing green buildings.
The new science facility will host Richland’s health and science programs. Features will include special construction for harvesting sunlight, cisterns that irrigate rain water to other parts of the campus as well as interactive devices in restrooms that users control. Some building materials will be recycled, such as the carpet, and local vendors will be utilized as often as possible to minimize exhaust fumes from lengthy transports. The décor will even be eco-friendly and is to include a geology pit for a hands-on “field learning” for the students.
For more details about Richland’s climate commitment, contact Anitra Cotton at 972-238-6022 or anitracotton@dcccd.edu.
» View PDF of “A Natural Commitment” in the Richardson newspaper
October 22nd, 2007 at 3:43 pm
what will the name of the new building be?
October 31st, 2007 at 9:54 pm
Just perusing the site. I think that its wondful to see DCCCD taking a positive stance to protect the environment!
Best Wishes,
Kevin Williams, AIAA, LEED AP
December 29th, 2007 at 7:50 pm
Can you tell me more about GREENRichland, how do you become a member?
January 13th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
I think this great idea. I think companys and small personally owned houses will also start recycleing and using better resources then destroying O-zone layer!
January 23rd, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Jenni,
To find out about GREENRichland, visit http://www.richlandcollege.edu/greenrichland/. Or you may call David Henry at 972-238-6394.
April 19th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Senile and money are mutually exclusive; kinda like building and thinking green are mutually exclusive. Sounds like I should protest!