struction crews recently discovered a natural spring flowing e often speak of “walking the talk” of true susbehind the Garvey Welcome Center (home to the College tainability at Prescott College, as a way to Admissions Department)—an energetic symbol that has helped communicate how our values are being put enliven our sense of harmony with the natural world and hope into action. In fact, our entire history as an institution of for continued recruitment success. A French drain will be installed higher education has been dedicated to environmental to route the water to irrigate landscaping on campus. responsibility and social justice. The phrase “walking the Parking lot improvements across campus were also planned as talk” almost suggests that our steps are following our part of our agreement with the City to build student housing. words, though; at this time it might be more accurate to Landscape architects address the need to “talk the walk,” as our worked with ecological sustainability actions are now accelerating design students to develfaster than our ability to communicate these op and install a system of changes—there is a lot going on that we bioswales and retention want to share. basins that will hold First are the changes that can be seen on storm water runoff, campus with construction of the new student increase soil infiltration, housing, the Campus Commons, and parking and reduce oil and fuel lot upgrades. Current activities are following transfer. from an extensive multi-year participatory Bioremediation pits process that involved students, faculty, staff, have been installed in and community neighbors in the design of Solar Installation at the GarveyWelcome Center each parking spot to our physical campus as an expression of our catch oil and fuel from values. The new student There will be more and more opportunities for stu- vehicle engines, and in the housing facility is in dents, faculty, staff, and other community members to future we may inoculate these with bacteria or fungus to help advanced stages of con- take part in sustainability efforts that make best use of break down the petroleum struction and, once their creativity, talents, and innovation. byproducts. Parking lots located completed, will house directly within the floodway are being paved with concrete in over 100 new students in state-of-the-art residential units. order to further reduce the transfer of oil residue. These strategies We are targeting a Gold-level certification for new conwere evaluated and determined to be more effective than permestruction, within the Leadership in Energy and able pavement strategies typically used in large-scale parking lots. Environmental Design (LEED) rating system developed by More information is available in a white paper on the College’s the United States Green Building Council, and we may Green Initiatives web page. well exceed that goal. Elements designed for LEED point In addition to these other initiatives, we are actively working to awards include high-density development, maximization of complete our Climate Action Plan for making progress towards natural day lighting, habitat protection measures, watercarbon neutrality as part of the American College and University efficient fixtures and landscaping irrigation via rainwater Presidents’ Climate Commitment. The first steps we have made catchment systems, recycling and reuse of building materiincluded development of purchasing and investment policies supals, regional materials sourcing, and use of Forest porting markets for energy efficiency and renewable energy techStewardship Council certified wood, among many other nology. We are also in the final stages of a comprehensive energy points for innovation in design. audit of the entire campus that will result in long-term plans for Energy use is one of the most significant areas of efficiency enhancement through building envelope improvements, applied sustainability values in the campus housing. To save heating and cooling system upgrades, lighting efficiency measures, energy and money, the design uses advanced energy modand other strategies. A student team of Sustainability Research eling for passive solar design, thus drawing on natural Assistants have been working around campus to inventory applicooling and heating. High-efficiency lighting fixtures and ances and analyze comfort zones of our building climate control EnergyStar appliances will also reduce the buildings’ enersystems, and also interviewing people across campus about their gy footprint. The roofs will be covered with active solar experiences with energy use. photovoltaic systems that are projected to generate as A new reinvestment fund has been established for investing in much as 20 percent more electricity than the buildings energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, and cost savings consume. from those projects will be directed back to that fund in order to Many of these same elements and strategies will be a increase our commitment over time. Project funding has been part of the central Campus Commons project. The made available to launch proposals that College community memCommons design is based around a water theme of flow bers have for energy efficiency measures and solar energy applicaand ripples. Native and edible landscaping, recycled matetions. One of the first projects funded in this way was the installarials, energy-efficient lighting, and other elements will tion of a solar photovoltaic system generating electricity for the make this new campus commons area consistent with our Dan and Barbara Garvey Welcome Center. values and the rest of campus. Considering the aqueous Energy conservation measures are also being implemented theme of this project, it is fascinating to note that con-
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Transitions Spring 2012
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