WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A SUSTAINABLE DEPARTMENT ON CAMPUS?
The Center for Latin American Studies The staff at Berkeley’s Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) has been making an effort to practice what they preach in their “Alternative Energy and the Americas” program. CLAS has taken significant steps toward greater sustainability in the past few years, most recently by hiring a student intern from Building Sustainability at Cal (BS@C) to help achieve the goals outlined in the university’s Climate Action Plan. The Center’s efforts provide an example of what it takes to make an existing campus building more environmentally friendly. The timeline below shows the Center’s journey toward sustainability, progressing from a typical office to a resource efficient building. April 2010 and Beyond Continued Commitment: CLAS staff members hope to establish a composting program, host more Green Events, and continue their daily commitment to sustainable practices. In the future, CLAS plans on registering to become a LEED-certified building. As the Center’s experience shows, becoming a sustainable department is an ongoing process that requires commitment from the entire staff.
March 2010 Energy Efficient LCD and LED Monitors: CLAS upgrades its most-used computer monitors with Energy Star models which are halogen-free and made from 25 percent post-consumer recycled plastic, some of the most energy efficient models on the market. The new monitors further reduce the Center’s carbon footprint.
March 2010 Green Department Certification CLAS becomes a Blue Certified Green Department. CLAS is the ninth department on the Berkeley campus to become certified by the Office of Sustainability. Certification means CLAS has made a significant effort to make their office as energy and resource efficient as possible practicing double sided printing, battery and ink toner recycling, and using reusable cups and plates among other actions.
February 2010 Reduced Electrical Consumption: Hard work pays off! As a result of eliminating unnecessary appliances and bottled water dispensers, practicing daylighting, and turning off computers, CLAS is able to reduce its electrical consumption rates by 30 percent when compared to the last three years. (Figures provided by Physical Plant and Campus Services.)
November 2009 One Side Clean Paper Bins: According to the EPA, the average office worker uses seven reams of paper each year! CLAS staff members make an effort to reduce their waste and carbon emissions by reusing paper. Two OSC bins were installed near frequently used printers.
January 2010 Green Event: A private film screening and reception is certified as a Green Event by the Office of Sustainability. The function is catered by a local service which provides vegetarian options, alternatives to bottled water, compostable plates, paperless invitations, reusable nametags, and sustainable centerpieces. The Green Event shows the Center’s dedication to practicing sustainability outside the office.
November 2009
February 2010 I Heart Tap Water Campaign: Posters, stickers, and buttons are distributed in an effort to remind staff, students, and visitors that CLAS is a tap water drinking department. The “I Heart Tap Water” campaign is a campus-wide initiative run by Health*Matters.
ReUSE Station: In an effort to reduce the amount of waste going to landfills, CLAS establishes an official ReUSE station stocked with used binders, clips, folders, and other office supplies. ReUSE is a campus-wide program that creates spaces where students, faculty, and staff can freely exchange reusable goods.
January 2010 Elimination of Bottled Water: After months of educating staff members, researching alternatives, and testing water quality, CLAS cancels its contract for two five-gallon bottled water dispensers, thereby reducing its carbon footprint, promoting better health, and saving money.
October 2009 October 2009 May 2009 Xeriscaping and Bike Rack: Goodbye thirsty landscaping; hello drought-tolerant native plants! CLAS works with Capital Projects to install low maintenance, low water landscaping; a bike rack; and a wheelchair ramp, making their front yard beautiful while also promoting alternative transportation.
Building Walk-Through and Survey: The BS@C intern conducts a walk-through and survey to evaluate the CLAS staff’s sustainable behaviors. The survey provides information that guides future projects and results in a personalized action plan for each staff member.
August 2009 Building Sustainability at Cal (BS@C): CLAS hires intern McCall Wood from BS@C, a student group dedicated to making campus buildings more sustainable. Wood has been essential in completing small projects and informing the staff about sustainable behaviors.
Waste Audit: The BS@C intern examines and weighs the contents of the Center’s waste trail to determine annual waste production. She finds that the staff does very well at recycling mixed paper and bottles and cans but can improve practices by buying in bulk and establishing a composting program.
September 2009 Lighting Audit: The BS@C intern inspects all lighting fixtures to determine where upgrades can be made. Her findings indicate that CLAS could increase sustainability by using CFLs in desk lamps and by taking advantage of the building’s many windows to practice daylighting.
September 2009 Water Audit: The BS@C intern inspects all plumbing fixtures to determine flow rates and theoretical water consumption rates. Results indicate that 1920s faucets and fixtures should be fitted with faucet aerators or upgraded with low flow devices.
January 2009 Smart Lights Program: CLAS works with Smart Lights to assess and improve lighting efficiency. Energy saving T-8 fluorescent lights are substituted for the old T-12s, and CFLs take the place of incandescent light bulbs. Replacing inefficient lighting helps to reduce the carbon footprint of the building.
For further information on hiring Building Sustainability at Cal to make your building or department more ecofriendly, please contact Claire Evans at clairemevans@ gmail.com or visit the BS@C website at:
http://buildingsustainabilityatcal.com/
Sustainability Poster-04-07-10.indd 1
The G een Initiative Fund
University of California, Berkeley
4/7/2010 1:04:43 PM