Campus Sustainability Tour

Why are there plants on the roof of Pedro Arrupe, S.J., Residence Hall? How does permeable pavement work? Can you tell me how to get to Solar Street?

Get the answers to these and other questions by taking the new Campus Sustainability Walking Tour. Each stop highlights Georgetown’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect the Potomac watershed, create pollinator habitats and generate clean energy.

From some of the oldest buildings on campus to the newest, above ground to below, campus reflects the university’s commitment to sustainability.

With the tour, we hope to increase visibility for the great work that our community is doing to advance healthy and sustainable outcomes—from energy efficiency to integrative landscape design, clean transportation and more—while providing educational opportunities for all,” says Audrey Stewart, director of Georgetown’s Office of Sustainability.

The new Campus Sustainability Walking Tour is sponsored by Boland. Visit sustainability.georgetown.edu/tour for more information and guided tour dates.

Key Georgetown’s most common sustainability efforts

LEED CERTIFICATION

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a worldwide green building certification. A rating of gold is second only to platinum.

PERMEABLE PAVERS

These allow stormwater to filter through, then be piped to an underground reservoir to reduce runoff to the Potomac River watershed.

RAIN GARDENS

Gardens reduce runoff to sewers, provide natural habitat, help regulate building temperatures; some provide social and educational opportunities.

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01 02 04

Healy Gates 01

“Solar Street” is a student-led initiative that brought rooftop solar panels to six university-owned townhouses nearby on O Street to generate clean energy.

Ida Ryan and Isaac Hawkins residence halls 02

Adaptive reuse by repurposing existing buildings; permeable pavers; LEED Gold.

O’Gara Terrace 03

Green roof absorbs rainfall, helps regulate temperature and provides pollinator habitat.

Healey Family Student Center 04

Living green wall improves indoor air quality and reduces heating and cooling costs; exterior garden reduces rainwater runoff; LEED Gold.

Leo J. O’Donovan, S.J., Dining Hall 05

Trayless dining conserves about 145,000 gallons of water annually; food sourced locally as available; food waste composting: LEED Silver.

Campus Shuttles and Bus Turnaround 06

Free university-provided bus connections to two Metro stops and other locations promote public transportation use; bus turnaround has permeable pavers and a rain garden.

John R. Thompson Jr. Intercollegiate Athletic Center 07

Uses 38 percent less potable water and 29 percent less energy than conventional buildings; 10,000-gallon cistern collects stormwater runoff for use in lower-level bathrooms; LEED Gold.

Heating and Cooling Plant 08

Efficient temperature control to Main Campus buildings; centralized boilers and chillers reduce energy costs.

Observatory 09

Garden habitat for 200 species of pollinators, including bees, butterflies and birds. See page 12 for more information

Medical School 10

Department of Pharmacology and Physiology gardens in underused areas feature medicinal plants and culinary herbs for student education.

Regents Hall 11

Uses rainwater from roof and ground in bathrooms; teaching garden; LEED Gold.

Pedro Arrupe, S.J., Residence Hall 12

Green roof; permeable pavers; cistern to reduce runoff; demonstration kitchen for nutrition education; LEED Gold.