Campus Sustainability at the University of Maryland

University of Maryland

Sustainability at UM

UM Sustainability Snapshot

At the University of Maryland, students have outstanding opportunities through coursework, research, and community involvement to learn about and address the challenges facing local and global ecosystems. Researchers across campus are applying cutting edge technologies to environmental problems of all scales. Many staff and administrators are working hard to green their departments by reducing material consumption, increasing recycling rates, reducing energy use, and encouraging other responsible behaviors. The following is a brief overview of sustainability efforts at the University of Maryland:

Administration

  • University President Dan Mote is a charter signatory of the American College and Universities Presidents Climate Commitment.
  • The University Strategic Plan firmly establishes sustainability as part of the mission of the institution and sets the goal for the University to be "a national model for a Green University."

Climate

  • In June 2008, the University released its first inventory of campus greenhouse gas emissions covering 2002-2007 emissions.
  • The Climate Action Plan Work Group is developing emissions reduction strategies to achieve carbon neutrality. The Climate Action Plan will be finalized by September 2009.

Dining

  • Bagasse and other biodegradable products have replaced polystyrene foam containers in Dining Service facilities.
  • All pre- and post-consumer food waste in resident dining halls is composted.
  • Dining Services no longer sells bottled water in resident dining halls and instead provides campus diners with triple filtered water stations.
  • Dining Services offers catering customers the option of purchasing compostable plates and cutlery for events.

Energy

  • Completed in 2003, the University’s Combined Heat and Power Plant received the EPA’s Energy Star Award.
  • A thermal energy storage system cools water at night and stores it for daytime cooling of the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, Stamp Student Union, and Riggs Alumni Center.
  • Lighting across campus is being updated to higher efficiency lamps and the number of lamps is being reduced in specific areas.
  • New carbon dioxide monitors are being installed to ventilate buildings only when necessary.
  • In spring 2008, two Energy Service Companies started detailed energy audits to determine the best strategies to reduce energy consumption on campus.

Green Buildings

  • All new construction and major renovations must, at a minimum, meet LEED-Silver green building standards of the U.S. Green Building Council.
  • The Camille Kendall Academic Center at the Universities at Shady Grove was constructed in 2007 and is the first University System of Maryland building to achieve LEED Gold certification.
  • Knight Hall, currently under construction, will be the first LEED-rated building that is owned and operated by the University on the College Park campus.

Housekeeping

  • All cleaning products used by Residential Facilities are Green Seal Certified.
  • Facilities Management uses some Green Seal products in academic and administrative buildings.

Landscaping

  • The entire campus is a certified Arboretum and Botanical Garden.
  • The Golf Course is a certified Audubon International Wildlife Sanctuary.
  • The University received the "Campus Ecology Award" from the National Wildlife Federation.

Planning

  • The Campus Master Plan includes guidelines to preserve the natural environment, reduce the number of cars on campus, reinforce the campus’ role as a good neighbor in the larger community, and enhance the campus with open spaces and vistas of green lawns and trees.
  • Environmental Stewardship Guidelines that focus on smart growth and sustainability were unanimously adopted by the Facilities Council in 2005.

Re-Use, Recycling, and Waste

  • The campus recycling rate increased from 17 percent in 2003 to 54 percent in 2008.
  • The "Feed the Turtle" program introduced recycling and composting to home football games during the fall 2008 season.
  • Some campus departments (and all units within the Division of Student Affairs) have adopted sustainability guidelines that include minimum standards for purchasing recycled paper and other environmentally preferable activities.
  • The Department of Environmental Safety has successfully helped faculty and staff across campus reduce hazardous waste and create safer laboratories.

Storm Water and Water Conservation

  • Multiple restoration projects have addressed storm water runoff on campus and helped improve the quality of the Anacostia River and Chesapeake Bay.
  • The first 10,000 gallon rain water cistern was installed on campus in the Washington Quad that uses a computer controlled drip irrigation system to water the Quad’s native landscaping.
  • A green roof was installed on 6,000 square feet of Cumberland Hall in the summer of 2008.
  • Low-flow toilets, showers, and faucets are replacing older fixtures in the residence halls.

Student Activism

  • In April 2007, University Students overwhelmingly voted in favor of increasing student fees by $12 per year in order to fund the purchase of clean, renewable energy. This fee increase is awaiting final approval by the Board of Regents and President Mote.
  • Students from each of the University System of Maryland institutions formed the Maryland Student Climate Coalition in fall 2007. After the Coalition presented signed petitions to the Board of Regents, USM created the Chancellor’s Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change Initiative and created a position of Vice Chancellor of Environmental Sustainability.
  • In November 2007, PowerShift, the first national youth summit to solve the climate crisis, hosted 6,000 student participants at the University of Maryland.
  • Student Sustainability Advisors developed a lesson on sustainability and presented the lesson to 20 sections of the freshmen seminar class, UNIV100, during fall 2008.

Transportation

  • Shuttle UM vehicles run on a mixture of biodiesel fuel manufactured from waste cooking oil.
  • Shuttle ridership increased a little over 13 percent to top off at 2.35 million rides for FY 2008.
  • The ZipCar program gives mass transit users the flexibility of borrowing a car during the day to run errands and other tasks. Faculty and staff without a parking permit receive limited free use of Zipcar each month.
  • The Department of Transportation Services offers "Green Permits" at a 20 percent discount to persons who commute to campus in cars that meet EPA’s Green Vehicle Standard.