Newsletter
Early March, 2004

 


In this issue:

 

Greenhouse Gas Action Plan:
2002 Update


Dr. Donald Wheeler, NJHEPS Executive Director, and Program Manager Carmela Federico update the New Jersey Presidents' Council on the Greenhouse Gas Action Plan. Michael Winka, Director of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities' Clean Energy Program, provides information and lends support.


On February 23rd, 2004, NJHEPS staff, along with Mike Winka of the BPU's Clean Energy Program, updated the New Jersey Presidents' Council on the Greenhouse Gas Action Plan (GGAP), a commitment made in 2001 by all New Jersey College and university presidents to reduce their institution's greenhouse gas emissions to 3.5% below 1990 levels by 2005. Of the 23 institutions that have supplied NJHEPS with complete data on their fuel consumption, a heartening 39% had attained GGAP levels of emissions reductions in 2002! For most of the others, massive expansion in campus area and services were substantially offset by greener campus operations: 18 of the 23 institutions are achieving greater than 3.5% reductions in their "carbon intensity" (measured by emissions/sq. ft. of campus area).

NJHEPS' presentation made the following points:

  • It makes ethical, programmatic and financial sense to attain GGAP levels of emissions reductions.
  • It is easy to attain GGAP reductions in carbon intensity, and not difficult to join the 39% of institutions achieving GGAP reductions in their total emissions output.
  • Institutions can use diverse strategies to attain these reductions: improvements in energy efficiency, use of renewables, green energy purchasing, changes in campus policies. Some require investment, but provide quick, substantial and long-lived payback; others require no cash investment at all.
  • NJHEPS can connect institutions to the expertise, knowledge, and resources to attain this goal, but we require cooperation and support if we are to continue monitoring GGAP progress and helping institutions attain GGAP goals.

Our thanks to the 30 institutions that have cooperated with us in our data-gathering, and our hearty congratulations to New Jersey's many GGAP attaining institutions!

You can download the entire PowerPoint Presentation at the NJHEPS Energy and Emissions web page.

 

 


Steering Committee members consider and discuss the new NJHEPS Strategic Plan
at Guyot Hall, Princeton University

NJHEPS Steering Committee
Approves Strategic Plan


The NJHEPS Steering Committee gathered at Guyot Hall, Princeton University on Friday, February 20th, 2004. Participants from 14 universities gathered to vote on accepting the new NJHEPS Five Year Strategic Plan, which was developed over the last eight months with the input of a diverse Planning Committee. The Plan was accepted as the guiding framework within which future NJHEPS work is to proceed. The Steering Committee also approved Dr. Clint Andrews as a new NJHEPS Executive Board member (see below) and shared strategies for funding and improving future NJHEPS work.

Look for excerpts of the plan, including the new NJHEPS mission, vision, and goals, in our next newsletter!

 

 

Dr. Clint Andrews joins NJHEPS Executive Board


On February 20, 2004, the NJHEPS Steering Committee welcomed Dr. Clint Andrews, Associate Professor at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University, to the NJHEPS Executive Board. Dr. Andrews takes the place of Dr. Donald Wheeler, NJHEPS founder, who resigned in order to assume the duties of Executive Director.

Clinton Andrews approaches policy questions from the bottom-up perspectives of engineering and planning. His recent academic work focuses on problems involving multi-party decision-making and regulatory policy. This includes the modeling and analysis of regional electric power systems, environmental federalism, and industrial ecology. He nurtures a crosscutting interest in "communicative" analysis designed to inform shared decisions. His non-academic background includes engineering project management in the private sector and technology assessments for government. He is a licensed professional engineer, and was awarded the IEEE Third Millennium Medal in 2000. Previously, he was on the Princeton faculty, where he helped launch a program in Science, Technology, and Public Policy. He is currently president of the IEEE Society on Social Implications of Technology.

 

 

AROUND THE CAMPUSES

 

Kean University to Host Campus Green Design Event

Tuesday, March 30, 2004, 5:30 to 7:30 PM
Kean University, Dining Rm #1, Downs Hall (1000 Morris Ave., Union, NJ 07083, (908) 737-5326)
$20 NJ Chapter members, $30 non-members, $40 at the door

Program Speakers Include:

  • Eduardo Del Valle, AIA, PP, AICP University Architect, Associate Vice President for Facilities & Campus Planning, Kean University and Co-Chair, Green Design Team, NJ Higher Education Partnership for Sustainability (NJHEPS)
  • Regina M. Bleck, AIA, Executive Director, Facilities Project Administration, Rutgers University and Co-Chair, Green Design Team, NJHEPS
  • Michael Buono, Program Director for Environmental Service Management Group, Inc. (esmg) Kean University’s New Academic Building


In association with the U.S. Green Building Council's New Jersey Chapter, three speakers will offer presentations on aspects of green design in New Jersey higher education. Eduardo Del Valle will discuss his experience in the design and construction of Kean University’s New Academic Building. This 124,000 sq. ft. building, scheduled for completion in the fall of 2004, aims for a LEED Silver certification, as a cost of $169 per sq. ft. It will have solar panels, energy efficient and Earth-friendly HVAC systems, digital metering and extensive energy management, and energy-efficient lighting (energy efficiency is projected to be 20% above code). This project includes an extensive materials diversion program that includes recycling, salvage and reuse of up to 90% of all construction and demolition waste generated. The program will include a visit to the site to see it under construction.

In addition, Regina Bleck will provide an overview of NJHEPS' High Performance Campus Design Handbook, which presents a rationale for and an overview of green design in New Jersey higher education. Michael Buono will describe his firm's experience coordinating the on-site waste management and recycling activities that achieve LEED points while reducing disposal costs for green buildings.

Register through Acteva, however, you must register by Friday, March 26, 2004 to get reduced rate! For more information on this event contact Marianne Leone.

 

 

Princeton Implements Natural Gas Shuttle Service

A new shuttle bus line provides free transportation throughout Princeton's eastern campus. The new line was established through a collaboration of the University, corporations, a regional transportation agency, local governments and an area business. The Ford Motor Co. and BP PLC (British Petroleum) joined forces to donate two environmentally friendly natural gas buses for the new route and several years' supply of the alternative fuel for the vehicles.

While easing traffic will improve the environment, the alternative fuel vehicles donated by Ford also will contribute to reducing pollutants. According to researchers, natural gas is the cleanest burning fossil fuel, producing significantly less carbon dioxide and pollutants than gasoline or diesel fuel. A natural gas fueling facility recently installed at the University, through the Ford gift, should enable Princeton to expand the use of natural gas to more vehicles in its campus fleet in the future.

NJHEPS also congratulates Middlesex County College, The College of New Jersey, Rutgers University, and Ramapo College for implementing alternative-fuel vehicles on campus! See the NJHEPS September newsletters for information on BPU funding to help state institutions purchase alternative fuel or install alternative fueling stations.

 

 

Lewis and Clark College: Kyoto in Portland, Oregon

For the cost of a movie and popcorn for each student, Lewis & Clark College has become compliant with the greenhouse gas emissions targets called for in the Kyoto Protocol. The achievement means that the campus has reduced emissions of the gases that contribute to global warming to 7 percent below what it produced in 1990.

The reduction was achieved through the purchase of carbon dioxide offsets. Offset projects reduce greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere and help mitigate climate change by funding efforts such as reforestation, green building practices or wind farms. The result is a cost-effective method that enabled Lewis & Clark College to minimize its net carbon impact. Students at the private liberal arts college spearheaded the effort. The cost to achieve compliance is estimated at $10 per student.

"Our goal was to demonstrate that individuals can make a difference in fighting global warming," said Laura Matson '05, an economics major from St. Louis Park, Minn. Students raised $16,400 to purchase carbon offsets through the Climate Trust, a Portland-based nonprofit organization that promotes climate change solutions by providing greenhouse gas offset projects and advancing offset policy. Students inventoried the amount of campus emissions, suggested methods of reduction, lobbied for funding to purchase offsets, and launched an educational campaign to explain the protocol's relevance to the campus community. Students from the campus group Students Engaged in Eco-Defense helped organize the campaign.

The college will receive a certificate honoring the protocol compliance effort in November from College Climate Response, an organization of faculty members from across the country who are engaged in analyzing greenhouse gas inventories. The campus plans to mark receipt of the certificate with a lecture about global warming issues.

For more information, visit Lewis and Clark’s Student Kyoto Project Page.

 

 

Sustainable Campus Design: Three-Day Event

"The Sustainable University Campus:" A three-day focus on the design of the American University Campus
March 28 - 30, 2004
Washington University in St. Louis

A three day focus on the sustainable design of the American university campus will take place March 28 - 30, 2004 on the Washington University in St. Louis campus. Leading practitioners and campus planners will present case studies and moderated discourse on the core elements of an environmentally responsible campus.

The extended focus will kick-off on Sunday, March 28, with a series of practical workshops led by the National Wildlife Federation's Campus Ecology group along with case studies of area projects. The afternoon event will cover three tracks - building, energy and campus infrastructure. Leith Sharp, Director of the Harvard Green Campus Initiative, will keynote. This event will be beneficial to all St. Louis region campus planners, facilities leaders, faculty and students, and design practitioners. The US Green Building Council, along with sponsors, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis Community College, Lewis and Clark Community College lead this portion of the symposium. There will be a $35 fee for participation in Sunday's one-day workshop.

The Washington University in St. Louis sesquicentennial colloquium, "The Sustainable University," will begin Monday afternoon with the presentation and discussion of a School of Architecture analysis examining the ecological footprint of the university, and will then continue Monday evening with a lecture on the broader themes of ecology, education and social responsibility. Tuesday's day-long events will feature a series of case study presentations and panel discussions with design practitioners - William McDonough and Partners, Laurie Olin Landscape Architects, Arup Associates, and Energysmith Consultants - and campus leaders from MIT, Stanford, and Washington University in St. Louis. Architect William McDonough, world-renowned green design speaker, will anchor the event with an afternoon lecture entitled "Economy, Equity, Environment and Education," followed by a moderated discussion of the day's presentations. These Monday and Tuesday events are free and open to the public.

For further information on the Sunday event, and to register, contact Dan Hellmuth or Mary Ann Lazarus. For further information on the Monday and Tuesday events, contact Associate Dean Peter MacKeith at the School of Architecture (314/935-6293).

 

 

Sustainability Institute for Educational Buyers

N. Charleston, South Carolina
March 8 - 12
Fee: $750.00
Sponsored by The National Association of Educational Buyers

The National Association of Educational Buyers is hosting a Sustainability Institute in N. Charleston, South Carolina from March 8-12.

Faculty include: Kevin Lyons, Director, Purchasing Department at Rutgers - State University of New Jersey; and Brian Yeoman, Director of Education and Development, NAEB. Trish Jerman, Manager of the Sustainable Universities Initiative in South Carolina and former Executive Director of NWF's South Carolina Affiliate organization (South Carolina Wildlife Federation), will be co-leading a session with Brian titled "Documenting the Journey to Sustainability."

For details visit the Sustainability Institute to access the agenda, hotel information and registration information.

 

 

EPA Launches Student Competition to Find Sustainable Solutions to Environmental Challenges

To respond to the scientific and technical needs of the developed and developing world in moving toward sustainability, EPA Assistant Administrator for Research and Development Paul Gilman and President of the National Academy of Engineering William Wulf today launched the P3 Award. This national student design competition will enable college students to research, develop and design sustainable solutions to environmental challenges. Support for the competition includes more than 30 partners in the federal government, industry, and scientific and professional societies.

Up to 50 awards will be made for a maximum of $10,000 per team in the autumn of 2004. The money will be used for research and development of the team's sustainable design during the academic year. In spring 2005, all teams will be invited to bring their designs to Washington, D.C. to compete for the P3 Award. The National Academy of Engineering will convene a panel of judges for the competition.

The P3 competition is scheduled to open in January for students attending colleges, universities and other post-secondary educational institutions. Interdisciplinary teams are strongly encouraged, including representatives from multiple engineering departments and/or departments of chemistry, architecture, industrial design, economics, policy, social sciences, business, etc.

Check the P3 site for more information about the competition, or contact Julie Zimmerman (202/564-1589).

 

 

Alcan Announces Annual $1 Million Award to Support Sustainability

The Alcan Prize for Sustainability is a $1 million prize to be awarded each year to a nonprofit, civil society, or non-governmental organization, based anywhere in the world, for its contributions to economic, environmental, and/or social sustainability. The prize recognizes past performance and helps winning organizations continue to contribute to and impact on sustainability through their ongoing activities.

An international panel of distinguished judges, chaired by Jose-Maria Figueres, Co-CEO of the World Economic Forum and former president of Costa Rica, will select an annual winner. The closing date for entries is March 31, 2004. For entry details and requirements, please visit The Alacan Prize for Sustainability website.

 

 

Sustainability 101

Some recent and/or useful resources for understanding sustainability -- its promise and the formidable obstacles that stand in the way of achieving it:

  • Stylus Publishing publishes a wonderful array of books on sustainability, sustainable development, biodiversity, and climate change.
  • The Worldwatch Institute continues to publish a variety of well-researched and clearly written articles on sustainability issues. Current "State of the World" focuses on the consumer society. This year's reports will feature monthly explorations of the consumer society, along with reports on sustainable food systems, energy, globalization, and many other issues.
  • The International Society for Ecological Economics offers links to books, curricula and resources for understanding and teaching about ecological economics.
  • Harvard's Center for Health and the Global Environment offers a complete online course on health and global environmental change, as well as a host of resources for researching the health implications of unsustainable practices.
  • The Center for a New American Dream illuminates the psychological, spiritual, ecological and economic aspects of current American consumption-driven lifestyles.
  • The Natural Step, a simple elegant framework that relates human activities to their ecological consequences and that can guide efforts towards more sustainable choices.
  • And for resources to illuminate the connections between culture, beliefs, the pursuit of happiness, and the natural world, try the Resources page at the International Community for Ecopsychology, the Foundation for Deep Ecology -- or Chet Bowers' The Culture of Denial (a review).


Send in your suggestions for future recommendations! We hope to make this a periodic feature of our newsletters.

 

 

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

Interfaith Environmental Roundtable
Catholic Student Center, Rutgers University
March 3, 2004 (Wed.), evening.
Sponsored by Partners for Environmental Quality and the Rutgers Catholic Student Association

Having just conducted an energy audit at the Catholic Campus Center, Partners for Environmental Quality and the Rutgers Catholic Student Association will discuss results, and the connection between religious traditions and environmental action, at an interfaith roundtable.

Contact Partners for Environmental Quality for further information (609/394-1090).

 

 


National Facilities Management and Technology Conference & Exposition
March 9 - 11, 2004
Baltimore Convention Center, in Baltimore, MD.

This workshop presents general information on facilities management and technology issues.

A special workshop opportunity is still available: A LEED-EB training workshop will be held on Thursday, March 11, 1:00pm - 5:00pm. Registration is extended through March 11 ($150 USGBC members/$200 non-members). On-site registration will be available at the conference on a first-come, first-serve basis. Only credit cards and checks will be accepted as payment. This half-day session for building owners, facility managers and design teams will cover the technical requirements and process for achieving certification under the LEED for Existing Buildings Rating System scheduled for public release in 2004; register today.

 


NESEA Events

Building Energy 2004
March 10-13, 2004
Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts

The Building Energy 2004 Conference and Trade Show will take place at Boston University on March 10-13, 2004. Mark your calendars now so that you don't miss the premier professional conference on green building and renewable energy.

Building Energy focuses on the intersection of renewable energy and green building. Featuring four full days of workshops, tours, over 100 world-class speakers in over 50 conference sessions, a trade show, special networking opportunities, and a chance to meet, mingle, learn, and share, Building Energy 2004 will be an event not to miss. A.I.A. Continuing Education credits will be available for all workshops, conference sessions, and tours.

Organized by the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA), Building Energy 2004 will provide the information and contacts that you need to stay competitive in the rapidly-changing fields of high performance building and clean energy generation. Save these dates now and don't miss this exciting event next March in Boston.

 


All Day Seminar: Green Building Design
Customs House, Battery Park, NYC
March 18, 2004
Sponsored by ASHRAE, NY Chapter
Fee: $175 before March 1st; $200 after. Breakfast & Lunch included.

Co-sponsored by the US Green Building Council, this all-day event will be a "practical training of green design techniques." Attendees will also receive an update on ASHRAE's current work to develop and implement green guidelines. Information on DoE funding opportunities will also be presented. Online registration available (payment through PayPal).

 


New Frontiers in Green Building Workshop: "Eliminating Toxic Substances from Building Materials"
Thursday, March 18th, 2004
6pm - 7:30pm
at The Durst Organization, 1155 Avenue of the Americas, New York City
RSVP to Cameron S. Lory, 212.361.2400 ex. 232

Highly persistent, bioaccumulative toxins (PBTs), such as lead, mercury, and cadmium, are commonly found in building mechanical systems, lighting systems, and finishes. Such products can release PBTs - including dioxins and other persistent by-products -- during manufacture, use, and disposal. Yet there is no requirement for manufacturers to disclose which of their products and materials contain these dangerous substances. PBTs are already causing human health and environmental damage. INFORM is offering a free workshop to help building professionals avoid products containing PBTs and find environmentally preferable alternatives that meet or exceed performance specifications. We have identified and sourced many cost-effective, "green" building materials and products, with a special emphasis on fluorescent lighting with reduced mercury content. Recycling of toxic-containing materials will also be addressed.

 

 


New Jersey Environmental Federation's 18th Annual Conference
Saturday, March 20th, 2004, 9 AM - 5 PM
Princeton University's Friend Center

Registration Fee: $25 before March 10th, $30 afterwards for groups of 4 or less; $15 student; information and registration.

FEATURED WORKSHOPS: Drinking Water Protections; Children's Health & Precautionary Principle; Environment & Labor Working Together; Healthy Schools; Environmental Justice; Water & Sprawl; Food Safety; Using NJDEP Right to Know Data. KEY NOTE SPEAKERS: Governor James E. McGreevey (Invited) Ted Schettler, M.D., M.P.H.: Science Director, Science and Environmental Health Network; Practicing physician, Boston Medical Center & East Boston Neighborhood Health Center; Author, In Harm's Way: Toxic Threats to Childhood Development.

Coffee, snacks and lunch included; reception to follow.

 


The Third Annual GreenTrading Summit: Emissions, Renewables & Negawatts
Monday-Tuesday, March 22 & 23, 2004, with Post-Conference Workshops on Wednesday, March 24, 2004
McGraw-Hill Conference Center at Rockefeller Center, New York City

Environmental financial trading is opening up multifaceted business opportunities for traditional and new players in the energy, agricultural, environmental, finance and technology sectors. It is happening because trading in environmental attributes is gaining importance and recognition as an effective means to facilitate environmental remediation and technology transfer. This business development is buoyed by international, national, state and local initiatives toward carbon and greenhouse gas management. It is driving the convergence of the environment and capital markets.

Learn from the experts how you and your organization can thrive by benefiting from these emerging market opportunities. Each conference attendee will receive a copy of the new book GreenTrading: Commercial Opportunities for the Environment, by Peter C. Fusaro and Marion Yuen.  Please visit the GreenTrading Summit site for more information regarding this conference.

 


The Scientific Basis of Carbon Emissions Trading
Patrick Zimmerman, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
March 23, 2004; 5:15 - 7 PM (Reception at 5:15)
New York Academy of Sciences, New York City

Patrick Zimmerman will discuss how trading markets based on carbon reduction certificates can be established, monitored, and documented through Geographic Information Systems (GIS), using as an example his work on the sequestration of carbon in soils. Dr. Zimmerman will focus on the scientific knowledge of carbon cycles and media interactions that necessarily underlie the principle and use of carbon reduction certificates.

Emissions trading schemes are widely debated in environmental circles. This lecture is the first in a series of events contributing to a broader understanding of the scientific principles and measurements used to structure emissions markets.

 


State of the Planet 2004
March 29 - 30, 2004
Columbia Earth Institute

Working to link global decision-making to the best of sustainability science, the Earth Institute at Columbia University will convene the third biennial State of the Planet conference on March 29 - 30, 2004. The conference will bring together an international roster of influential and innovative thinkers on issues critical to the well being of the Earth and its inhabitants.

State of the Planet 2004 will generate recommendations on the best scientific practices, highest action priorities, and most urgent areas for investment to ensure delivery of basic needs such as water, energy, health, and nutrition to all the world's people. These recommendations will be presented to leading policymakers, including those involved in the G8 summit meeting scheduled for June 2004. Day 1 of the conference is open to the public, while Day 2 features a series of technical working sessions that will result in a statement of recommendations to be presented to policymakers and others. The first day of the conference, Monday, March 29, will take place from 8:30am-6:00pm at Roone Arledge Auditorium in Lerner Hall on Columbia University's Morningside Campus (Broadway between 114th & 115th Streets). Throughout the day, leaders spanning many disciplines will assess the present capacity of Earth's natural systems to meet basic human needs.


***
NJHEPS
Dr. Donald Wheeler, Executive Director
Dr. Daniel Watts, President

Want to share progress towards sustainability on your campus? Please send news items to Carmela Federico (973-596-2938; cfederico@njheps.org) for inclusion in our newsletter.

NJHEPS gratefully acknowledges the support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the Educational Foundation of America, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, the AT&T Foundation, AT&T, Inc., and the NJHEPS 33 Member Institutions.

This newsletter is available online (from www.njheps.org/press.html). This newsletter is sent out twice a month by NJHEPS via an announcements-only listserv, NJHEPS-news@listserver.njit.edu. If you no longer wish to subscribe to this listserv, please use the tools available on the listserv's homepage, at http://listserver.njit.edu/mailman/options/njheps-news/* (replace the "*" with your email address), or notify Carmela Federico, NJHEPS Program Manager.