Yes, Harvard University is one of the premiere universities in not only the United States, but the world. Their academics are matched by non other, and their athletics aren’t too shabby either! Well, there is another aspect of this prestigious school that is making heads turn – their green campus initiatives.
Harvard boasts on their sustainability webpage that “Sustainability at Harvard connects people across the University with information, tools, and inspiration for the challenge at hand: making Harvard sustainable for the long term.”
How is Harvard creating green campus initiatives and turning the breathtaking beautiful Cambridge campus into a world of sustainability?
Some of their efforts include implementing the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan by executing the following:
- Green Building Standards
- Temperature Policy
- During the winter heating season (October 16 – May 14), occupied spaces will be heated to 68-71° F; each School or Department will determine their specific targets.
- During the summer cooling season (May 15 – October 15), occupied spaces will be cooled to 74-76° F (where air conditioning equipment currently exists); each School or Department will determine their specific targets. Buildings with stringent humidity requirements may operate below this range.
- Occupants are also reminded that personal space heaters or other heating or cooling devices may present a safety risk and are prohibited from use unless provided by the building manager.
- LEED buildings
- Offering Green Loans for students
- Sustainability Principals – developing continuous development and improvement in the following areas:
- Demonstrating institutional practices that promote sustainability, including measures to increase efficiency and use of renewable resources, and to decrease production of waste and hazardous materials, both in Harvard’s own operations and in those of its suppliers.
- Promoting health, productivity, and safety of the University community through design and maintenance of the built environment.
- Enhancing the health of campus ecosystems and increasing the diversity of native species.
- Developing planning tools to enable comparative analysis of sustainability implications and to support long-term economic, environmental, and socially responsible decision-making.
- Encouraging environmental inquiry and institutional learning throughout the University community.
To learn more about Harvard’s sustainability projects, and to learn how your school or university can create green campus initiatives visit green.harvard.edu.
