The authors of this article introduce students in their department's construction course to a variety of energy-saving practices and processes. They describe activities that could give students an opportunity to apply design methodology in the creative pursuit of a solution to an open-ended problem. An introductory lecture gives students the…

Information technology (IT) is regarded globally as a voracious consumer of energy. According to a 2007 research paper issued by the United Kingdom's Global Action Plan, IT accounts for 10 percent of the electrical usage in the U.K. In the United States, Stanford University estimates that IT accounts for 15 percent of its overall electrical use.…

Lourdes College is a small, private, coeducational commuter college located in northwest Ohio. In early 2009, the Lourdes College Board of Trustees ratified a new strategic plan promoting institutional strength and sustainability over the next six years. The desired outcome was to make Lourdes College a stronger, more vibrant, even more socially…

Nothing is more important to the success of community colleges than quality of leadership. It influences student outcomes, faculty success, and financial stability at all levels of the institution. With the impending retirements of so many baby boomer community college leaders, the leadership gap is an issue of increasing concern. In this article,…

The Group of Eight (Go8) is a coalition of leading Australian universities, intensive in research and comprehensive in general and professional education. The Go8 member universities recognise that the issue of energy usage and transformation is one of vital importance not only to Australia but to the world as a whole. The universities aim to make…

Today's college graduates confront the first truly worldwide environmental challenge, that of balancing the carbon budget--the stocks and flow of carbon through the biosphere--to ameliorate the negative consequences of global climate change. Colleges and universities have an obligation to ensure that students are provided with the knowledge and…

Many people narrowly focus on energy efficiency when defining a "high-performance" school--a school building that is economical with respect to heating, cooling, and electric lighting. That is certainly true, but in the broadest terms, a high-performance school is designed to minimize reliance on fossil fuels--and provide a comfortable, healthful,…

Benchmarks for cleanliness can be subjective. Now that LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards are gaining a foothold among facilities management and building professionals, there is a benchmark to strive for and a high-quality vacuum is a key part of the equation. LEED is a nationally accepted benchmark and blueprint for…

This article describes how the certification program developed by the U.S. Green Building Council has been a popular way for colleges to "go green," but its certification process has been hampering colleges' efforts. The private, nonprofit Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program has become synonymous with green construction,…

The Afterschool Alliance and MetLife Foundation are proud to celebrate a fifth round of the MetLife Foundation Afterschool Innovator Awards. For the past five years, we have collaborated to highlight the work of quality afterschool programs that support children, families and communities across the nation. This compendium is a compilation of four…

In this article, the author explores how some community colleges have survived, if not thrive, amid the pain of a deep recession. Rather than cut educational options, administrators at Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona have opted to freeze discretionary spending, sweep unspent budget allocations back into its general budget, improve its…

To those entrenched in the green building world, the benefits seem obvious. Why would anyone choose to build in a way that isn't comfortable, healthy, energy efficient, and environmentally responsible? Even within a single college or university project, different team members often have different reasons for promoting a green agenda. Architects…

A struggling economy and skyrocketing fuel costs are making their grim presence felt as school districts across the country open their doors. With fewer dollars to spend, everything from teaching positions to bus transportation is on the chopping block. As students go back to school, many will find themselves in more crowded classrooms with texts…

State-of-the-art, energy-efficient facilities are now emerging on campuses across the US, and for a variety of reasons: One practical consideration is that such buildings bring down energy costs, which are now soaring. Facing rising expenditures and a tightening of potential revenue, universities are looking for ways to reduce operating costs, and…

Even if one does not believe--and it is getting increasingly difficult not to--that the "green revolution" on college campuses is akin to the great movements for social change that rocked universities in the 1960s and '70s, there is no denying that it has taken root in such a way that no campus administrator can afford to ignore it. And unlike the…