Green College Spotlight: Georgia Institute of Technology
January 26, 2009 · Print This Article
The Georgia Institute of Technology has been steadily improving its sustainability efforts over the past few years, earning a ‘B’ on the 2009 College Sustainability Report Card – a grade higher than last year. Georgia Tech’s President signed the Presidents Climate Commitment and the Institute has incorporated sustainability into its mission statement and strategic plan. Georgia Tech hopes to prepare students to live and work in a world with environmental challenges, and they’re doing it both through daily life on campus and through education and research.
Georgia Tech has been recognized by the National Wildlife Federation as an Exemplary Green Campus for its ecology and sustainability education, interdisciplinary programs, supporting faculty and green personnel orientation, environmental goals, transportation programs, landscaping, energy efficiency and more. The Institute has also been lauded for its planting and managing of campus trees and for its water reclamation efforts.
The Institute has reduced energy use in existing buildings by 11% through energy-efficient retrofitting and has a 342 kilowatt photovoltaic system as well as a solar array on the aquatic center and a geothermal system. All new buildings will meet or exceed LEED silver standards, and one new structure – the Klaus Building – was LEED-gold certified in 2008. Six building and renovation projects are currently LEED-registered and six historic buildings were renovated to LEED silver standards.
Georgia Tech has a fleet of electric vehicles that make up 14% of the total motor pool, and 27% of vehicles on campus use alternative fuels. Students, faculty and staff can ride Georgia Tech’s buses around campus and connect to Atlanta’s transit system for easy, green transportation. A car-sharing program provides even more options.
40% of the produce and 25% of all food purchased by the Institute’s dining facilities is local, and organic food is offered by multiple outlets on campus. Students even get a discount for using reusable cups and shopping bags. There’s also a student-organized, community-supported agriculture program on campus and the school has both composting and recycling programs.
More than 100 courses with a sustainability emphasis are available at Georgia Tech, and every student is asked to take at least one during their course of study. Sustainability has also been integrated into new student orientation, and each building has an ‘Eco Rep’. Student organizations focusing on green goals are flourishing, with lots of conservation competitions and outreach efforts.
After all that, there are still many more ways in which Georgia Tech has excelled at sustainability, including green purchasing, green cleaning, stormwater management and land use – check it all out at the Georgia Tech Campus Environmental Stewardshp website. Congrats, Georgia Tech – keep up the good work!
Link [Georgia Institute of Technology]
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Georgia Tech is a wonderful university. My cousin was accepted. She originally couldn’t decide between GTech or OSU