Green College Spotlight: Los Angeles Community College District

The Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) has emerged as the greenest of its kind, undertaking a vast number of green projects and initiatives including a number of LEED buildings, renewable energy production and green curricula.

LACCD has a sustainability policy that aims to increase energy efficiency and decrease greenhouse gas emissions and became one of the first community college districts in the state to join the California Climate Action Registry. By signing the CCAR agreement, LACCD pledge to publicly report its CO2 emissions and work with the Registry to increase awareness of greenhouse gas emissions issues.

One of the LA Community College District’s most impressive green projects is its $1.2 million megawatt photovoltaic farm at East LA College. Made up of 5,952 panels, the rooftop solar project provides shaded parking for over 500 vehicles and occupies 3 acres. It will generate 1.9 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year, satisfying 45% of the college’s energy needs and reducing utility costs by $270,000 annually. Another photovoltaic farm has been installed at LA Mission College.

Eventually, LACCD hopes to take all nine of its campuses off the grid altogether. It is the first community college district in the nation that plans to generate all of its own electricity, which it would do via installation of additional photovoltaic farms with the goal of producing one megawatt per campus.

The Los Angeles Community College District has also developed a green curriculum to address the shortage of qualified workers to fill high-paying green collar jobs. LACCD also works to raise awareness on the benefits of sustainability among other California colleges, participating in the UC/CSU sustainability conferences and Green Build Conferences.

Not many community college districts have shown this much dedication and commitment to living and spreading the sustainable lifestyle. Other schools could learn a lot from LACCD!

Link [LACCD] + [AASHE]
Photo credit: LA Times

Related Posts:

Green College Spotlight: Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin
Green College Spotlight: Berea College
Green College Spotlight: Ohio State University
Green College Spotlight: Sarah Lawrence College
Green College Spotlight: University of New Hampshire