University of Notre Dame – Notre Dame, Indiana
http://www.nd.edu/

Contact
Rachel Novick, PhD, Education and Outreach Coordinator, Office of Sustainability, University of Notre Dame, 317 Main Building, Notre Dame, IN 46556; 574.631.1439; sustainability@nd.edu; http://green.nd.edu

The University of Notre Dame established its Office of Sustainability in January 2008 and builds institutional learning capabilities in support of continual improvement in building design and operations, landscaping, procurement, energy and water conservation, waste disposal, recycling and service provision. The Office integrates sustainability principles across all operational areas of the university and collaborates with relevant sustainability education and research programs across each of the colleges to drive outcomes that are aligned with the overall university mission and vision. The scope of sustainability covers environmental and economic issues, and includes our direct campus operations; the indirect activities of faculty, staff, students, and business partners; and engagement with the greater community. The office has three full-time staff and 6-8 student interns.

Energy use efficiency was an initial emphasis at Notre Dame when it began its sustainability initiative. Notre Dame committed to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and/or lighting renovations in 24 buildings during 2008/2009. These renovations will reduce the University’s carbon emissions by over 4,000 metric tons per year. The initial cost of $4 million for this project will be recouped in energy savings within 8 years. Lighting renovations include installing occupancy sensors, replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents, and replacing T-12 fluorescent bulbs with more efficient T-8 fluorescent bulbs. HVAC renovations include replacing constant volume air handling units with variable air volume systems, installing occupancy sensors so that heating and cooling only run when buildings are occupied and toilet exhausts only run when toilets are occupied, and enhancing ventilation control so that the amount of outside air brought in matches the occupancy level of the building.

In Fall 2009, Notre Dame joined the LED (light emitting diode) University program, an international community of universities working to accelerate the adoption of energy-efficient LED lighting. The state-of-the-art LED lighting that was installed in several campus buildings represents an 81% decrease in energy usage. Notre Dame has also retrofitted six outdoor light poles in the central campus area. These lights will reduce energy usage by over 50%. The purpose of these pilot programs is to demonstrate the energy efficiency and effectiveness of cutting edge LED lighting applications.

The University Architect plans to pursue LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) ratings for all the buildings currently under construction or in design. This includes five buildings currently under construction and two in design.

Notre Dame’s first Dorm Energy Competition was held September 25th – October 19th, 2008. Walsh Hall was the winner with a 30% reduction in energy consumption. To kick off the competition, students went door-to-door in the dorms and exchanged 1,400 incandescent light bulbs for efficient compact fluorescents. The CFL exchange was so successful that students volunteered again in November to exchange another 3,000 light bulbs and to conduct a Dorm Energy Audit at the same time.

For buildings that have digitally controlled heating and cooling, temperature sensors maintain each room’s temperature between 70° and 75° during occupied time, but allow it to fluctuate within that range. Allowing the temperature to fluctuate rather than trying to maintain an exact temperature reduces energy use by minimizing the use of mechanical systems.

The Notre Dame Energy Center, in conjunction with General Electric, is developing a 50 kW solar panel system for a new engineering building that will provide an estimated 55,000 kilowatt-hours of more sustainable, carbon-free electricity annually.

In Spring 2009, Notre Dame replaced its 15-year-old sprinkler system with a new, high-efficiency water irrigation system. The new system monitors the weather and automatically defers irrigation when it is raining, resulting in a 25%-35% savings. The new system will also be able to shut down the water supply from a central location in case of broken pipes or flooding. Flow meters, which can increase the water savings up to 55%, will also be installed beginning in high activity areas. Due to its high efficiency, the new system will count as a credit toward achieving a LEED rating for new buildings.

Notre Dame has made a commitment to make environmentally conscious decisions on the content of materials in the construction of new buildings. The next building due to be completed on campus, Geddes Hall, will include recycled cork, ceiling tiles, carpet, fly ash, gypsum wall board, and steel; regionally sourced cast stone, brick, gypsum, concrete, and steel; and bamboo, a renewable resource. The University Architect plans to pursue LEED certification for all the buildings currently under construction or in design and will be utilizing many of the same materials for these future projects.

As part of LEED rating process for buildings currently under construction or in design, the University Architect expects to receive credits for many aspects of indoor environmental quality, including low VOC (volatile organic compounds) adhesives, sealants, paints, coatings, and carpets, daylighting, thermal comfort, and window views. In addition, green cleaning products are used throughout the campus.

Notre Dame is educating its staff in sustainable office practices. A class focuses, in large part, on skills that administrative assistants and office managers can use to reduce energy and resource use, including conversion to Energy Star appliances, keeping equipment off when not in use, electronic form dissemination, double-sided printing and copying defaults, and alternatives to water bottles and other individually packaged foods.

Solar panels that will be installed on the roof of the engineering building currently under construction will have a real-time interface that will enable students to study various aspects of the renewable energy being produced.

Students are directly involved in coordinating the energy and environmental efforts at Notre Dame through the organization GreeND. The club is composed of a leadership core that directs four committees: Policy, Energy Technology, Recyclin’ Irish, and Conservation Corps. The club collaborates with administrators, faculty, and staff. Since its founding in Spring 2007, the club has grown to 150 active members and includes 850 ND students who receive a weekly newsletter. GreeND seeks to (1) promote interdisciplinary learning about the energy and environmental challenges facing humanity today, (2) effect sustainable changes in the policies and lifestyles that determine energy usage, and (3) develop leaders capable to engage the complexities of these challenges both at Notre Dame and in the world.

In 2006, the University established the Notre Dame Energy Center, an initiative that unites researchers devoted to developing new energy technologies to meet a compelling national and international challenge. Housed in the College of Engineering, the center’s interdisciplinary goals are to play key roles in energy education and literacy, the development of energy policy, and the exploration of the ethical implications associated with energy. The Energy Center Student Advisory Board was formed in January 2007 to provide leadership and advice on energy-related issues and topics, and to develop programs and initiatives in support of the Energy Center mission. Currently the board is comprised of twenty three undergraduate and graduate students from a variety of disciplines.

An Energy and Environmental Issues Committee was formed in January 2007 to improve energy and environmental awareness, report on Notre Dame green initiatives, and advise University leadership on eco-friendly opportunities. The committee is designed to boost conservation efforts on campus by working with students and staff on promoting new environmental initiatives, and it serves as an advisory board to the Office of Sustainability.

The Office of Sustainability has partnered with Notre Dame’s Center for Social Concerns to integrate environmental consciousness into service learning programs. The results of this partnership have included service learning programs going paperless, switching to public transportation, and planting trees to offset the carbon emissions resulting from travel to their seminar locations.

The Office of Sustainability is planning a national conference for October 2009 entitled Renewing the Campus: Sustainability and the Catholic University the aim of which is to materially advance the engagement of Catholic universities and the broader Catholic community with the most pressing environmental challenges of our time, primarily those related to climate change. Specifically, the conference will enhance understanding, activism, and cooperation among Catholic universities in the area of sustainability, contribute a valuable faith perspective to the national and international dialogue of university-based sustainability efforts, and provide an inspiration for the broader Catholic community. The local community is invited to participate in the conference along with the campus community and representatives from Catholic universities around the country. Students are expected to participate in the conference and to thereby gain a deeper understanding of the profound connections between environmental sustainability, our sacred relationship with God’s creation, and our responsibility to those who are most vulnerable.

The University has adopted a standardized policy for single stream recycling in existing and new buildings; the policy mandates a 2:1 ratio of recycling to trash volume for all indoor and outdoor containers throughout the campus. Notre Dame has implemented a full-scale recycling program for tailgaters at football games. Over 73 tons of recyclable materials were collected during the 2008 season. At the end of each school year, students put unwanted items at collection points around campus as part of its Old 2 Gold campaign. Campus Warehouse & Delivery Services collects them and sets up a giant "Yard Sale" in the Stadium which is open to the public. The proceeds from this sale help to support local charities. In 2008, $70,355 was raised for 38 participating local charities. 5,703 shoppers attended, 3,970 pounds of food were donated to Food Bank of Northern Indiana, and 83.5 tons of items were diverted from landfills. University cell phones, PDAs, and computers are collected by ND Surplus and are then either distributed or purchased by another university employee, stored for later usage, or recycled. Notre Dame has also established battery, non-university cell phone, toner cartridge, and light bulb recycling programs. All of these items are collected at designated locations in each building and are sent to appropriate recycling facilities.

In Spring 2009, University Procurement Services negotiated a new paper pricing agreement with our supplier Office Depot under which 30% recycled paper is now less expensive than virgin paper. As a result, recycled-content paper has risen from 10% to almost 80% of total paper purchases across the campus.

Campus dining halls serve seafood that has been certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council. About 40% of the food on campus is locally sourced. Many organic and fair trade ingredients, including coffee and flour, are used at campus dining halls. Many vegetarian and vegan options are available. Food scraps from the main Food Service facility are used for cattle feed, totaling about 37,000 pounds per year. Leftover cooked food is donated to two local homeless shelters. Food Services recycles almost all the packaging in which food arrives. Waste oil from fryers is recycled as well. When available, new equipment purchased for the kitchens is Energy Star certified. Food Services also makes efforts to either order full truckloads of food or to share the truck with a local purchaser in order to save fuel. The dining halls only use reusable dishware; to-go stations use corn-based cups for yogurt and cold drinks. The Food Services Social Responsibility Committee works to improve sustainability in all aspects of Food Services. The Food Service Support Facility and each dining hall have sustainability leads whose role is to inform their colleagues about environmental initiatives and encourage participation and the staff is constantly being educated.

Notre Dame is also reducing transportation-related emissions. In general, retired university motor pool vehicles are replaced by hybrid cars. Five hybrids have been purchased to date. Beginning in the fall of 2009, preferred parking spots will be available in five lots on campus for those who drive qualifying low emissions vehicles. The University has made an arrangement with the city bus company that allows anyone with a Notre Dame ID card to ride the buses for free. Many of the buildings currently in construction or design will include showers and locker room facilities for those who wish to bike to work and then clean up. A staff/faculty shuttle is designed to minimize the need to drive cars around campus and was recently expanded.

Find out more about the University of Notre Dame's sustainability initiatives at The College Sustainability Report Card http://www.greenreportcard.org/report-card-2009/schools/university-of-notre-dame