Welcome to the Sustainability at UMD blog site. This site is
to help you, the students, become more aware and more involved with the changes
that are happening around campus. Currently there are several sustainability
initiatives taking place on the University of Maryland (UMD) College Park campus, which include the
construction of high efficiency buildings, the renovation of current buildings
to become more efficient, and the reclamation of the natural landscape. The
student body should take advantage of the opportunity they have to take part in
their school’s sustainability endeavors.
Two initiatives that the university is currently tackling
are both related to having more environmentally friendly and efficient
buildings on campus. UMD is
already making huge strides in green building construction and renovation all
around campus. The university’s goal is to have all newly constructed buildings
to achieve at least Silver LEED Certification and all existing buildings to be
renovated to similar standards. These buildings are categorized and awarded
certain LEED, or Leaders in Energy and Environmental Design, certification
based on how “green” or environmentally friendly the building is. So far some
new buildings that have or are on their way to achieving the Gold Certification
include the journalism building, Knight Hall, and the new residence building in
the Denton Community, Oakland Hall.
One renovation that has been completed for this school past school year
is the Silver Certified Denton Dining Hall. You can learn more about LEED,
these projects, and much more under the LEED at Maryland tab above.
Another initiative that the UMD is working on is to restore
landscapes and increase the number of open spaces around campus. One way this
is accomplished is by replacing parking lots with garages and using the new
space to make green lawns and other similar spaces for student life. One great
example of this is the new open areas in front of Van Munching Hall, which was
established because of the displacement of parking spots into the Mowatt Lane
Parking Garage. The change may not
restore paradise, but it is a vital step in the university's efforts to be a
better environmentally. Some other developing areas are the Kim Engineering
Plaza and the Chemistry Courtyards. These two areas integrate environmental
friendly settings into the current student life and are just the beginning of
the project to create more open spaces around campus. The Reclamation tab contains more in depth
information about current projects and what the campus officials have in mind
for the future.
You already know that every person can make a positive impact
on the Earth’s environment. Resident Life and the entire campus have taken
great strides in the last few years to be sustainable. This effort has ranged
from facility improvements and to better use of technology. Creating a
sustainable campus environment requires the help and support of all campus
citizens, from students, staff, faculty and the many visitors who come to our
campus each year. At the UMD, students have outstanding opportunities through
coursework, research, and community involvement to learn about and address
sustainability challenges, be they related to energy, climate change, poverty,
public health, or the economy. Under the Get Involved! tab you can see the
various ways you can contribute to these initiatives and many more.
The university is already a model of sustainability and has
received much recognition for this commitment to being green. However, there is
always room to improve and achieve more. This is why you have been seeing many
changes around campus to many different aspects, like buildings and plazas.
From this website you can learn in depth about these changes and how you can
become more involved.
