Welcome

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.