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Green Summit to highlight sustainable transportation

2012-02-17T11:00:00-05:00

Electric cars, bicycles, alternative fuel vehicles and innovations in public transportation will take over the University of 91�Թ�’s Stepan Center in an exciting trade show display on Feb. 29 (Wednesday) for “Green Summit V: The Future of Transportation.”

“Sustainable transportation is a rapidly developing field, and we wanted to create a setting in which the ND community could connect directly with those who are redefining what’s possible,” explained Rachel Novick of the . “Experts will be on hand at the summit to answer questions about battery technology, charging stations, electric bikes and much more.”

Attendees will have a chance to explore cutting-edge vehicles such as the Mitsubishi i-MiEV and the Nissan Leaf as well as vehicles that have been converted to use compressed natural gas and propane. Other participants in the trade show include Transpo, The Avenue Bicycle Station and . The program will feature a panel discussion that covers a wide spectrum of topics critical to creating a sustainable transportation system, from technological advances to infrastructure requirements to community impacts.

“Through our collaboration, 91�Թ� and Eaton are further paving the way for the development of infrastructure to support the expanded use of electric vehicles,” said John Wirtz, business unit manager of Eaton’s Electrical Transportation Infrastructure. Eaton has provided a number of EV charging stations to 91�Թ� that have been installed in key locations around campus, and the company will be bringing several electric vehicles as well as a charging station to be displayed at the summit.

“We are looking forward to expanding our work on this innovative technology at 91�Թ� as we strive to help reduce the energy consumption and carbon footprint on campus,” added Wirtz.

The Green Summit is a community-wide, annual event that brings together hundreds of faculty, staff and students to explore an aspect of sustainability and its role in campus life. In the summit’s history, many recommendations and discussions have been a foundation for developing new campus sustainability initiatives. “We look forward to the rich discussion this year’s event will foster in order to help us develop new ideas for the future of here at 91�Թ�,” said Marty Ogren, associate director of warehouse, delivery and transportation.

“Due to escalating fuel costs and attendant environmental impacts, we need to look beyond traditional fuels in order to maintain our transportation security,” said Jon Burke, energy director for the city of South Bend and one of the presenters at the trade show. “We’re looking forward to sharing our vision for enhancing the sustainability of South Bend’s transportation systems at the Summit.”

The trade show will be open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with the panel discussion commencing at 11:30 a.m. The Green Summit is free and open to all members of the 91�Թ� community, and lunch will be provided. The program is sponsored by the Office of Sustainability and co-sponsored by . Please by Feb. 25 (Saturday).

Contact: Sara Brown, sbrown20@nd.edu

Hesburgh Library gets sustainable lighting upgrade

2011-12-02T14:00:00-05:00

The University of 91�Թ�’s Hesburgh Library is shining a little more brightly these days. Last May, new LED lights were installed to illuminate the “Word of Life” mural on the south side of the building. The lights replaced the old mercury vapor fixtures that previously illuminated the 134-foot tall mural.

The high-efficiency LEDs are expected to save approximately 57,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually, reducing campus carbon emissions by nearly 80,000 pounds per year.

“The upgrade was part of the to increase energy efficiency on campus and further the reduction of carbon emissions,” said Heather Christophersen, 91�Թ�’s director of sustainability.

The worked with long-time partner Musco Lighting Inc. to install the brighter, more efficient lights. Musco is a premier lighting supplier whose past projects have included lighting such prominent locations as the Washington Monument and the White House. On campus, their list of projects spans more than 20 years and includes the JACC Arena, 91�Թ� Stadium, Melissa Cook Softball Stadium, and Alumni Soccer Stadium. For this mural project, however, Musco donated the lighting system, which is valued at over $40,000.

“The chance to demonstrate leading edge technology on such a visible aspect of the campus was an exciting opportunity,” said Joe Crookham, president of Musco Lighting.

The replacement has also improved the nighttime appearance of the mural two-fold. Because of the mercury contained in the old lights, the mural previously appeared to have a green tint. The LED lights make the mural brighter, and the stones of the mosaic appear more natural. Furthermore, these new lights have been engineered to only shine light to the top of the mural, therefore preventing excess and allowing for better view of the stars.

“The results are stunning," reported , director of utilities. "The LED light source provides a truer representation of the mural and greatly reduces the energy consumption required to light this beautiful work of art.”

Originally published by Sara Brown at on November 16, 2011.

91�Թ� receives recognition for storm water management program

2011-08-02T15:01:00-04:00

The University of 91�Թ� recently received a Certificate of Recognition from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) for its on campus.

Managing storm water and snowmelt is a critical environmental issue for the areas in and around campus. After a heavy rainfall, the water runoff flows over impervious surfaces (parking lots, roads and building rooftops) and accumulates debris, chemicals, sediment or other pollutants that can negatively affect the water quality of lakes and streams.

Since 2003, IDEM has required sites that utilize conveyances for rainwater such as roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, curbs, gutters, ditches or storm drains to abide by six control measures: public education and outreach, public involvement, illicit discharge, construction run-off, post-construction run-off, and pollution prevention and good housekeeping.

91�Թ�’s Utilities Department has taken this regulation seriously and put into place several best management practices that make the most sense for campus grounds. Beyond complying with regulation, the University has made it a to improve storm water quality, minimize negative impacts on the area’s watershed and to ensure that future generations will have access to high quality water resources.

A few aspects of the campus storm water program that gave the University high marks include: unpaved game day parking on White Field, which allows rainwater to percolate into the soil; central containment of hazardous waste to reduce potential for spills; and the use of organic fertilizer with low nitrogen and phosphorous. In addition, , a , diverts 100 percent of its storm water into a settlement basin.

“We’re happy the state was impressed by our program,” said Chip Farrell, senior environmental specialist at the Utilities Department. “However, we’re always looking for ways to improve the program. This award has motivated us to expand our public education and outreach program. We’ll be partnering with the to help the 91�Թ� community become more aware of storm water issues and what they can do to protect waterways.”