As the University continues to expand, a group of concerned students are working to integrate some "green" into the new red brick buildings that are being built on Grounds.
Last night, Student Council unanimously approved the creation of a Green Grounds Committee. The new ad-hoc committee was formed to increase awareness of sustainable growth and development at the University while promoting environmental responsibility in the administration's policies.
Graduate Architecture students Ryan Madson and Tim Slater proposed the committee to Council in order to collaborate with the administration on environmental issues.
"I would like to see them change their basic policy on development," Madson said. "There hasn't been anything mentioned about green health in their plans."
University Architect David Neuman said he would be happy to collaborate with relevant student committees.
Planning for the future
The University is planning to invest more than $600 million in new construction and renovation projects over the next two years, according to University spokesperson Carol Wood.
Some of these projects currently are in their initial design phases.
Slater said the earlier environmentally sustainable options are considered, the more effective the changes can be.
Neuman agreed that environmental concerns need to be taken into consideration for every project.
"The earlier you can make good judgment calls on this, you can have a greater effect per unit of energy," he said. "Siting a building can be more important than mechanical attributes when solving an energy issue."
Neuman said he uses passive solar design when planning sites. This involves considering factors such as the direction a building will face and the shading available from trees in order to make a building more energy efficient.
"Whether on the South Lawn project or the new housing studies on Alderman Road, we're really going take these things into consideration," Neuman said.
Lost resources
Continuing Education student Lela Graham is one of the Council representatives, along with fourth-year Architecture student Greg Moore, who sponsored the bill creating the Green Grounds Committee.
"During the hurricane, we lost one of our trees
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