Campus Greening: American University, Washington, D.C.

American University has undertaken several ambitious environmental projects in recent years. In 2006, students introduced a Campus Climate Challenge Campaign to promote both major and minor reforms around campus—the most significant of which is to have the university running on at least 50 percent renewable energy by 2012. When put to a vote, 70 percent of AU students shared the group’s hopes, and the president of the university gave his optimistic blessing. The school plans to attain the goal through a mix of improvements that include using wind and solar energy, and is currently working to meet the requirements of the Talloires Declaration, a 10-point environmental manifesto that outlines various energy-efficiency and sustainability guidelines.

Considering that AU has saved more than $100,000 in the last year through more-efficient energy usage, it’s no wonder that the sustainability movement has a large body of supporters in higher education. The university’s energy management system ensures that ventilation, heating, and air conditioning are always performing at maximum efficiency, used only when needed. The school also has a highly efficient central power plant on campus, which is connected to all buildings in a large loop to ensure that no energy is wasted. Moreover, new buildings will require no new energy due to the plant’s large capacity.

American plans to begin construction for a new building, an addition to the School of International Service, in summer 2007. The facility will strive to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver standards for sustainable buildings. To achieve this, AU will equip the building with a green roof, rain gardens, and possibly solar panels. The parking garage will be located underground to greatly reduce runoff.

In 2006, AU began transporting all of its food waste to Chesterfield Farms, an organic recycling facility in Maryland, for composting, as well as sending its waste oil to Pogo Organics to be turned into biodiesel. The school eventually aims to run its own bus system on biodiesel, but fuel storage laws are hampering progress. AU has also been looking into Vending Misers, motion-detecting machines that automatically power down vending machines when no people are nearby, and is considering a water system that could reduce water waste through an array of new showerheads, toilets, and urinals.

In addition to adopting conventional environmental practices, AU has also displayed a degree of ingenuity. Environmental Coordinator Riley Neugebauer has been organizing both student and non-student events around Washington, D.C. to promote awareness of sustainability and energy efficiency; one event featured D.C. councilman Phil Mendelson as a keynote speaker. Neugebauer has also been instrumental in organizing a “community-supported agriculture” (CSA) system for the school, whereby a local farmer delivers fresh vegetables to campus for a reasonable price. By buying local produce, AU is reducing the “food miles” and associated fuel and required to transport goods from afar.

—Mark Friese