How green is my campus?

Sustainability; green building; carbon neutral; carbon footprint; energy audit. The lexicon of the English language grows larger by the day, and few subjects could have provided more new words and phrases recently than the environment. How fitting then, that the lead in todayÔÇÖs green building initiatives should be taken by our universities, the very places we acquire our knowledge of the issues that interest us and the language to describe them.┬áAs the thirst for learning deepens, campus development is a top priority in universities and colleges throughout the United States and Canada, and sustainability is high on their agenda. Many of them talk of having started their initiatives long before green became a popular concept. ┬á North Carolina State University has declared a ÔÇ£Year of EnergyÔÇØ to marshal resources toward becoming more carbon-neutral. The campus already boasts the stateÔÇÖs largest array of solar panels. Bob Smith, assistant vice president of facilities at the University of Arizona describes the recently completed College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture Expansion as ÔÇ£a living example of sustainability and a place where students can learn and push the envelope even further.ÔÇØ Lake Forest College has reduced its electrical consumption on lighting by a third. ┬á Motivation for these initiatives is not confined to saving energy, however. ItÔÇÖs also about the legacy we leave for future generations. ÔÇ£As we walk the Capstone today, we enjoy the shade of trees we did not plant, the music of chimes we did not build, and the benefit of programs we did not initiate,ÔÇØ says Dr. Robert Witt, president of the University of Alabama, with a touch of southern eloquence. ÔÇ£ItÔÇÖs time to plant trees whose shade we will not enjoy and to support the education of young men and women yet to be born.ÔÇØ┬á ┬á The Roman poet Virgil said it rather more succinctly 2,000 years ago, but the message is the same. "Your descendants shall gather your fruits.ÔÇØ┬á