PAGE 26 THE STAR-LEDGER

AN ADVERTISING FEATURE . .

Area schools laking green lead By Guy Kipp

Special to The Star-Ledger

Several colleges and universities in New Jersey have gone above and beyond in their efforts to show leadership in the areas of sustainabitity

and environmental concerns. Whether through course offerings highlight­

ing the topic, the on-campus practices that they encourage, or the materials that are being used in newer construction projects and upgrades, these schools are promoting a heightened level 'of eco­logical awareness.

At Kean University in Union, the Bachelorof Sci:.. ence in Sustainability Science program admitted its first class this fall. The only program of its kind in New Jersey, it trains students to recognize and implement environmental, economic and social is­sues that are associated with sustainability.

"Going green is not just the right thing to do, but makes long-term economic sense," said Dr. Dawood Farahi, president of Kean University.

Last January, Kean purchased and installed an aerobic com poster that will convert all of the food waste on the university's campus.

Also, Kean University and the New Jersey High­er Education Partnership for Sustainability were awarded a grant by the Environmental' ProtecJion Agency that is designed to educate colleges and universities throughout the region (which includes· New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico and the Virgin

. Islands) on how they can track and lower the"": greenhouse gas emission~ .

"Kean is heading up the grant and, as such, is being highlighted throughout EPA Region 2," said Daniela Shebitz, assistant professor in the Depart­ment of Biological Science at Kean. "We are half: .. way into the three-year grant, (and) as part of the grant, we will be holding 15 workshops throughout

the next year-and-a-half, in colleges throughout sumption. The residence hall ; which houses 230 Region 2, that are open to anyone interested in students, will employ demand-based controls for campus S'ustainability." . heating, ventilation and air conditioning; solar

"The Princeton Review's Guide to 311 Green Col- water heating for hot potable water for cooking, leges: 2011 Edition" cited Drew University, Rowan showering and laundry; high-efficiency lighting in University, Rider University, New Jersey Institute residence and common areas; and several other of Technology (NJIT) and Montclair State Univer- considerations. sity for demonstrating "a notable commitment to "NJIT's 'facilities team has creat8{l an energy sustainability in their academic offerings, campus improvement plan that utilizes an innovative mix infrastructure, activities and career preparation." In- of technologies to upgrade operations and ' reduce clusionin the guide is based on results of a survey the ecological footprint of this building, " said Bo­of administrators at institutions nationwide. ris Shapiro, NJIT's executive director of technical

At Drew University in Madisoll, a new 159-bed services and the project manager of Oak Hall. '.'We . residence' hall'was built with enough environmental expect Oak Hall to emerge asa mod.el bui.lding that emphasis. in its design and construction to achieve can be used to introduce energy-efficient concepts Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environ- to the state's higher education community." mental Design) certification. Drew also offers a na- The synthetic turf on NJIT's athletic facility, Lu­ttonally recognized major in Environmental Studies betkin Field, requires no irrigation, herbicides or and Sustainability (ESS), and its wooded campus pesticides, and replacing natural grass with the turf includBs only trees, shrubs and other flora that are has eliminated the need forlawn .:.mowing mainte­native to the area. [)few has a policy of avoiding the nance. use of pesticides on its grounds unless absolutely Rider University in Lawrenceville recently necessary. switched to single-stream recycling , a system that

At Rowan University in Glassboro, recycling is allows the university to place ·all of its ' recyclables promoted through the program Move-In Cardboard into a single container for collection, processing Capture, which preserves boxes after students use and remarketing . Rider also is a regular participant them to carry their belongings to campus and move in RecycleMania, a nationwide recycling competi­in to residence halls. Rowan also holds periodic tion, and National Campus Sustainability Day each events such as Clean and Green Day, when stu- October. dents, faculty and staff clean up the campus and The Mercer County-based campus also has in-plant flowers and shrubs. stalled several bike racks on campus to promote

A new cogeneration plant at Rowan generates "environmentally friendly transportation." electricity and steam, producing enough electricity Two new construction projects at Rider have to power the equivalent of 1,300 homes. been completed: North Hall, a 21 ,OOO-square-foot

New Jersey InstHute of Technology in Newark is academic building with 12 classrooms; and an ad­upgrading Oak H.all, a 25-year-old residence facil- dition to the BLC Theater allowing for 350 people. ity, with revisions that will result in a reduction in Both buildings were constructed with innovative electrical energy usage by a projected 50 percent . design and materials, and . were awarded Silver and a 40 percent reduction in fossil energy con- LEED certification. •

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14,2011

New Jersey Institute of Techno'logy's facUlt'les team has cre­ated an energy Improvement plan for Oak Hall utilizing an in­novative mix of technologies to upgrade operations and re­duce . the bUilding's ecological footprint, according to Boris Shapiro, above, executive director of technical services.