Syracuse University will be moving toward the middle of the color spectrum this year, following the national trend of increasing campus sustainability. Ever since Chancellor Nancy Cantor signed the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment in February 2007, Syracuse started to diminish its carbon footprint and create a more environmentally-friendly campus. In its quest to become an environmentally-conscious university, SU has sought out certification from Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), a highly-authoritative rating system created by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) that determines how green a sustainable building really is. Amid a number of residence halls and other facilities searching for certification, Syracuse struck gold with its crown jewel of sustainable dormitories: Ernie Davis Hall. SU’s newest residential and dining facility will soon have the honor of being Syracuse’s first dormitory to receive official LEED certification. The Director of Campus Planning, Design and Construction at SU, Eric Beattie, said the building’s efficiency includes a less water flow in the sinks and showerheads, efficient lighting and a stormwater system. SU also hopes the brand-new dorm earns the environmental approval by having a sustainable building site during its construction, sustainable building materials, an efficient water system, low energy consumption and an eco-friendly indoor environment. These five attributes of Ernie Davis are required for all new buildings seeking LEED approval. Ernie Davis is seeking the LEED Silver award, said Beattie, though it might obtain a Gold level, surpassing original expectations for the building. SU will also be paying attention to some of its older residence halls. Both Lawrinson and Bowne Halls are undergoing renovations in order to earn a LEED certification. While it is easy to boast that SU is a now an environmentally-aware campus, the real change does not originate from the buildings themselves, but instead with the students who occupy them. According to an SU web site on energy awareness (greenuniversecity.syr.edu), one college student ‘produces 640 pounds of solid waste each year, including 500 disposable cups and 320 pounds of paper. It is estimated that each year, 222 million tons of waste will be generated by college students alone.’ SU students could cut this statistic dramatically by making a few changes to their everyday operations as students. ‘Tap water on campus is very good,’ said Melissa Cadwell, marketing manager of the Sustainability Division at SU. ‘Instead of buying bottled water, [students] re-filling the bottles is a great way to cut waste.’ While other lifestyle changes like air-drying your clothes may be obvious, there are plenty of unseen opportunities to cut down energy waste. For instance, buying locally-grown food at the University Community Farmers’ Market (held every Friday this fall in Waverly parking lot), lowers the consumption of fossil fuels that are otherwise used to transport food over a long distance. During the winter months, it is important not to push the button for automatic doors instead of manually opening them. Cadwell advises not to use them: ‘[The doors] stay open a few seconds longer, allowing cold air in.’ While most students already purchase laptops for college, another incentive to buy portable computers is that they are capable of being 90 percent more efficient than desktop computers. Cadwell said energy consumption from computers can be cut down even further. ‘Putting a monitor on sleep mode only takes a few seconds and cuts 80 percent power,’ Cadwell said. Using appliances with an Energy Star rating (governmentally-approved marks of high-energy efficiency) and unplugging them when not in use are both effective ways to conserve energy. If SU students manage to follow the elementary rules of reducing, reusing, and recycling, the campus will be well on its way to becoming a highly sustainable university. Add this with the aggressive campaign to acquire LEED certification in multiple campus buildings such as Ernie Davis Hall, and SU might just be green instead of orange.

ansteienb@syr.edu