Green Rovers 12

Developed TopicsTheme DaysGreen Rovers (Patrollers)Green Supply ChainLocal Composting FacilitySustainable Living CommunityReduce Commuting

Green Rovers 12Idea THEME DAYSDescription

Designated days twice a month that call attention to sustainable movements on campus. The themes can be generated by the Sustainability Center or can be sponsored by campus groups or local businesses. Examples: Blackout Day, Carry Your Trash Day, NV (Natural Ventilation) Day

StakeholdersEvery living thing

ImpactEnvironmental Increase in awareness and initiative to take actionCultural Community feel, interaction among students and localsEconomic Low impact, but if successful, would save money (electricity, waste, etc.)

ImplementationHow Student involvementWho Student-run organization or task forceCost LowPayback N/A

Green Rovers 12Idea GREEN ROVERSDescription

Work study program where groups of 2-3 students patrol the campus to exemplify sustainable behavior, turn off lights, turn down heat, close/open windows, and report overlooked maintenance issues. They could reward students with coupons from local merchants and provide a weekly status report about the Institute’s sustainability.

Stakeholders

Every living thingImpact

Environmental

Less waste, increase in recycling, energy conservationCultural

Provide good examples of sustainable habitsEconomic

Low impact, but if successful, would save money (electricity, waste, etc.)Implementation

How Student involvement, Work StudyWho Student-run organization or task forceCost LowPayback Medium

Green Rovers 12Idea GREEN SUPPLY CHAINDescription

Adopt a policy to consider the carbon footprint and environmental impact of each purchasing decision. Stakeholders

Everything that breathesImpact

Environmental Less waste, energy conservation, choice of sustainable materials, the greening of support businessesCultural Provide good examples of sustainable habitsEconomic Low financial investment, moderate time investment, large environmental payback

ImplementationHow RPI procurement department with student research and assistanceWho All responsible for purchasing descisionsCost LowPayback N/A

Green Rovers 12Idea LOCAL COMPOSTING FACILITYDescription

The facility would collect all organic waste (landscaping, food preparation, regular garbage) from RPI and local communities to compost it at a local facility. Decomposed waste will be processed with an anerobic digester to create:•Solids to use as fertilizer by RPI or local farmers•Methane to run a motor/generator system with resulting electricity sold back to utility via net metering•Leachate that is biologically remediated before being released to the sewer.

Stakeholders•Entire campus•Sodexho•City of Troy•National Grid•Local Farms

ImpactEnvironmental •Eliminates organic waste currently going to landfills•Produces electricity for the grid made by renewable resource•Eliminates methane gas emissions from anaerobic decompositionCultural•Changes campus mindset regarding organic waste disposal.Economic•Revenue from electricity and fertilizer•Eliminate cost of landfilling.

ImplementationHow Facility would be located on purchased land within a 5-mile radius of campus. Who Facility construction would be overseen by Campus Planning & Facilities Design, and its operation would be the responsibility of Envriomental and Site Services or a private company. Cost Medium Payback Calculated revenue from electrical generation is $500-$1000 day. Estimated savings in not having to landfill is $50,000-$100,000

Green Rovers 12

Idea SUSTAINABLE LIVING COMMUNITYDescription

A neighborhood of small off-grid single family homes designed by interdisciplinary design studios (perhaps in conjunction with a Solar Decathlon studio) , built by students (perhaps a summer session activity for credit), built in walkable distance to campus, owned by staff and faculty, or by the institute for grad student or married student housing, utilizing and showcasing current RPI research efforts.

StakeholdersEverything that breathes.

ImpactEnvironmental Reduces energy use per capita in our community. Reduce staff-fac commute.CulturalDemonstrates the feasibility of low impact sustainable living especially in an urban setting. Improves Campus Edges and gateways. Establishes an interesting, attractive and engaging approach to campus.EconomicDevelop new housing in our community. Prototype homes could be produced and sold to owners in other neighborhoods and communities.

ImplementationHowresearch examples , develop a curriculum, establish courses, identify buyers/clients, locate landWho School of Architecture as lead, other schools interdisciplinary, CPFD, some outside contractors neededCost some research funding, faculty cost, building materials, Payback client/owner pays for the house so some cost is recovered immediately. RPI has less expense for mowing of open.

Green Rovers 12

Idea REDUCE COMMUTING IMPACTSDescription

Reduce the length of commute by staff and facultyReduce the need to commute by staff and facultyReduce the environmental and financial cost of commuting by staff and faculty

Stakeholders

Everything that breathesImpact

Environmental

Conserves natural resourcesCulturalLess time spent commuting means more time spent on career and family and recreation.Economic

Less money spent on commute means more money for investment in meaningful endeavor.Less money spent on road repairs.

Implementation

How incentives to purchase local homes, incentives to rent locally, promote local business development and local schools to make neighborhoods more livable, incentives to carpoolWho Institute Administration HR, CPFD, Transportation Cost housing incentives - $250,000 per year Promotional Materials and training – low cost, Payback economic impacts described above, less parking lots to maintain on campus, building of local Intellectual Community surrounding campus.

Conceptual Ideas•Resource Usage Feedback

•Visual displays that indicate energy use within the building

•Sustainability Technology Showcasing•Fosters interdepartmental collaboration

•Windmill / Windmill Farm•One large windmill on top of the hill – energy producing and visual reminder•Series of smaller windmill installations in overly windy areas (i.e., DCC wind tunnel)

•Sustainable Community•Develop on-campus living community for student or faculty that encourages local and sustainable living•Reduce commuting footprint. Incentives for faculty/staff to live close to campus

•Hudson River Water Turbines•Generating electric power from the river flow

•Promote Human Power•Encourage walking and bicycling as alternative means of transportation

•Sustainability Competitions•Participation in events such as Solar Decathlon and the EcoHall Challenge