Green Initiatives
Green initiatives are becoming increasingly popular in our society. Green products, green buildings and environmentally-conscious groups are everywhere. Major corporations are taking green initiatives very seriously and taking great strides to go green for their consumers and employees. Academic institutions play a major role in our communities and it’s important for universities and colleges to also recognize their role in our environment. IUP, along with many other universities around the country, are beginning to look at ways to be more environmentally-conscious. There are many ways that IUP can become a greener campus without inconveniencing the student population. It’s important for the University to engage the students in their greening initiatives to be successful in their efforts. One way universities around the country are becoming green is by constructing LEED certified buildings. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. LEED certified buildings use key resources more efficiently when compared to conventional buildings which are simply built to code. LEED certified buildings have healthier work and living environments, which contributes to higher productivity and improved health and comfort. For example, at Duke University many dormitories called Smart Homes were built. These Smart Homes received a LEED’s platinum rating which is the highest possible rating a green building can get. These buildings have multiple features that cut uses and costs of energy as well as make for a greener environment. The building starts off with a green roof. In the case of the Smart Home, the green roof is populated with sedums that are low maintenance and drought resistant. The green roof prevents heat gain, increases evaporation which creates a cooling effect on building, and buffers rain water so that it does not run off-site rapidly carrying pollutants. The Smart Home also has a built in irrigation system. The irrigation system for