Sustainability
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Campus Operations
WMU is making progress toward becoming a more sustainable campus. Maintenance Services and Campus Facilities have worked in collaboration with campus administration to set guidelines to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design [LEED] standards for all new construction on campus. As a result of this, our new buildings have become test beds for new technologies and methods that are changing the way we do things.
LEED standards use technology and methods that can generate significant energy savings in the life cycle of a building while minimizing its carbon footprint. The technologies in our newly constructed buildings that have shown a significant impact have been spawned into energy savings retrofit projects in our older buildings. These projects have come to be known as Energy Initiative Projects. These projects serve not only to generate cost savings for the university but also to educate students about environmental friendliness.
LEED standards have also defined the ways in which we conserve water. At the WMU department of Landscape Services, new irrigation technology limits the amount of irrigation based on the amount of rainfall, temperature and the needs of the plants, trees and grasses. Regional plant materials are also chosen to minimize water needs, maintenance and provide resistance to insect damage. Western Michigan sees itself as a steward to the environment. As such, the terrain surrounding both Main Campus and the Parkview Campus has been modified to contain storm water runoff, provide residence for the local wildlife and provide a natural, pleasing environment for the people who use it.
As the environmental awareness has increased on campus; students, faculty and staff have made suggestions and contributions toward things like: on-campus composting of Dining Services waste, Styrofoam recycling and the use of smaller electric vehicles for maintenance staff.
WMU takes sustainability seriously, each step we take gives us ownership of a brighter, cleaner future…