As the U works to make its buildings more environmentally friendly, students are also working to lessen the campus’ eco-footprint.
More than 20 students enrolled in the Sustainability Practicum, a course in the geology and geophysics department, have created 11 green projects they hope will be included in the new Fredrick Albert Sutton Geology and Geophysics Building, which is scheduled to open in early 2009.
With limited resources, these students created projects that “have the potential to individually and collectively reduce the impact of the building on the environment through energy, water and other resources’ conservation,” said Steve Burian, a professor of environmental engineering who led the course.
Funding is scarce
Students found that securing funding for the eco-friendly features will be one of the biggest challenges of their projects.
Right now it is unclear whether the student projects will be part of the final building, Burian said. Because both the projects and the building are funded solely through private donations, the features used in construction will depend on how much money the U is able to raise. Burian estimated that almost $300,000 is needed to implement all the features.
Using natural lighting
Christopher Strong, a junior majoring in environmental studies, and his project partner are hoping to implement tubular sky lighting into the new building.
Strong believes that by adding sun tubes–small, reflective alternatives to skylights–the building will not only conserve energy, but make the learning environment more pleasant.
“By adding natural light, we can increase learning performance, worker productivity, worker retention and just make it a more comfortable place to be,” Strong said.
Saving rain water
Stephen Deppe, a senior majoring in civil and environmental engineering, and his group are working to create a storm-water distribution system that will use solar power to distribute stored water to a rooftop garden.
“The purpose of our system is to keep storm water on campus to reduce dissemination of pollutants and reduce the stress on Utah’s fresh-water supply brought on by an increasing water demand,” Deppe said.
Other projects include xeriscaped perimeter landscaping, a xeriscaped rooftop garden, an indoor rock wall, an evaporating cooling system, solar powered cells, an energy- and water-use monitor display, rock tables and benches, an outdoor composting toilet and bicycle lockers.