Sustainability at GW
Located in the heart of the nation’s capital,
The George Washington University recognizes
the importance of a sustainable environment.
The GW community believes colleges and universities can lead the way
by modeling practices that minimize emissions that contribute to global
warming, by sharing knowledge, and by sending into society graduates
who have been educated in policies and practices that promote and
improve sustainability.
In 2007 when George Washington
University President Steven Knapp
created the Presidential Task Force
on Sustainability, he said,“GW is
committed to operating in ways
that express its responsibilities as a
pre-eminent institutional citizen of
the nation’s capital.”
The University has been at the forefront of environmentally conscious academics since
“green” was merely a color. GW Law School and School of Business, for example, have
nationally recognized environmental and corporate responsibility programs, which
demonstrate their dedication to environmental stewardship.
What is Sustainability?
With its roots in ecology, the term
sustainability refers to the ability of an
ecosystem to maintain ecological
processes, functions, biodiversity, and
productivity into the future.
The United Nations report, Our
Common Future, explains,“Sustainable
development meets the needs of the
present without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet
their own needs.”
LEADERSHIP INITIATIVES
GW is expressing its commitment to sustainability through strong presidential leadership and management initiatives.
■ Office of Sustainability – The University is creating a new office to guide its efforts. The office will help implement
recommendations from the Task Force on Sustainability as well as oversee the University’s responsibility to create a climate
neutrality plan under the American Colleges and University Presidents Climate Commitment.
■ Presidential Task Force on Sustainability – In October 2007, Dr. Knapp convened a group of student leaders, faculty, staff, and
alumni to recommend improvements to GW’s curriculum and University operations. The report was delivered in June 2008 and
many of the recommendations are in the process of implementation.
■ American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment – Dr. Knapp joined hundreds of other academic institutions by
signing this commitment in April 2008. GW was the first University in the District of Columbia to sign the pledge, which requires a
substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The University has begun its inventory of those emissions.
BUILDING STANDARDS
Before green building standards existed, GW was committed to environmentally sound construction. In 1997, three of its major
residence hall construction projects employed green practices, including using renewable materials, wood from managed forests,
low flow toilets, and carpet and paint that improved air quality. That commitment continues today.
■ New Construction and the U.S. Green Building Council – GW has two residence halls under construction and registered with the
council. One hall is targeted for “Silver” status and the other for “certified” status as defined under the council’s Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) criteria.
■ Legally Committed to Green Standards – GW is the only institution in the District of
Columbia that has a minimum legal commitment to sustainability for all new buildings.
Under GW’s Foggy Bottom Campus Plan, all new development projects must meet the
minimum baseline sustainability criteria of the equivalent of 16 LEED points or better.
■ F Street House: A Green Renovation – Although an historic
GW has replaced 4,500 fluorescent
lights and 1.400 ballasts with energyefficient products. Savings = 400,000
kilowatt hours each year.
1849 home, the renovation of the F Street House employed
many of today’s green building standards, including a small
green roof, wood from sustainable forests, locally manufactured
materials, high efficiency heating and cooling units, Energy Star
appliances, and recycling of construction waste. The house will
serve as the president’s residence.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
With some of its buildings dating back
to the 1920s, GW must preserve its rich
architectural history while finding ways
to reduce energy consumption across its
campuses. From upgrades and
conversions in existing structures to
energy-wise commitments for the future, the
University continues to reduce its carbon footprint.
■ Converting from Oil to Natural Gas – Over the past
few years, GW has been converting its oil-burning
equipment to natural gas equipment. In five years, the
University has reduced oil consumption by 20 percent.
■ Energy Star Purchase Commitment – For all new
purchases of appliances and electronic equipment,
GW has committed to buying only Energy Star
products to reduce energy and water use.
■ Energy Management System – GW is upgrading its existing Energy Management System and has implemented a Demand
Response Program in five major buildings to monitor and help reduce energy use.
RECYCLING
Recycling is simply a way of life on GW campuses. In addition to robust recycling programs in residence halls and campus
buildings, the University continues to find ways to challenge its community to do better through fresh, fun initiatives.
■ Residence Halls – The University sponsors annual “Green Move In” and “Green Move Out”
GW recycles nearly
30% of its waste.
efforts. During the third annual “Green Move Out,” GW students donated more than 2,200
bags of clothing and household goods, 3,000 pounds of food, and 4,500 books. The annual
Eco-Challenge in Spring 2008 realized a collective savings of 80,400 kilowatt hours of
electricity and 1.5 million gallons of water over three months.
■ Food Service
– Cooking oil from campus food venues is collected and processed off site into biofuel. GW is implementing a food
scraps collection program at on-campus food venues for off-site composting.
■ EPA RecycleMania – In its second time competing, GW students collected more than 275,000 pounds of recyclables (earning
ninth place of 61) and generated only 72.43 pounds of waste per person over 10 weeks (earning 10th place of 23).
TRANSPORTATION
With its Metro-centric Foggy Bottom Campus, its Mount Vernon Campus on Foxhall Road and its Virginia Campus, as well as its
graduate centers in Northern Virginia, GW has made eco-friendly commuting a priority for students, faculty, and staff.
■ Metrorail and Shuttles – GW is easily accessible by Metro and encourages its use by participating in the Metrocheck program
that allows employees to pay for public transportation on a pre-tax basis. Shuttle bus service between its two D.C. and Virginia
campuses limits the need for single-car trips.
■ Alternative Transportation – GW participates in the ZipCar program for students 18 and over and employs 22 electric cars in its
maintenance fleet. More than 1,600 students and 150 faculty and staff are ZipCar members.
■ Carpool – For those coming and going by car, GW provides discounted and priority parking for carpool drivers. The University
also participates in NuRide, a carpool matching program. In addition, freshman and sophomore students are not allowed to bring
vehicles to campus, further cutting down on vehicle trips.
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
The National Wildlife Federation, in its
GW has been educating students in environmental policy for more than three decades,
and sustainability-related programs are still expanding. The University’s national rankings
are a testament to the quality of the curriculum, and the newly formed programs show
GW’s forward momentum in making sustainability a core value in the community.
■ Environmental Law Program – Established in 1970, GW’s program is ranked number 16 in
the nation and is one of the oldest in existence.
second annual Campus Environment
Report Card, recognized GW as an
“Exemplary School for
Environmental or
Sustainability Goal-Setting.”
The category commends schools for
having higher levels of sustainability
■ Environmental Focus in the School of Business – The school ranked 13th in the 2007-2008
activities already in place or for having
Beyond Grey Pinstripes listing of the top 100 global MBA programs for social and
higher levels of plans to do more.
environmental stewardship (and ranked 2nd among schools with fewer than 100 program
students).The GW School of Business also has an Environmental and Social Sustainability
Initiative offering relevant courses to undergraduate and graduate students, as well as the GW Institute for Corporate Responsibility.
■ Institute for the Analysis of Solar Energy – Established in August 2008, this institute employs a multi-disciplinary approach to
research the economic, technical, and public policy issues surrounding solar power.
■ Sustainable Landscape Design Program
– Courses in this program delve into landscape conservation and sustainability as
adapted to the small-scale landscape.
For more information on GW’s sustainability initiatives, visit http://sustainability.gwu.edu