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Campus Sustainability

sus tain' -verb : to support; to keep up or keep going
sus tain' a ble -adjective : capable of being continued
sus tain' a bil' i ty -noun : the capacity to maintain or continue

Sustainable Design -noun : a planning approach that balances the relationships between buildings, people and their environment

As a concept applied to environment issues, sustainability is comparable to the well-known backpackers' creed : "Take nothing with you, leave nothing behind." When applied to design and construction of facilities and landscapes, this translates into the allocation and application of resources such that

• energy consumption is minimized,
• construction and demolition wastes are recycled to the greatest extent possible,
• landscaping uses native species, and stormwater runoff is captured and treated before entering the watershed,
• a healthy indoor environment is produced, by employing such strategies as natural daylighting, low off-gassing materials, and fresh air regulators,
• materials, finishes, and equipment, and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems are chosen with total Life Cycle Costs taken into considerations, and not just the initial cost of purchase and installation.

Starting with the design and construction of the WMU Parkview Campus in the late 90s, Western Michigan University has been committed to sustainable and environmentally friendly construction and renovation projects.

	WMU Facility Life Cycle Design Guidelines
	Michigan Executive Directives 2005-4 and 2007-22 require sustainable design in the construction of major building projects.
	Building Life Cycle flow chart
	LEED® : What is it? Sangren Hall Project Checklist Campus Apartments Project Checklist Brown Hall Project Checklist
	Parkview Campus Design Guidelines BTR Park Site Design South Kohrman Stormwater Management
	Native plant species Non-native - "alien" - vegetation
	Helpful information on strategies and practices can be found at the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy website for the U.S. Department of Energy: http://www.eere.energy.gov/
	The Forest Stewardship Council provides information and standards for certified wood products:  http://www.fsc.org/