USF is LEEDing the Way

8/2/2019 USF is LEEDing the Way

1/21

Team Write on White Paper Project 2012

1

USF is LEEDing the

way!

Team Write On

Sarah Brodie

Krystal Hydes

Kirstie Martin

Muhamed Resic

Maurice Taramona

Professional Writing

USF Spring 2012

Professor Francis Tobienne

It seems that in many states throughout the

country, the new fad has been going green.

However, it is much more than just a fad; this

movement has taken the nation by storm and has

not only helped the environment, but also the

profitability of companies. With most families,

companies, and local organizations becoming more

environmentally friendly in order to reduce costs

and pollution, USF has also joined the initiative.

By creating buildings that are eco-friendly

and promoting a campus that is also as green,

USF has reduced the universitys carbon footprint

considerably. USF has taken a number of initiatives

to ensure the sustainability of the university.

USFSPs Science and Technology building meets

the USGBCS compliance requirements and has

been LEED certified. Other strides that the

university has taken to become more green are the

Smoke-Free USF campaign, transportation

alternatives, the Green Energy Fund and above all

a School of Global Sustainability. This School is

one of the first in the nation and puts USF at the topof the list for eco-friendly campuses.

For this White Paper Project, the main focus

will be the initiatives USF has taken to go green

and the sustainability that is a byproduct of those

initiatives.


2/21


2

Table of Contents

Introduction1

Executive Summary.3

Current Initiatives.4Interview..5Transportation...6

Water7

Energy.8

Recycling and Waste

Management

..9Green Buildings/LEED10

Academics (School of

Global Sustainability)12

Smoking Ban13

Student Involvement..13

Future.14

Conclusion15Works Cited..16

Annotated

Bibliography...................17

USF prides itself on being an eco-friendly

university. With USFSP holding the first

LEED certified building of all USF

campuses, it is already LEEDing the way!

Executive Summary

The University of South Florida is one of

the many organizations that have embraced

the green movement through its various

policies and community activities. It has

recently been selected to be in the Princeton


3/21


3

Reviews Guide to 286 Green Colleges which

was done in conjunction with the U.S. Green

Building Council (Cash). This recognition puts

it as one of the foremost leaders in green

movement and set an example for others to

adhere to. The USF Office of Sustainability is

where most of the universities green initiativestake place. This office coordinates most of the

construction or improvements to mainly the

Tampa campus and sometimes hosts various

events to raise awareness. These initiatives

include improvements to the transportation

system in and around campus, the

conservation of water and energy, and

implementing a better recycling policy. They

have also begun the monumental undertaking

that is constructing LEED certified buildings

which adhere to a strict set of rules to become

officially declared a green building.

One of the first things the USF Office ofSustainability did was to improve theuniversities design so it can become more eco-friendly. This includes the planting of trees tocreate mini habitats around the campus. Thishelps in various ways that tie directly with theirother initiatives such as transportation. Bylinking all the habitats around campus withwalkways, they are encouraging more peopleto walk instead of driving. This in turn reducesthe heat emissions these vehicles wouldotherwise create.

Transportation has always been a bigproblem in large universities such as USF. Itcreates problems that directly affect the localenvironment such as air pollution and creatinglarge heat islands. The university has takengreat steps in reducing these two by having alarge scale shuttle system that convenientlytakes students to most places on campus.These shuttles are environmentally friendly andrun on biodiesel which greatly reduce thepollutants it lets out into the air. Theconstruction of large parking garages aroundmost of its campuses helps contain heatislands. By removing large asphalt parking lots

which were the norm and having largegarages, the temperate could actually drop afew degrees since asphalt retains much of theheat it absorbs.

Another initiative is the one involving allwater related problems found inside theuniversity. Any institution that is over one acre

must adhere to certain regulations and USF isno different. It involved with phase II of theNational Pollutant Discharge EliminationSystem (NPDES) Stormwater program whichactively removes illicit discharges andpollutants in the water supply. The universityhas also required that every building have awater meter so it can further track its waterusage responsibly. One of the most importantwater related policy that USF has used hasbeen with xeriscaping. By planting flora that is

native to the area, the risk of draught dropssince these plants are used to the environmentand do not need to be excessively watered(Office of Sustainability).

For an institution its size, energy isprobably the greatest problem the University ofSouth Florida faces. To combat the universitiesgreat need for power, USF has implementedstandards in conjunction with the U.S.Department of Energy which helps with energyconservation. This ranges from using better

insulation to changing all the light bulbs to theenergy efficient models which is an incrediblyexpensive endeavor.

Waste management is something thatthe University of South Florida has beenactively participating for many years. Since the1990s, USF has been committed in reducingwaste and recycling which comes as nosurprise since most faculty and staff userecycled paper. The use of online classroomsand software such as BlackBoard has allowed

professors to greatly reduce the amount ofpaper they would otherwise have had toconsume.

Recently the University of South Floridahas started to construct green buildings whichmeet certain building codes set by the U.S.Green Building Council. The Leadership inEnergy and Environmental Design (LEEDs)program which is run by the U.S. Green


4/21


4

building Council has recently given the newScience and Technology building in the St.Petersburg campus a gold level certification(Marquez). This is the second highest abuilding can attain and it is considered to bevery prestigious. This shows that the buildinghas undergone a rigorous testing which judges

every facet of the building to be in compliance.

Currently, this is the only building to be certifiedby the U.S. Green Building Council but theUniversity of South Florida has several moreunder construction scattered throughout itsmany campuses.

Current Initiatives

USF has taken on quite a few initiatives in the past to become more green and sustainable.

Some of these initiatives include an alternative transportation system, a more sustainable system of

water-usage, the lessening of energy consumption, better recycling and waste management, LEED

certified buildings, and even a School of Global Sustainability. In order to better understand these

initiatives, we have included an interview conducted with the Sustainability Program Coordinator ofthe Office of Sustainability. For the remainder of this section,we will go more in-depth on each

initiative.


5/21


5

Interview with Zaida E. Darley, M.A. Sustainabilit

Program Coordinator, Office of SustainabilityWhat is currently the most important sustainability initiative at USF and why?

Every sustainability initiative is important because every bit counts. But if I had to pick, I think the ClimaAction Plan and the Student Green Energy Fund are two very important sustainability initiatives on cam

The Climate Action Plan was created after President Genshaft signed the American College and Univer

Presidents' Climate Commitment. An inventory of the campus's greenhouse gas emission was conducte

and a commitment was made to become Climate Neutral by 2070 (http://rs.acupcc.org/cap/607/). Witho

the commitment of the President and set goals, USF cannot judge whether the campus's sustainability

initiatives are making a difference. Now that goals have been set, the Student Green Energy Fund (SGE

can help USF move towards Climate Neutrality (www.usf.edu/greenenergy). Funds are awarded to proj

that will reduce the campus's electric bill and thereby reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

Where does the funding for these initiatives come from and who decides how the money is allocated?

Each department has the option to make greener choices with their resources. For bigger projects, the

Student Green Energy Funds is available. This $1 million annual fund is generated from the $1 a credit

Green Fee that was requested and approved by students. SGEF awards are decided by a 12-member

council that is made up of 6 staff/faculty and 6 students. So students generate the funds, decide on whic

projects are awarded, and can also propose projects.

How can students get involved?

Students, faculty and staff can propose energy-saving projects to the Student Green Energy Fund. There

also several student organizations that are involved with campus sustainability, like the StudentEnvironmental Association (SEA) and Keep Our Schools Beautiful (KOSB). SEA has been involved with

Recyclemania, Real Food Challenge, and the EPA Game Day Challenge.

What results has USF seen so far?

The results of sustainability initiatives can be seen everywhere. There has been an increase in recycle b

a removal of almost all styrofoam from USF Dining, more water bottle filling stations (so people don't ha

buy bottled water), and solar panels installed at the Marshall Center, Engineering and (soon) Champion

Choice. The solar panels are thanks to the SGEF.

Who does USF partner with in achieving its sustainability goals?Tampa Electric, City of Tampa, Sierra Club, and the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborou

County are just a couple of partners that have been very supportive with our efforts.

Lastly, why is it important to USF to have a campus that is eco-friendly with buildings that are LEED

certified?

It saves energy and resources in many ways. LEED certified building use local renewable resources and

designed to be as energy efficient as possible.
http://rs.acupcc.org/cap/607/http://www.usf.edu/greenenergyhttp://www.usf.edu/greenenergyhttp://rs.acupcc.org/cap/607/


6/21


6

Transportation

The University of South Florida has taken

many great strides in providing students the

option of using environmentally friendly

transportation inside its various campuses. All

of the Universities campuses have the placed

bicycle racks in convenient locations to

encourage students to use this as an alternative

to driving. This also includes adding bike racks

to every new building constructed. By being

partnered with the New North Transportation

Alliance, USF has been provided with 37 bike

racks which are being implemented in

convenient locations around campus. The

Tampa campus has gone an extra step and has

constructed four miles of bike lanes on thecampus ("Office of Sustainability"). For

students and faculty who do not wish to use

bicycles on campus, the University has provided

a large network of sidewalks that are easily

accessible by anyone which includes safety

features such as signalized intersections

("Office of Sustainability"). Much of the

sidewalk has been lined with trees, trellises, and

arcades to provide shade for bicyclists and

pedestrians alike.

For some students, walking everywhere

on campus or using bicycles is not an option

due to class schedules or disabilities. Because

of this, the University has various methods of

free transportation that is available to everyone

with a valid USF identification card. First and

foremost are the Bull Runner shuttles; which are

a mostly bio-diesel fueled bus which transports

students freely around campus ("Office ofSustainability"). The Tampa campus is also

currently partnered with the Hillsborough Area

Regional Transit which provides students with

free transportation around the city. This bus

system is also committed to staying

environmentally responsible as well and most of

their buses have been replaced with much ones

who emit dramatically less pollution into the air

(HART).

USF brags one of the most eco-friendlytransportation services among universities

today. The Bull Runner shuttles, which are

mostly bio-diesel fueled buses, transport

students freely around campus.

While the St. Petersburg campus is notpartnered with the local busing system like theTampa campus is, there are still benefits toriding it. Students receive a discount for ridingthe bus and there are several bus stops around

campus so students can get to wherever theymay need to go. The Pinellas Suncoast TransitAuthority has introduced Hybrid Smartbuseswhich reduce emissions by 90% and use 18%less fuel (PSTA). Environmentally consciousstudents at St. Petersburg may consider usingthis service so they would feel like they wouldbe doing their part to further the green initiative.These busing alternatives can be used inconjunction with bicycling since they all havebicycle racks available ("Office of

Sustainability").Parking has become a big problem with

the ever increasing admission rate and theUniversity has begun to try and solve it. Parkinglots create what is known as heat islands whichare when the asphalt of retains the heat therebyincreasing the immediate surrounding areas bya few degrees. This also has the side effect thatby having more parking lots, you would be


7/21


7

reducing the amount of green space available.The University is aware of these issues and hasconstructed large parking garages in each oftheir campuses. These garages help theUniversity two-fold. They consolidate all heatinto a specific area and also provide moreparking spaces by using less room. These large

parking garages have allowed to university toeliminate 120 acres of heat islands whichincrease permeable areas, landscape, andwaterscape around its various campuses("Office of Sustainability"). Another way theUniversity has tried to solve its parking issues isto coordinate class scheduling so there is moreof an even distribution around campus. Thiswould greatly decrease the heat being retainedby the parking lots and encourage more usageof parking garages since theyre usually located

near the bigger hubs of student activity.

Water

Another major issue that USF hasdecided to tackle in an effort to go green iswater sustainability. It is very easy to takewater for granted as most people consider theworld to have an abundance of it. However,there are several initiatives that can be taken toprevent waste and lower consumption and

costs. The University of South Florida hastaken several steps in meeting those girls.Water pollution is a major problem in

todays society as it can cause surface watersto become unsafe for drinking, swimming,fishing, etc. The National Pollutant DischargeElimination System (NPDES) has constructed apermit program, authorized by the Clean WaterAct, regulating point sources that releasepollutants into waters in the United States(EPA). Point sources include man made

ditches and pipes. The NPDES requiresconstruction sites that are larger than 1 acre tohave a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Act(SPPA). There are two phases of this program,and USF is currently in Phase II (Office ofSustainability). Phase II requires large andmedium municipal separate storm sewersystems located in Incorporated counties with apopulation over 100,000 to attain NPDES

permits. The University abides by this mandateand works in conjunction with the FloridaDepartment of Environmental Protection toobtain all required permits (Office ofSustainabilty)

In an effort to conserve water, themajority of buildings on USF campuses are

individually metered. However, this does notinclude residence halls. Water meters are usedto measure the volume of water usage. Usingindividual meters at each building allows theUniversity to study consumption patterns andinvestigate alternative methods of meeting theirsustainable water initiative. Many buildings onthe USF-Tampa campus have been upgradedwith motion sensing automatic faucets andtoilets (Office of Sustainability). This preventswaste from over-flushing, and running sink

water that is left on for longer than necessary orforgotten.

The University of South Florida hasimplemented a policy that requires the use ofxeriscaping in new building construction andnew campus common areas (Office ofSustainability). Xeriscape landscapes isdefined as quality landscaping that conserveswater and protects the environment.(Xeriscape- Sustainable Resources). Itinvolves planning and design, soil improvement,

appropriate plant selection, practical turf areas,efficient irrigation, use of mulches, andappropriate maintenance. The policy at USFstates that landscape plans should include theuse of plant species that are indigenous to thenatural plant communities of the region andwhich promote the use of xeriscape principles(Office of Sustainability). It also stipulates thatplanting non-invasive exotic plants should belimited to species that are able to withstanddrought and minimal fertilization and use of

chemicals.


8/21


8

Energy

One of the biggest initiatives across thecampus deals with energy. This is no surpriseas energy use, sustainability, and alternativescontinues to make world headlines every day.USF has partnered with the U.S. Department

of Energy by adhering to the Florida EnergyCode to monitor energy use (U.S. Departmentof Energy). They have implementedstandards in building insulation values in walls,roofs, and windows as well as mechanicalsystems insulation and controls for HVAC andlighting. USF requires life cycle cost analysisas part of the Building Construction Document(Office of Sustainability). The purpose of lifecycle cost analysis is to estimate the overallcosts of project alternatives in order to select

the design that ensures the lowest total cost ofownership over a facilitys entire life (WholeBuilding Design Guide).

Energy recovery is being implementedinto design whenever possible. TheGreenlights Program replaces inefficientfixtures throughout the campus. Other sourcesof energy recovery include high efficiencychillers, additional insulation on heat pipes,roof replacements with a reflective surface,return ducts are insulated, and heat recovery

systems in air handling units with 100% out airhave been installed (Office of Sustainability).The Clean Energy Research Center at USF

has been granted $15 million dollars forresearch of renewable over the last 10 years.The use of this money encompasses

renewable energy projects, and design anddevelopment of photovoltaics, electric vehicles,microturbine gas landfills, battery developmentand management, and hydrogenproduction/storage and conversion to fuel cells.

The Center is also working on the renownedSmart Grid project with local utilities (Office ofSustainability).

USF has done a great deal to promoteenergy conservatism throughout theorganization. They have replaced outdatedfluorescent lamps with eco-friendly F28 T8Fluorescent lamps in all buildings in excess of

4 million square feet. According to the GELighting Department, these bulbs offer up to a44% reduction in wattage compared to the T12system, saves energy, and boasts a 30,000hour life (GE Lighting). In the past, USF has

used T12 system bulbs.

All vending machines on campusemploy motion sensing lighting and energycontrol to reduce usage. Some buildings have

also installed motion sensing light switches inclassrooms and conference rooms (Office ofSustainability). USF has done a massiveoverhaul of the chilled water distributionsystem to conserve energy. The decision toclose buildings outside of regular office hourshas reduced energy consumption and afterhours cleaning. Finally, the University hassaved $7.7 million in gas costs through smarterpurchasing of natural gas via transportationcontracts (Office of Sustainability).

Recycling and Waste Management


9/21


9

Recycling and waste management havebeen in place for many years, and have been ahot button topic since the 1970s. TheWaste/Recycling/Purchasing Subcommittee ofthe USF Office of Sustainability has developed

and submitted a new Green Purchasingdirective that would continue their efforts ofbecoming a greener institution. Several greenpurchasing components are already in place.For example, Green Seal Certified products

are used for cleaning across the campus. USFhas also put an emphasis on the importance ofsustainability initiatives to all vendors biddingon contracts. Of course, most collegedepartments and offices use recycled paperand recycle their office paper. Physical Plant

has operated a rigorous recycling programthroughout the University since 1990 andRepublic collects yard waste and separatesmaterial. Garbage solids are burned togenerate electricity and scrap metal is recycled(Office of Sustainability). Professors arecontinuing to eliminate paper in courses everyyear through the use of technology(Blackboard, online examinations, etc.). Over2,000 recycling containers for paper have beendistributed campus-wide.

USF Dining Services is a hugecontributor to the recycling initiative. Theyprovide reusable cups at a discounted price forfountain beverages, recyclable bags fortransportation, re-usable to-go containers, andtrayless dining to conserve water and energy.Dining services recycles cardboard and tin

materials and grease from the restaurants isrecycled for biodiesel to power automobiles(Office of Sustainability). Recently, USF hadits first waste audit. Receipts from years 1996-2007 were examined to determine that physicaplant has recycled 48 tons of aluminum and

over 9700 tons of mixed paper (Office ofSustainability). Other areas where recyclingexists include electronic equipment andconstruction waste. All LEED projects requirerecords of recycled waste be submitted asevidence.


10/21


10

Green Buildings/LEED

Leadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design (LEED) is acertification system that was formattedin 2000 by the U.S Green BuildingCouncil (USGBC). LEED certification isa tool that gives official recognition asan independent third-party tohomeowners or corporations that meetlevels of sustainability. There are ninesectors that LEED measuresorganizations such as businesses,communities and homes as key fields ofsustainability. These nine sectors inalphabetical order are: Awareness andEducation, Energy and Atmosphere,Indoor Environmental Quality,Innovation in Design, Locations andLinkages, Materials and Resources,Regional Priority, Sustainable Sites, andWater Efficiency. LEED rates theorganization on its high achievement inenergy efficiency, indoor environmentalquality, materials selection, sustainablesite development, and water savings; allwhich are defined as five key factors ofenvironmental and human health.

While participation with the LEEDprocess is voluntary, there are benefits,both environmental and financial, thatcome with having LEED certification.According to the U.S. Green BuildingCouncil (USGBC) these benefitsinclude:

Be healthier and safer foroccupants

Conserve energy and water Lower operating costs and

increase asset value Qualify for incentives in a

plethora of cities, which include

tax rebates and zoningallowances Reduce harmful greenhouse gas

emissions Reduce waste sent to landfills

LEED is an internationally recognizedcertification system. There are LEEDprojects in at least 120 countriesthroughout the world. In the UnitedStates alone, there are multiple groupsthat utilize and participate in the LEED

certification system. State and localgovernments as well as federalagencies implement LEED in the public-funded orowned buildings as well ascreate and apply LEED initiatives. LEEDcertification is rated and awarded basedon a 100-point scale, with the possibilityof ten bonus points. The possible pointsare divided as shown below.


11/21


11


12/21


12

Academics (School of Global

Sustainability)

The Patel School of Global

Stability is one of the first and only in the

country that focuses primarily on

sustainability. Along with other initiatives

to go green, USF has taken on the

enormous task of educating students

about sustainability at work and at

home.

PSGS is USFs way of combining

research with education and community

involvement in order to promote more

sustainable communities and

environment. It is directed by Dr.

Vairavamoorthy who is an internationally

renowned advocate for sustainable

water sources and sanitation systems.

The research carried out by Dr.

Vairavamoorthy to further the

sustainability efforts of USF is the

development of new and creative ways

to create more flexibly designed water

systems. He is supported by USFs

office of sustainability which has manyfaculty and staff members.

Together, the faculty and staff of

the Office of Sustainability and the Patel

School of Global Sustainability, have

become involved in making each

campus of USF greener. They have

successfully gotten a LEED certified

building, and aim to meet many other

USGBC requirements as far asbuildings are concerned in the near

future. PSGS believes that the best way

to further the sustainability and eco-

friendliness of our families, schools, and

environment is to educate people about

it and that is just what they do. They

offer many programs including a

Masters of Arts in Global Sustainability,

but offer their classes to those who are

not in such programs. PSGS is one of

the main reasons USF has been

recognized for its efforts to go green.


13/21


13

Smoking Ban

The University of South Floridahas instituted a smoking ban which hasslowly taken effect over the past fewyears. The Tampa campus was the firstto try and implement this when theybanned smoking from the Moffit Cancer

and Research Institute in 2008 (Shurtz).At this time, USF had no plans ininstituting a University wide ban onsmoking. Moffit hoped set an exampleso the University would become asmoke-free campus. The USF Healthbuilding quickly followed suit a year laterand banned smoking around there aswell. They stated that under the FloridaClean Indoor Air Act, which bannedsmoking in all enclosed indoor

workplaces, they would be allowed to dothis (Giannini). The problem with this actis that smoking outside the building isnot enforceable by law but USF Healthsays they hope the no-smoking signswould discourage use there.

Starting this semester, both theSt. Petersburg and Tampa campus haveinstituted a campus wide smoking banon the grounds that it encourages ahealthier lifestyle for its students and it

also reduces cigarette emissions in theair. The first one to do it was St.Petersburg which began this policy onJanuary 2012 while Tampa began onMarch 2012. Like Moffit and the USFHealth building, they stated that theFlorida Clean Indoor Air Act was broadenough to include a university campus(Alexander).

Enforcement of this ban is themost difficult part because legally there

is nothing that the university can do tostudents that have been caught smokingon campus. The Oracle has reportedthat universities such as the Universityof Florida have reported that since thereare no consequences, people continueto smoke anyways. Anyone foundsmoking outside the designated areascan only be asked to put out their

cigarettes. Some have suggested thatcomplaints can be filed against studentsor employees and that it can possibly bedamaging to them, many have spokenout that is unreasonable to damagesomeones employment or educationalsuccess for a poorly implemented policy

with no legal consequences (USFOracle).

Despite all this, the University of

South Florida hopes to make an impact

on smoking and that these policies show

that they in no way support it. These are

some of the necessary steps an

organization must take to further a

green cause since the green movement

since the environment and a healthy

lifestyle go hand in hand.

Student Involvement

Student involvement is crucial toachieve the goal of a greener USF.U.S. Green Building Council Student

Groups encourage students to bettertheir campuses by giving back to theircommunities, promoting sustainability,and getting involved with green

building construction on campus. TheGreen Building Council separates itselffrom others groups by connecting thenext generation of green buildingmovement leaders. The Green BuildingCouncil connects students by recruitingthem and equipping them with theknowledge to go out and change theircampus for the better. Studentinvolvement is easily achieved by simplygoing to www.centerforgreenschools.org

and writing down your basic contactinformation. As shown by the diagrambelow, the benefits for a student gettinginvolved in the USGBC can be valuableto just about anyone.


14/21


14

USGBC Students groups benefit from thefollowing:

Career Invitation to USGBC Students job fair Networking opportunities with green

professionals Stand out from peers during a job

search with LEED credentials.

Involvement Students have the opportunity to

become connected with close to 80USGBC chapter and affiliates within

their communities and across thecountry. Leadership training

opportunities are offered, and manychapters provide student discounts for

membership and chapter events Opportunity for students to volunteer at

Greenbuild and get discountedadmission costs.

Resources Complimentary access is offered to

students for the following online

courses: 101- Green Building Basicsand LEED and 201- LEED Core

Concepts and Strategies. Promotionalcodes are provided to students uponrequest after the Students group has

completed affiliation, Students receivespecial assistance from the national

staff in using Hands-On LEED andRoadmap to a Green Campus.

In addition to the USGBC, TheUSF Office of Sustainability was createdto help advance the University of South

Floridas student involvement intransforming into a Green University.The USF Office of Sustainability writes

on their main website, which can befound onwww.psgs.usf.edu, Ascitizen-scholar activists, we share asustainability ethic that promotesconserving resources, reducing waste,recycling and reusing materials, findingnew sources of clean energy, increasingenergy efficiency, and diminishing life-

cycle impacts and our consumption ofgreenhouse gas producing materials.We engage in this ethic of stewardshipto guide the development andimplementation of programs, policies,and other courses of action in theoperation and management of theUniversity of South Florida system aswell as its institutional teaching,research, and service commitments.

With all these resources availableto students, transforming a school tobecome greener has never beeneasier. Student involvement could andshould grow with groups like theUSGBC and The USF Office ofSustainability.

Future

No University in Florida is making moreleaps and bounds in the future when it

comes to creating energy-sustainablecampuses more than the University ofSouth Florida. When combining USFSPand USP Tampa campuses, there are atotal of THREE certified Leadership inEnergy and Environmental Design(LEED) buildings. USF Tampa alonehas FIVE more buildings looking to getthe LEED certification: the basketball
http://www.psgs.usf.edu/http://www.psgs.usf.edu/http://www.psgs.usf.edu/http://www.psgs.usf.edu/


15/21


15

practice facility, golf training facility, theCarol and Frank Morsani Center forAdvanced Healthcare, the Sun Domeand the Wellness and Nutrition Center,according to the Green BuildingCouncil's website. While there areopponents to University of South

Floridas plans in the future, citing highexpenses as the reason not to pursuethe green certification, it is without adoubt that the future plans being soughtout by USF will drastically improve theimage and environment alike. USF isgoing the extra mile to make sure thattheir future looks greener.

Conclusion

The aim of this project was toprovide insight into the sustainability

initiatives being taken by USF and their

partners. Information was given on their

current endeavors including

transportation, water, energy, recycling

and waste management, green

buildings, LEED certifications,

academics, smoking ban, student

involvement, and the future of theseinitiatives.

The University of South Florida is

making great strides in being one of the

foremost green friendly universities in

the country. The Office of Sustainability

has been one of the main reasons in

which the University of South Florida is

nationally recognized in its efforts for

creating an environmentally friendly

atmosphere in and around its various

campuses. By having separate

departments in this office, the Office of

Sustainability has been able to focus its

efforts on various tasks by people who

want to create a better educational and

working environment for everyone. Theimprovements being made to how its

buildings being constructed by adhering

to the LEED criteria is also a huge step

towards the ultimate goal towards

sustainability.

Besides construction and

improvements, USF has been able to

foster a culture of students and staff that

are motivated by being more

environmentally conscientious. New

policies have been implemented such

as the smoking ban in the Tampa and

St. Petersburg campus which highlight

how serious the university views the

health of its faculty and staff as well as

its students. USF has also been

allowing the formation of school

sponsored clubs which take an active

role in conservation. The future looksbright for USF as it is making sure every

student that is enrolled is at least aware

of how serious taking care of the

environment and fostering a green

campus can be. USF certainly is

LEEDing the way for other universities

around the country to join the initiative to

ensure the sustainability of our future.

Works Cited

Alexander, Aimee. Campus smoking ban takes effect Jan. 2012. 22 Nov. 2011. 10 Mar. 2012.
http://crowsneststpete.com/2011/11/22/campus-smoking-ban-takes-effect-jan-2012/http://crowsneststpete.com/2011/11/22/campus-smoking-ban-takes-effect-jan-2012/


16/21


16

Cash, Jacqui. USF One of Nations Top Green Colleges. USF News 05 May 2010. 17 Mar. 2012

Difonzo, Courtney. Smoking. 2012. Photograph. Digital BullpenWeb. 4 Apr 2012..

F28T8 Sell Sheet. GE Consumer & Industrial Lighting. Web. 28 Mar. 2012..

Gadsden, Sandra J. New Science and Technology building helps transform USF St. Petersburg.Tampa Bay Times 24 Jan. 2010. 03 Mar. 2012.http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/new-science-and-technology-building-helps-transform-usf-st-petersburg/1067467.

Giannini, Alessandra. "Banned: USF Health says 'no' to smoking." USF Oracle 19 November 2009,Web. 28 Mar. 2012.

Gordon, Tony. Smoking Sign. 2011. Photograph. USF OracleWeb. 4 Apr 2012..Hillsborough Regional Transit Authority. HART, 2012. Web. 27 March 2012.http://www.gohart.org/hart_of_green/future-green-plans.html.

Life-Cycle Cost Analysis. Whole Building Design Guide. Web. 28 Mar. 2012..

Logan, Bill. "USF Is Taking Green to a Whole New Level, out with Styrofoam, in with Reusable to GoBoxes." ABC Action News. ABC, 28 July 2011. Web. 4 Apr. 2012..

Marquez, Melanie. Science & Technology Building Earns LEED Certification. USFSP News

21 Jan. 2010. 03 Mar. 2012. < http://www.usfsp.org/inews/view.asp?ID=599>

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. Environmental Protection Agency, 12 Mar. 2009.Web. 28 Mar. 2012. www.epa.gov/npdes

The Princeton Review, and USGBC. "The Princeton Review's Guide to 311 Green Colleges." Web.PSTA to Introduce New Hybrid SmartBus at Green Living Workshop. PSTA, 2009. Web. 28 Mar2012. .

Shurtz, Alec. "New smoking policy clears air." USF Oracle 06 March 2008, Web. 28 Mar. 2012.

Starling, Amada. SEAS plans Earth friendly events. The Crows Nest. 22 Feb. 2012. 03 Mar. 2012

U.S. Green Building Council. LEED. U.S. Green Building Council. 2011 03 Mar. 2011.
http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/new-science-and-technology-building-helps-transform-usf-st-petersburg/1067467http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/new-science-and-technology-building-helps-transform-usf-st-petersburg/1067467http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/new-science-and-technology-building-helps-transform-usf-st-petersburg/1067467http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/new-science-and-technology-building-helps-transform-usf-st-petersburg/1067467http://www.gohart.org/hart_of_green/future-green-plans.htmlhttp://www.gohart.org/hart_of_green/future-green-plans.htmlhttp://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19http://www.gohart.org/hart_of_green/future-green-plans.htmlhttp://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/new-science-and-technology-building-helps-transform-usf-st-petersburg/1067467http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/new-science-and-technology-building-helps-transform-usf-st-petersburg/1067467


17/21


17

USF Bullrunner. N.d. Photograph. Metro MagazineWeb. 4 Apr 2012. .

USF Office of Sustainability. University of South Florida, 2011. Web. 23 Mar. 2012..

"USFs partial smoking ban has hurdles to overcome." USF Oracle 03 19 2012, n. pag. Web. 28 Mar.2012.

USF Science and Technology Building. N.d. Photograph. Creative ContractorsWeb. 4 Apr 2012..

Xeriscape. Sustainable Resources. Web. 28 Mar. 2012. .

Annotated Bibliography

Cash, Jacqui. USF One of Nations Top Green Colleges. USF News 05 May 2010. 17 Mar. 2012

This website gives some general information about the universities inclusion as being one of the top

green colleges in the nation. The University of South Florida was included in the The Princeton

Reviews Guide to 286 Green Colleges which was done in conjunction with the U.S. Green

building council. It goes on to state some of the universities criteria in being included in this are

hosting a Green Jobs Fair or including Green issues in its general courses. The article then

goes on to give some background information on The Princeton Review and the U.S. Green

Building Council.

Marquez, Melanie. Science & Technology Building Earns LEED Certification. USFSP News

21 Jan. 2010. 03 Mar. 2012. < http://www.usfsp.org/inews/view.asp?ID=599>

This article is about the St. Petersburg campus attaining a gold level LEED certification, which is the

second highest possible. This building was designed in collaboration with USF St. Petersburg

and the USF College of Marine Science as well as being funded by the Public Education

Capital Outlay (PECO) which is a state program that funds education programs through utility

taxes.

Gadsden, Sandra J. New Science and Technology building helps transform USF St. Petersburg.

Tampa Bay Times 24 Jan. 2010. 03 Mar. 2012.

This is another article that goes into the opening of the Science and Technology building in 2010.

The article states that it has earned a gold level LEED certification through its environmentally


18/21


18

friendly design and construction materials. The building itself also has storage for

environmentally friendly activities such as kayaking, which would encourage more students to

participate in it.

U.S. Green Building Council. LEED. U.S. Green Building Council. 2011 03 Mar. 2011.

This is the homepage of the U.S Green Building Councils Leadership in Energy and Environmental

Design (LEED). This website has information on how the LEED program started and that its

goal is to provide buildings a framework for designing and constructing green buildings. The

rating system it uses was developed in 2000 and has been updated in 2012 to further improve

its criteria. This website also provides the exact criteria to which it bases its ratings and even

goes as far as providing the checklist in which a building is judged upon.

Starling, Amada. SEAS plans Earth friendly events. The Crows Nest. 22 Feb. 2 012. 03 Mar. 2012

This article gives information into one of the many environmentally friendly events its hosts. In this

case, the Student Environmental Awareness Society (SEAS) is hosting an event which is open

to all students that tries to bring further awareness of the green movement through the use of

fun activities. It is also calling for everyone to avoid using any form of technology or electricity

for an hour on March 31 to save energy.

Alexander, Aimee. Campus smoking ban takes effect Jan. 2012. 22 Nov. 2011. 10 Mar. 2012.

The campus smoking ban that began in January 2012 was implemented to provide clean air for

everybody on campus as well as to promote a healthier lifestyle by discouraging smoking. This

is an on-going trend in Florida Universities and the USF St. Petersburg campus is not the first

to do this. This ban falls under the Florida Clean Indoor Air Act, which is state law that prohibits

smoking inside enclosed workplaces. Since the university campus itself is considered a

workplace, it would fall under this. The ban itself is a policy and not a law so it is still unclear on

how it would be enforced.

USF Office of Sustainability. University of South Florida, 2011. Web. 23 Mar. 2012.

.

This is the homepage to the University of South Florida Office of Sustainability. It details their

sustainability initiatives including, transportation, designed environment, water, recycling,


19/21


19

green building, and energy. It also provides information on the mission, history, pledge,

programs, and who to contact. There is a plethora of great information on USFs mission to

become cleaner and greener.

The Princeton Review, and USGBC. "The Princeton Review's Guide to 311 Green Colleges." Web.

This is a PDF version of the Princeton Reviews Guide to 311 Green Colleges found online. USF islisted as one of the 311 green colleges and receives several other recognitions. They made

the list of Green Guide Schools with LEED certified Buildings. They were also acknowledged

for have a Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Ranking System (STARS). Finally, they

were listed under schools with ACUPCC Signatories, which addresses global climate

disruption.

Hillsborough Regional Transit Authority. HART, 2012. Web. 27 March 2012.

This is the homepage of the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART) green initiative. HART is

Tamps main bus line and is partnered with the Tampa Campus to provide free transportation

for USF students.

PSTA to Introduce New Hybrid SmartBus at Green Living Workshop. PSTA, 2009. Web. 28 Mar

2012. .

This is the a document which states that the Pinellas busing system will begin using Hybrid buses

that greatly reduce pollutants into the air.

Shurtz, Alec. "New smoking policy clears air." USF Oracle 06 March 2008, Web. 28 Mar. 2012.

This article is about the USF Tampa campus banning smoking from the Moffit Center. The Moffit

center banned smoking completely since they were a cancer treatment and research center

and wanted to encourage its patients and staff to not partake in that behavior. At the time, USF

had not banned smoking on its campus.

Giannini, Alessandra. "Banned: USF Health says 'no' to smoking." USF Oracle 19 November 2009,Web. 28 Mar. 2012.

This article is about the smoking ban the USF Health building implemented outside its premises. They

argued that under the Florida Clean Indoor Air Act, that they could do this. Though it is not

enforceable by law at this time.


20/21


20

"USFs partial smoking ban has hurdles to overcome." USF Oracle 03 19 2012, n. pag. Web. 28 Mar.

2012.

This article is about the Tampa smoking bans implementation and the consequences it might have

with its students. Legally the University cannot enforce the ban and many universities like theUniversity of Florida have reported that since there are no consequences, people continue to

smoke like if nothing has happened.

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. Environmental Protection Agency, 12 Mar. 2009.

Web. 28 Mar. 2012.

This website explains the permits required for storm water discharge and explains in detail the duties

of NPDES.

Xeriscape. Sustainable Resources. Web. 28 Mar. 2012. .

This website provided an explanation for what xeriscaping is and the effects it has on the

environment.

Life-Cycle Cost Analysis. Whole Building Design Guide. Web. 28 Mar. 2012.

.

This article detailed the process of life-cycle cost analysis and how it is used in practice. It explains

the costs and benefits of putting LCCA into effect.

F28T8 Sell Sheet. GE Consumer & Industrial Lighting. Web. 28 Mar. 2012..

This sell sheet gave the specifications on the F28T8 fluorescent light bulbs that USF has used to

replace the old, less efficient light bulbs.

Logan, Bill. "USF Is Taking Green to a Whole New Level, out with Styrofoam, in with Reusable to Go

Boxes." ABC Action News. ABC, 28 July 2011. Web. 4 Apr. 2012.

.

This article is about USF dining services eliminating waste by getting rid of styrofoam and replacing it

with hard plastic, reusable to go boxes.

USF Science and Technology Building. N.d. Photograph. Creative ContractorsWeb. 4 Apr 2012.

.


21/21


21

USF Bullrunner. N.d. Photograph. Metro MagazineWeb. 4 Apr 2012. .

Courtney DiFonzo. Smoking. 2012. Photograph. Digital BullpenWeb. 4 Apr 2012.

.

Tony Gordon. Smoking Sign. 2011. Photograph. USF OracleWeb. 4 Apr 2012..

USF is LEEDing the Way

Documents

Transcript of USF is LEEDing the Way