Virginia Commonwealth Univ Gets 'A' in National Green Report Card

Anne Buckley VCU Communications and Public Relations (804) 828-6052 albuckley@vcu.edu

Virginia Commonwealth University today received an A- in the national “Green Report Card” — an independent evaluation of sustainability in campus operations and endowment practices. VCU was the only college in Virginia to receive a grade in the A range.

The College Sustainability Report 2011 assessed 322 colleges and universities, representing all 50 U.S. states and eight Canadian provinces, in nine categories, ranging from Climate Change & Energy to Green Building to Investment Priorities. The report provides detailed school profiles and grades. Of the total number assessed, seven institutions received an A and 45 institutions received an A-.

Additionally, VCU is listed in the Green Report Card as one of 52 “Overall College Sustainability Leaders” and one of 120 “Campus Sustainability Leaders” in the United States and Canada.

Earlier this year, VCU President Michael Rao signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, an initiative to reduce the global emission of greenhouse gases by 80 percent by mid-century to avert the worst effects of global warming. Former VCU President Eugene P. Trani initially signed the commitment in April 2008.

“Today’s ranking by VCU in the top 16 percent of colleges and universities graded by the College Sustainability Report Card 2011 attests to the success of the commitment to sustainability made by VCU,” said Jacek Ghosh, VCU’s director of sustainability. “The successful advancement of the university’s climate commitment is due in equal part to the efforts and commitment of faculty, staff, and, importantly, students.”

In a few short years, VCU has made tremendous strides in sustainability, with its research and education building at the Rice Center, VCU’s 343-acre living laboratory on the James River, achieving the highest sustainability rating possible, LEED platinum. All new construction is undertaken with an eye toward best practices in sustainability.

Other changes have taken place in transportation. Faculty and staff can now share rides to work, and students and other members of the campus community don’t have to own a car in order to run errands or take a trip to the mall. In addition, mobility hubs are in place on both the Monroe Park and MCV campuses for buses, zipcars, bicycle racks and power stations for Segways. VCU also is continuing to provide students with free GRTC bus passes.

For more information on sustainability efforts at VCU, visit http://www.vcugoesgreen.vcu.edu/.

The PR department at VCU is constantly pushing their fashionable green this and green that.

It'd be nice to see some real data regarding cost/benefit of investments in capital building projects versus energy and money savings.

VCU, ahhhh. Is the Fan still full of shabbily dressed, self-proclaimed geniuses, addicted to various substances? I lived in Richmond in the middle seventies and anything related to VCU is forever tainted in my eyes after going into the Fan district a couple of times and realizing that it was the VCU student body wondering loose there, not the homeless and insane.

Regards

2 posted on 10/27/2010 1:47:01 PM PDT by Rashputin (Obama is already insane and sequestered on golf courses or vacations so you won't know it)

Tell me which ones got an “F” so I can send them a donation!

Nope, the VCU area hasn’t changed since the 70s. It has merely expanded.

4 posted on 10/27/2010 2:12:01 PM PDT by VA_Gentleman ("Poor Al Gore. Global warming completely debunked via the very internet you invented." -Jon Stewart)

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