A new campaign highlighting steps taken by institutions and local governments across Virginia to cut carbon emissions brought a crowd to 草莓社区 for a panel discussion on the .
The chose EMU because of its dedication to, said Kate Addleson, program manager for the , one of the partners in the campaign.
鈥淲e really appreciated the holistic approach that EMU has to sustainability,鈥� said Addleson, who hopes to see other universities in Virginia emulate what she described as EMU鈥檚 pioneering and precedent-setting leadership on the issue.
The event, held on Earth Day in late April, featured a panel of EMU faculty, staff and , speaking to a crowded room in the Campus Center.
鈥淔or us, it is a faith issue to take care of God鈥檚 creation,鈥� said Swartzendruber.
Motivated by a theological commitment to care for the needy, he said, EMU has been prioritizing sustainability for decades to try to limit resource consumption to its fair global share. As a result, EMU鈥檚 buildings now consume significantly less energy per square-foot and per student than the average among its peer institutions.
Since 2000, efficiency upgrades on campus have allowed the university to save 46 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and $2.5 million on its utility bills, according to sustainability coordinator . (The figures are based on a comparison to energy consumption levels in 2000.)
One of the most significant recent sustainability projects was the on the roof of the . It was the state鈥檚 largest commercial solar power project at the time. Its innovative financing agreement has been the basis for statewide legislation designed to promote growth of Virginia鈥檚 solar energy sector. The solar project was developed in partnership with , a solar energy company led by EMU business professor and MBA program co-director , who also spoke on the panel.
The university worked with the to pass an ordinance exempting the solar panel equipment from the local machinery and tools tax 鈥� another move that set precedent for recent state legislation.
Just three and a half years into their decades-long lifespan, the solar panels on the library roof have generated more than 450,000 kWh of electricity, offsetting the consumption of more than 266 barrels of oil. The average annual output of the library array is roughly equivalent to the annual energy use of 10 homes in Virginia. See live data on the solar array at
Earlier this year, the university was awarded a silver ranking by the , based on its sustainability initiatives in operations, curriculum, planning and other areas. EMU is one of seven universities in Virginia with a silver ranking. Four others universities have earned bronze rankings, while none have a gold certification.
Also speaking on the panel was , a research professor at EMU鈥檚 . She discussed her approach to sustainability as a issue by describing the growing link between climate change and violent conflict around the world.
Biology professor provided an overview of EMU鈥檚 , an interdisciplinary program that combines environmental and social sciences. Launched just five years ago, enrollment has grown rapidly to more than 40 students, making it one of EMU鈥檚 10 most popular majors.
Kai Degner, a city councilman and former Harrisonburg mayor, also spoke. He complimented EMU for demonstrating the environmental and economic benefits of large-scale sustainability initiatives, and said that the university 鈥渞eally provides us a terrific local example鈥� for government, institutions, businesses and citizens to pursue similar projects.
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