New policy mandates greener OSU campus

Ohio State decided that spending more on building design and construction is a worthy investment not only for the university, but also for the environment.

The university is creating a new Green Build Policy that sets environmental standards for all renovations and new building projects. It also addresses ways to improve energy efficiency by controlling energy generation and consumption.

The policy is applicable to all building projects of more than $100,000 that were designed after July 1, 2008. For projects of more than $4 million, the university is taking it a step further by requiring that the buildings achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The cost of these changes will increase building projects by 5 percent, an amount that will be balanced by taking on fewer construction projects and conserving energy.

"A short-term cost for long-term savings is really what sustainability is all about," said Ross Parkman, senior director of Utilities Energy Services and Sustainability. "If people put a little more money in and recover costs, they do the right thing in the long run. You get it back over time."

The Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center was the first building on campus to receive LEED certification. The building reduced water usage by 30 percent, uses natural lighting and was constructed with recycled materials.

The hope is that these higher building standards will become a norm for builders and designers on campus.

"Some of these construction standards are becoming so routine that it becomes your basic practice," said Hudson McFann, a junior geology major who leads Students for Sustainable Campus."

The Green Build Policy isn't directed only at architects and construction workers, though.

Students and faculty are encouraged to help fulfill the policy by changing everyday habits.

These practices include keeping windows and doors closed in air-conditioned spaces, turning off lights and computers when not in use and taking shorter showers.

McFann and his organization share the university's vision for a greener campus.

"I think a big way that students can get involved is taking a close look at their daily behaviors and habits and they can become more environmentally-conscious," McFann said.

The Green Build Policy is one of many developed to support President E. Gordon Gee's new "Scarlet, Gray and Green" initiative, a push for OSU's campus to be leaders in sustainability.

While the Green Build Policy has set a high bar for campus sustainability, there's always room to go further.

"A lot of the specifics were only applied to buildings that were only [$4 million] or more; I think it's good to have the standard for buildings under [$4 million]. I hope it covers all university buildings eventually. But it's a great step in the right direction," McFann said.