This week’s interview is with Bharat Patel, the Director of Sustainability for Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD). LACCD is one of the largest community college district in the United States with more than 130,000 students at nine campuses, spread throughout 36 cities in the Los Angeles area.
With over 30 years experience in energy and sustainable development, along with degrees in engineering and environmental building engineering, Bharat brings his knowledge to advancing sustainability at LACCD in many different areas. Continue reading to learn more about the work Bharat is currently doing, the way students are involved, and his advice for others working to advance sustainability on their own campuses.
*If you are interested in participating in the AASHE Interview Series or wish to nominate som**eone to participate please*email me*. To read past interviews, click here.*
What campus sustainability initiatives are you working on at the moment?
The Board of Trustees (BOT) of LACCD passed a Sustainable Building Policy in 2002 that mandated all new buildings achieve LEED certification. This was a bold step, as at that time there were only 10 LEED buildings in pilot phase and the LACCD policy added 90LEED buildings to that. Past president of the BOT Mona Field said “Teaching future generations the importance of living in harmony with the environment is as important as providing the skills students need to achieve career succes
s.”
My responsibility is to direct the process and to be a resource to all the professionals as we transform the college campus and provide buildings and infrastructure that the faculty can use as teaching tools. In addition to the LEED process I am also responsible for the Carbon Inventory for all nine colleges, over 900 buildings for 2004,2005, 2006,2006 and 2007, in accordance with the California Climate Registry protocol. The LACCD was one of the original signatories to the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). Through complying with the requirements of this commitment, we have an opportunity to fully understand the role we need to play by educating our students on the ways to eliminate the threat of large scale global disruption and to achieve healthy, just, and sustainable communities. As community colleges we need to remain relevant to our students whether they decide to come to us to get short term training for green collar jobs or to transfer to four year schools and become leaders in the ecological transition of the 21st century.
How did you get started in campus sustainability?
I always wanted to work with community colleges and when the opportunity presented itself I took it with great vigor and have not looked back. Initially, I began with an interest in a campus sustainable building rating system, as back then, there was not much in place in the United States. After examining and studying several rating systems including
BREEAM,
I-BEAM,
CASBEE I wrote one of the first Sustainable Building Policies in the nation. There were two parts to the policy, all new buildings greater than 7500 sq ft and occupied shall be LEED certified and exceed California energy codes by 20% and be powered by renewable power within a range of 15% - 25%. It is worth noting at that time there was no LEED rating system-addressing campuses so I worked with the USGBC and helped formulate the strategy for LEED for Campuses.
What campus sustainability success are you most proud of?
I agree with John Dewey who said, “education is not preparation for life. Education is life itself.” So for me, the greatest achievement comes from learning and dispersing knowledge – I have been very fortunate to learn every day from students, administrators, faculty, architects and engineers, facilities staff and others.
What advice would you give to others in your positions that are just getting started?
I would say you are in the right place at the right time as you have the opportunity to save the world – it’s as simple and complex as that. With global climate change and the depletion of the worlds resources at an alarming rate, primarily due to irresponsible consumption, we have an unprecedented opportunity to do something different and that is institutionalize environmentalism.
Once there is an understanding of the length and breadth of the tasks ahead of you, what do you do? You begin by creating a list of what you want to accomplish (i.e. create a strategic plan and get the buy in of the President, as top level commitment is critical). Then create a broad coalition, remember, people support what they help to create. Change done to us is not agreeable; change done with us is supported. Transparency is also critical get people to build the plan with you, so when it goes out to be implemented it has support. Create champions in various sectors of the campus that feed a culture of success and be sure to create a framework that they can relate to.
In what area(s) do you see the biggest room for growth in the campus sustainability field?
I believe our choices are informed by our conscious economic, social, and environmental concerns. Thus, the biggest challenge is in transmitting a new set of values and bringing about an understanding of the differences between – what we want, and what we need. They are two completely different things; one identifies you as a mere consumer and the other as a human being. Enrich life in the present and enhance the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs.
How are you incorporating the social dimensions of sustainability into your work?
Every day is a new beginning and provides us all with an opportunity to “redefine a better you”. It’s a three-pronged approach: purpose, principle and practice. To be successful it is important to collaborate with organizations and non-profits in areas other than campus sustainability. Take a look at sustainability in a broader context, for example how will global climate change impact indigenous communities? How will technological innovations impact bio-diversity? Who will climate change most affect and can you create strategies that can create a positive change? How can you participate in providing microfinance schemes that are changing lives all across the world?
Is there a particular insight (learning experience or “ah-ha” moment) you have had working on campus sustainability?
A student in a workshop said, “you are born knowing and society teaches you to forget.” I think part of what she was getting at was in developing countries the people understand more instinctively the nature of natural resources, and how to live in balance with nature. In developed nations with mass consumption we loose sight of what it takes to produce the goods we consume. For example, I recall how much of a shock for me it was to see sprinkler systems running in the mid day sun here in the US.
As a child, I recall my mother walking several miles to a well to get the daily supply of water. It was a precious resource that was utilized with great care. Our home used natural ventilation to cool our mud hut, entirely constructed of natural local materials, 100% recycled material, and biodegradable. The mud hut was a zero energy shelter since it had no electricity. We had native landscaping because it was there. This is sustainability out of necessity – I imagine I lived in what was probably a LEED platinum building in Kenya, Africa!
In what ways are students involved in your work?
Through peer to peer training, engaging students in meaningful transportation surveys, energy audits, and water conservation efforts on campus. These efforts all go towards creating clear linkages between the on campus environment and their daily life.
Are you involved in efforts to advance sustainability in the curriculum at LACCD? How?
Our District Academic Senate President David Beaulieu set up a large sustainability group, where we gather on a regular basis to discuss how we can help one another advance issues surrounding sustainability in our college curriculum, with our students, staff, and administrators. This is a great mechanism as it allows us to brainstorm on articles we have read or the policy decisions being made by our politicians. We live in times where we do not listen deeply. This group has created new courses and infused existing courses to reflect principles of sustainability. I believe participating on panels, giving presentation, teach ins and brown bag lunches raises consciousness and shows the linkages that exist across curricula for all in attendance. This is a dynamic way in which curriculum gets changed.
What are you most looking forward to in 2009?
My youngest son Rajiv has autism and he astonishes me with the strength with which he approaches each day. For him the world is a strange place and yet he is filled with joy and he depends on others around him to help to make sense of this world. So to see the progress he makes each day is the reward I look forward to in 2009 and every year that follows.
If you are interested in participating in the AASHE Interview Series or wish to nominate someone to participate please email me. To read past interviews, click here.
