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Grand Rapids Community College

Grand Rapids Community College
Campus Category: 
Community colleges and other two-year institutions

Contact Information

Gary
Burbridge
Director of Sustainability
Sustainability Office
Education and Research:

• Completion of proposed General Learner Outcome for sustainability and community engagement – will be reviewed and acted upon by our Academic Governing Council in the Fall, 2009

• Completion of revision and updating of our Sus 201: Introduction to Sustainability course, an interdisciplinary course based of the triple bottom line and offered each semester

• Integration of sustainability principles and practices in the following areas:

  1. Construction trades courses
  2. Home and office remodeling courses. Students from both of these areas work on Habitat for Humanity homes (new and remodel) using LEED practices. All new Habitat homes in West Michigan now qualify for LEED certification
  3. Fashion and Interiors
  4. Geography
  5. Anthropology
  6. Chemistry
  7. Biology
  8. Additional course areas will be added each year 

• Sustainability Speakers series – offered both to the community and to our students. Last year we had Peter Annin speaking on Great Lakes water issues and John Tallmadge on nature and the human experience. This series will be offered each year

• Sustainability mini-grants offered to faculty and staff for activites and improvements across the campus

• Alternative energy coursework being developed with the support of the State of Michigan – focus on wind energy at this point

 

Campus Operations:

• Green roof completed on our Applied Technology Center on two levels. One features a walkout deck and interpretive center, the other is outside our Culinary Arts program restaurant and provides graphics and space for students to grow herbs and other plants

• Green roof featured in “Sites” – Michigan Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects publication

• Energy Education program implemented with savings of 750,000 dollars at this point.

• 20% of all electrical energy in green, purchased from Consumers Energy of Michigan

• Yearly electronics recycling in place for three years

• College adopts policy of purchasing non-gasoline lawn equipment

• College wide policy of LEED standards applied to all remodeling projects. Recycled/recyclable carpet, low VOC paint, recyclable classroom furniture, energy efficient lighting, motion sensors in all classrooms, low water use toilets and faucets

• College policy on limiting use of hazardous chemicals in classrooms

• “Green” cleaning products used by maintenance crews

• Recycled paper content in all cleaning and printing paper

Administration and Finance:

• Signatory of ACUPCC agreement

• Taillories signatory

• Member West Michigan Clean Cities Coalition

• Participant in STARS pilot program

• Sustainability Plan in place, revised every three years

• GRCC sustainability web site in place with extensive streaming video library: www.grcc.edu/sustainability

• Developing the Fred Keller Sustainable Futures Institute

• Ongoing member of the West Michigan Community Sustainability Partners

• U.S. Green Building Council now located at the GRCC Tassell M-TEC building

• On-going partnerships with community organizations such as the West Michigan Environmental Action Council, the West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum, and the City of Grand Rapids Sustainability team

Please email resources@aashe.org with any suggestions, additions or updates.