Ball State University 2006 Campus Sustainability Achievement Award Application
Category
Four-year and graduate institutions over 10,000 student FTE
Contact
Robert J. Koester
Chairman, Ball State University Council on the Environment (BSU/COTE)
Ball State University
Muncie, IN
(765) 285-1135
rkoester@bsu.edu
Governance & Administration
Ball State University maintains active membership in the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), National Wildlife Federation Campus Ecology Program (NWF/CEP), and the University Leaders for a Sustainable Future (ULSF), among others.
Ball State University is a signatory to the Talloires Declaration and has used the framework to implement numerous initiatives including creation the Council on the Environment a university-wide administrative structure. Its membership represents every quarter of the institution and the surrounding community; professional staff, tenure-line and contract faculty and students are represented on the Council as are local business leaders, the Sierra Club, the local/regional hospital, and a local land trust. Members are appointed to the Council by the Provost; the administrative secretariat for the Council is the university-level Center for Energy Research/Education/Service.
Ball State University has adopted a commitment to sustainability initiatives in its Mission Statement, Strategic Plan, and Master Plan and has published on its web page a Sustainability Statement adopted by the University Senate, Senior Administration, Academic Deans and Board of Trustees.
Ball State University has enacted a number of resolutions promulgated by the Council on the Environment; those of the last two years are described in detail in the respective categories below.
Operations
Ball State University has under construction two LEED Silver Certified Buildings: the addition to the College of Communication, Information and Media and the Park Residence Hall.
Ball State University has increased the square footage of its physical plant and at the same time reduced the net density of energy consumption per square foot of that physical plant; this is the result of aggressive campus-wide energy conservation retro-fits using enhanced roof insulation systems, replacement windows with e-coated insulated glazing, variable speed drives on fans and pumps, and a centralized computer-based electrical load shedding system.
Ball State University also uses bio-diesel in its university service fleet, has purchased a hybrid-electric bus, hybrid-electric vehicles for its automotive fleet, makes bulk purchasing of janitorial supplies, installed waterless urinals and reclaims water from the chilled-water side of the district heating/cooling plant.
Ball State University acquired state-level funding in the amount of $48 million and has begun the design and engineering to replace its current coal-fired boiler facilities with fluidized-bed combustion units.
Ball State University recycles all yard cuttings and recyclable waste products of cellulosic structure as mulch for placement on its planting beds campus-wide.
Ball State University has contracted with its private sector waste hauler to monitor recycling of the solid waste stream and receives monthly reports on its increasing performance.
Ball State University continues to expand its campus reforestation program broadening the variety of indigenous ground covers, bushes, and tree specimens.
Curriculum & Research
Ball State University offers a summer “Green for Green Workshop” for faculty and professional staff to enable implementation of sustainable principles in the ongoing teaching and operational practices of the respective participants. To date, fully
