Progress

The University of Richmond wants to make sustainability progress on all fronts. That’s why we have strived to realize institutional improvements in all areas from construction to energy conservation, land management to purchasing policies.

However, institutional efforts are only a part of the story. University community members including students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters have also been making tremendous progress toward a more sustainable future for all of us.

So far, we have:

• Signed the Presidents Climate Commitment and the Talloires Declaration
• Created an Environmental Awareness Group
• Implemented topics of environmental sustainability into numerous courses and lectures
• Saved one million gallons of water in the 2007-08 academic year
• Challenged the residents of the University Forest Apartments to reduce their energy usage by half
• Had the University dining hall, the Heilman Center, qualify as a Virginia Green Restaurant
• Recycled or reused 28 percent of our waste on average
• Had buildings and construction projects designated as LEED-Certified
• Partnered with Dominion Virginia Power to challenge residents of the residence halls to conserve energy
• Created a rigorous green purchasing policy
• And much more.

Although we have made considerable progress toward being more sustainable, we know the sky is the limit and will continue to find new ways to be better stewards of our environment. In the coming year, for example, the University will be installing electricity and water meters in each of the residence halls. This will provide students with information about energy and water usage and will enable us all to set challenging, achievable targets for energy and water conservation on our campus.


For more information on our progress, contact Trey McDonald, sustainability coordinator, at tmcdonal@richmond.edu or (804) 289-8964.