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Colleges are enduring places. Furman, after
all, has been in operation more than 180 years. It has been sustained,
in good times and bad, by the devotion and generosity of countless faculty,
staff, students, alumni and friends.
Contact
J. Scott Derrick
Director of Student Activities &
the University Center
Address:
Student Services
3300 Poinsette Hwy
Greenville, SC 29613
Phone: 864.294.2267
Email: Scott.Derrick@Furman.edu
Such stewardship is one of our
most precious resources; it has enabled the university not only to survive
but to flourish. So it is especially fitting that the university has
adopted a commitment to environmental sustainability as one of its foremost
strategic goals.
As in all areas of university life, our goal in sustainability is ambitious.
Furman wants to be the national leader among liberal arts colleges committed
to sustainability, both educationally and operationally. With the recent
revision of graduation requirements to include at least one course dealing
with human interaction with the natural environment, the faculty has
demonstrated their intention for our graduates to have an awakened conscience
about the world around them.
This report highlights seven stories that illustrate how sustainability
is woven through the fabric of university life. I invite you to explore
these articles, and then join us on the journey toward a more enlightened
and sustainable future.
David E. Shi
President, Furman University
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1. Sustainable Living
Story: Tucked on the north side
of the lake, near the Bell Tower and the marching band practice field,
lies a small experiment in eco-friendly living. To the naked eye,
it simply looks like another one of the cabin-style housing possibilities
that students have enjoyed since the early 1970s. But if you look
a bit closer . . . Read
More >
Housing: Full
on-campus student housing and a four year residency requirement help
to reduce fossil fuel emissions from commuting.
Water Conservation:
Furman Housing's use of low-flow shower
heads in student residences decreases water
use.
The Eco Cottage:
Located on the banks of Furman Lake, the Eco Cottage is Furman's fully
functioning, total-immersion experiment in sustainable living.
Further Initiatives >
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2. Landscaping
and Maintenance
Story: When
you drive onto Furman’s campus, past the numerous fountains and
the meticulously landscaped shrubs and flowers, conservation and sustainability
are not the terms that come to mind. What might not be evident as you
stroll one of the most beautifully landscaped campuses in the country
is that the university has embraced sustainability in its landscaping
and building processes . . . Read
More >
Environmentally friendly landscape practices
Reduction of grassy
areas of campus allows native landscape to emerge.
Greater use of native
plants and pest-resistant hybrid vegetation reduces chemical dependency.
Recycled irrigation
water from the stormwater reservoir lake is used to irrigate approximately
45 percent of the campus.
Endangered plants
such as bunched arrowhead are protected from development.
Tree conservation
results in abundant foliage, which provides natural shade and screening.
University moves to more sustainable vehicles
The university is moving away from gas-powered vehicles and embracing
other technologies.
Currently the campus
operates 25–30 electric vehicles.
Thirty-five electric
golf carts have replaced 31 gasoline autos and trucks in Facilities
Services. Dedicated cart parking/charging stations are located throughout
campus.
Public Safety has
purchased a hybrid Ford Escape. Gas mileage is 2.5 times better than
the vehicle it replaced, it accelerates better, and it has more usable
space
Further
Initiatives >
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3. Student Activism
Story: It’s
not exactly turning iron into gold or water into wine, but in a shed
tucked away on a corner of campus, a student environmental group is
conducting its own 21st-century alchemy: turning kitchen grease into
diesel fuel . . . Read
More >
Biodiesel Program:
Conversion of cooking waste to usable fuel
Wind Energy:
Promotion of wind energy as a viable alternative energy
source
Recycling: Convenient
placement of recycling drop-off spots and Recycling promotion campus-wide
Environmental Action
Group: Furman's student group for promotion of environmental
awareness
Environmental
Protection: Program for preserving endangered plant species like Bunched
Arrowhead
Further
Initiatives >
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4. Trail System
Story: Chainsaws,
swing blades and shovels in hand, a dedicated and sweaty group of university
employees and summer school students joined with a local Boy Scout group
during the summer of 1995 to help carve out nearly four miles of campus
trails. The winding wooded pathways—traversing streams and creeks—offer
a convenient respite . . . Read
More >
Less Traffic:
Conversion of campus roads into pedestrian walkways
Rails to Trails Program:
Renovation of old railroad tracks into trails for hikers, runners, and
cyclists.
Further
Initiatives >
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| 5. Building Practices
Story: What’s
wrapped in hidden heat-reflective tinfoil and has solar green glazing
and carbon-dioxide sensors that detect the presence of humans? No, it’s
not the space shuttle. It’s Herman N. Hipp Hall, . . . Read
More >
Hipp Hall Green Facts:
Twenty-five percent
of the materials used in construction of the building contain recycled
content, compared with 15 percent for most buildings.*
Every room has occupancy
sensors. Overhead lights turn off automatically if no one is in the
room.
Thanks to tree conservation
and new plantings, more than 30 percent of the sidewalk and parking
areas around Hipp Hall will be shaded in the next few years.*
More than 75 percent
of the waste generated during construction was recycled.*
Duke Library Green Facts
The construction
of the James B. Duke Library followed LEED guidelines for a silver rating.
New and replacement
windows are equipped with a low-emissivity coating. The coating allows
the maximum amount of daylight to enter but blocks ultraviolet light.
The glass also reduces glare. For additional protection from the sun’s
rays, automatic shades are installed on the south and west sides of
the building.
An air/vapor barrier
was added to create a building skin to eliminate air infiltration and
mold growth.
Every office, study,
conference, work and storage room is equipped with occupancy sensors.
Overhead lights turn off automatically if no one is in the room.
*Also true of the James B. Duke Library.
Further
Initiatives >
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6. The Charles H. Townes Center
for Science
Story: With the
commitment to “build green,” Furman has seen the transformation
of the James B. Duke Library and James C. Furman Hall. The renovation
and addition to the science facilities that will begin this summer will
result in not only a green building but a green learning experience
as well . . . Read
More >
Environmental Aspects of the Center:
Closed loop solar
aquatic wastewater treatment system
Soil, plant and
storm-water retention
Solar thermal panels
for domestic hot water
Passive solar heating
and thermal storage at greenhouse
Solar heating of
HVAC water
Rainwater collection
system
Maximization of
day-lighting systems
High-performance
energy systems/thermal efficiency
Further
Initiatives >
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7. Faculty and Student Research
Story: In 1996,
the departments of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Biology and Chemistry
launched the River Basins Research Initiative, a research project studying
the impact of urbanization in the Upstate on stream systems in the Lower
Broad River Basin. The RBRI has evolved into the largest . . . Read
More >
Every year, students
and Faculty from across campus conduct research aimed at improving environmental
conditions at Furman, in the Greenville Community, and in larger communities
abroad. Furman is a partner in the Saluda-Reedy Watershed Consortium,
which oversees research and educational efforts concerning the negative
impacts of development—such as runoff and pollution. Furman's
River Basin Research Initiative - which combines seven of Furman's academic
departments and is the school's largest single research project - is
another example of research aimed at bolstering sustainability at Furman
and abroad.
Further
Initiatives >
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