Living Learning Laboratories

Cliffs Cottage - Southern Living's first sustainable showcase home is a model of environmentally responsible design, building techniques and materials and energy-saving systems.

Furman Farm - Our 1/4 acre garden, located adjacent to the Cliffs Cottage, is a hands on experience in sustainable agriculture and small scale food production.

The Place of Peace - A former Buddhist temple that was taken apart in Japan and reconstructed on the Furman campus. The Place of Peace is a gift to Furman and the Greenville Community from the Tsuzuki family of Nagoya, Japan.

Townes Center for Science - A "living building and laboratory" featuring a solar aquatic treatment facility, solar thermal panels, rainwater collection and day-lighting systems. Home to Furman's Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Sciences and Physics departments.

Biodiesel - Furman's small scale operation for turning waste vegetable oil from the Dining Hall into biodiesel fuel. The biodiesel is sold to Facilities Services and is used to fuel the lawnmowers on Furman's campus.

Recycling and Composting - Campus waste reduction and recycling efforts depend on the efforts of everyone in our community. This page contains up to date information about the campus recycling program.

Furman Lake Restoration Project - The university is continuing with its restoration of Furman Lake in an effort to restore the lake to a more natural, healthy environment. A professional landscape architect specializing in native plants was hired and developed a complete restoration master plan for the revegetation and redesign of the lake's borders. Phase I, which covers roughly 1/4 of the lake shoreline, was completed in June. Student and faculty efforts to reduce the wildfowl population have been extremely successful in reducing the nutrient and bacteria loading to the lake. Three rain gardens provide attractive examples of ways to collect storm water and improve water quality.

Model Green Room (coming soon)

For more information or questions about any of our living learning laboratories, email sustainability@furman.edu.

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Climate Commitment

Furman President David Shi committed Furman to developing a campus plan to become climate neutral, as part of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), on which Dr. Shi serves on the leadership circle. Furman’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) will be submitted and publicly available by September 2009.

Our preferred approach to climate neutrality is through energy conservation and efficiency, renewable fuel sources, technology innovation, educational programming and learning and as a last option, the purchase of carbon offsets.

For information on the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) click here: www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/

To view Furman’s 2007 Greenhouse Gas Report and inventory click here.

Visit Furman's Climate Commitment page here.

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Other Initiatives

A Guide to Sustainable Living at Furman: Green Guide.

Sustainable Connections - An over-arching network that serves as a database and catalyst for the many student groups, associations and activities that relate to sustainability.

Environmental Policy Class in the Cliffs Cottage