Sustainability Initiative

dasHAUS will be on display at UDC

The University of the District of Columbia’s Center for Sustainable Development is proud to announce that dasHAUS will be on display at UDC from July 31 to August 9, 2012. DasHAUS is a traveling pavilion, a North American tour and an ongoing international dialogue about advanced technologies for home construction and solar energy use. Its purpose is to share German innovations that have achieved sustainable construction and operational energy savings. Attendees will represent leading organizations, universities, and businesses in building materials, architecture, engineering, renewable energy and energy efficiency. DasHAUS is about the future of sustainable building and the resources and integration needed to reach that future. More Info

UDC leads in the formation of the District of Columbia Mayor's College and University Sustainability Pledge

UDC recent led a group of nine District-based universities and colleges in a collective effort to support Sustainable DC. The District of Columbia Mayor's College and University Sustainability Pledge (CUSP) was designed to be meaningful yet flexible commitment intended to produce tangible benefits for DC's local environment and community. Signatory institutions choose from a menu of performance areas in which to take action, such as energy, water, waste, green education and training, and jobs and community development. Using the DC CUSP as a standard, the colleges and universities in the District of Columbia are collectively committed to making Washington, DC the Greenest College Town in America. To view a full version of the signed CUSP click here. To view a list of UDC’s initial commitments, click here.

Shades of Green: Washington’s Emerging Ecodistricts

Across the country, in places like Seattle, Denver and Portland, Oregon, Ecodistricts are emerging as a common approach to scaling up and accelerating the benefits of sustainable development at a neighborhood level. Shades of Green: Washington’s Emerging Ecodistricts was a panel discussion focusing on five ecodistricts in the Washington DC area, including major projects in Arlington, Virginia and downtown Washington, DC. On April 11, 2012, Howard Ways, Director of Planning and Sustainability at the University of the District of Columbia spoke at the National Capital Park and Planning Commission on UDC’s innovative sustainability efforts.

Click on this link to the video.

UDC Sustainability Reaches Important Milestone

Nearly one year ago, the UDC Sustainability Task Force published its Strategic Sustainability Plan. Over the past year, the university has moved aggressively to implement many of its recommendations. With much accomplished, there is still work to be done in order to fulfill Dr. Allen L. Sessoms of making UDC the most sustainable university in the nation’s capital.

Keep up with UDC’s sustainability transformation with our newly revised map of the Van Ness Campus. The map contains information on capital projects, efficiency practices, sustainability research facilities, transportation options, and environmental impact indicators. Click here for a PDF copy of the map. For more information about the Van Ness Campus Sustainability Map or to request paper copies, contact Josh Lasky (jlasky@udc.edu).

April is Earth Month at UDC

Attend an event and join the movement to make our university and our city more sustainable. Highlights include an EcoDistricts Workshop, ecological restoration events on campus and in Rock Creek Park, and the 2012 UDC International Urban Sustainability Action Summit. Click here for more information. For questions about any events listed, please contact Howard Ways (hways@udc.edu) or Josh Lasky (jlasky@udc.edu).

Shanika White (BS Arch ’11) talks about how her UDC education prepared her for her green job. As a Project Assistant with the DC Sustainable Energy Utility, Ms. White has firmly established a career path within the new green economy in the nation’s capital.

2012 RecycleMania Competition

Hello UDC Family.

Once again, UDC is participating in the national RecycleMania competition. Last year we ranked 2^nd among DC universities, finishing with a recycling rate of nearly 33%.

This year, for the 2012 RecycleMania competition, our recycling numbers are a little down (around 31%) and we have slipped from second into third place among DC universities. Although we rank nationally in the top 100 (currently 95th out of 605 universities across the country) this is a good time to recommit ourselves to being the best, most sustainable university in the nation's capital.

For more information see 2012 RecyleMania Competition

UDC features history and art to celebrate the National Cherry Blossom  Festival Centennial Celebration

UDC is proud to be a host site for the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH) 5×5 Temporary Public Art Project to activate and enliven publicly accessible spaces.  5×5 will be presented during the spring of 2012, during the National Cherry Blossom Festival Centennial Celebration.  The five-week festival, March 20 through April 27, 2012, will welcome spring to Washington, DC and celebrate the 100th anniversary of the gift of cherry trees from Japan to the United States.

Henry Box Brown: FOREVER

By Wilmer Wilson IV

Date: April 5, 2012

Time: 9am – 3:30pm

Location: UDC Firebird Inn, Building 38, B Level (4200 Connecticut Avenue NW)

Click here for more information about the artist

DC ECODISTRICTS WORKSHOP: THE FUNDAMENTALS OF CREATING SUSTAINABLE NEIGHBORHOODS

The University of the District of Columbia is pleased to host a one day workshop on creating sustainable neighborhoods. On April 11, an in-depth and interactive full day training will equip professionals and communities with tools to build comprehensive green neighborhood initiatives. Participants will gain a solid grounding in the EcoDistricts Framework and its application. The workshop will cover strategies to address challenges like organizing stakeholders, financing staff and projects, providing municipal policy support and assessing a district to develop informed project priorities. Click here for more information on how to register.

In an effort to promote more sustainable practices and track our progress, the University of the District of Columbia registered as a Charter Participant of the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS). STARS is a transparent, comprehensive self-reporting framework developed for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance and make key indicators publicly visible.

To view our STARS submission, please click here.

UDC Hosts Sustainable DC Meeting - February 8, 2012 @ 6:30pm

Spring 2012 Lecture Series

UDC Kicks Off Campus Sustainability Tours

The University of the District of Columbia's Sustainability Initiative is hosting sustainability tours of the Van Ness campus.  The tours will provide insights on how UDC is becoming a leader in sustainability.

Highlights of the tour include the largest green roof project in the city, a net zero energy experimental visitor center and the Eco Pole, a street light that operates entirely on wind and solar energy. Tour participants will also learn about the upcoming LEED platinum student center (the first in the District) and efforts to promote more recycling and the use of tap water over bottled water. Advanced registration for the tour is required. 

The tours are offered every second Thursday of each month from 12 noon to 12:45pm. To register for a tour, contact Howard Ways, Director of Planning and Sustainability, at hways@udc.edu.

UDC is Helping to Lead the Way for a More Sustainable District of Columbia!

On November 2nd at 6:30 PM, join residents from across the District of Columbia in developing a vision for a sustainable future.

Meeting Summary | Ward 3 Sustainable DC Planning Meeting 11.2.11

New Sustainability Map Highlights Green Investments

Click here to learn about the investments to make the Van Ness campus the greenest in the city.

Become a Master Watershed Steward in the National Capital Region! - UDC is hosting a sustainability related academy this fall.