Sustainability Initiative

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

Spring 2012 Lecture Series

Vote now for UDC to receive a valuable campus improvement grant from Home Depot
It’s your turn to make your voice heard in helping select UDC as one of this year’s RETOOL YOUR SCHOOL campus improvement grant recipients.
This year, the RETOOL YOUR SCHOOL program is expanded with a new $25,000 Campus Pride Grant for the school that shows the most initiative in promoting their proposals and garnering votes. Home Depot is also providing an additional $10,000 Tier II Grant. In all, total grant funds available has increased to $185,000.
To help UDC reach its goal of finishing in the top ten to be eligible for one of the Tier II Grants, please click on the following link, scroll down until you find UDC, and then cast your vote. You are eligible to vote every day.

Campus Sustainability Tour

On February 8, 2012, the Sustainability Initiative of the University of the District of Columbia will also host a Campus Sustainability Tour. The tour is scheduled to start at 5pm, immediately prior to the Sustainable DC meeting.

The tour 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 building 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 on campus.
The tour will last approximately 45 minutes and will start in front of the Van Ness Metro Station Starbucks, promptly at 5pm (rain or shine).

Advanced registration for the tour is required.  Space is limited, so please RSVP at hways@udc.edu.

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.

5 Questions - Featuring Renee Lewis

What is your major?  When will you graduate?

My major is Urban Studies.   I recently finished my Bachelor of Arts degree this summer. I will also finish my sociology/anthropology Bachelor of Arts this fall.

What projects are you working on during your summer internship at the DC Office of Planning?

While working at the DC Office of Planning, I have been assigned multiple projects. My major project is the Walter Reed Redevelopment. I have been conducting research on alternative energy, transportation, businesses, city and neighborhood planning. I attend meetings and conferences to discuss the future of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Each day I learn something new or gain more insight on the varied subjects in my field of study.

Another project I have worked on is the coordination of the plans and activities for the Summer Youth Employment Program for 2011. For this project, I planned a six week program that would build a meaningful experience for the student participants and provide a greater understanding of the different aspects of community planning. Components of the program include fieldtrips to exhibits on development and weekly activities hands with the various departments within the DC Office of Planning.

If you had to select a course at UDC that prepared you for your current internship experience which would you select and why?

The classes that have been most meaningful are my research classes. My Research of Urban Development class in particular taught me the most relevant skills which I use on a daily basis. This particular class truly shaped my future and prepared me to excel at the Office of Planning. Research and writing classes are usually a student's least favorite classes but they are classes that provide skills that we will use daily in any career we choose.

What do you hope to gain with your DC Office of Planning internship?

I have gained a tremendous amount already at the DC Office of Planning. For example, I recently attended a meeting about the District's tree canopy and I now have a new appreciation for the arborist of the area. Each day at the Office of Planning continues to be a learning experience for me. Ultimately, I would like to work here after my internship is completed.

What are your plans after graduating from UDC?

I will be at UDC for a few more years. I have already obtained my Bachelor's of Arts in Urban Studies and I am currently finishing up my sociology/anthropology degree in the Fall of 2011. After that, I have already decided to pursue my Master's in Business Administration (MBA) from UDC as well. Through my experiences at the Office of Planning, I have learned that a MBA would be a great asset to have to make me more marketable in the long term.