Oct. 23, 2009

VCU hosts Greening Virginia Universities and Colleges Conference

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By Mike Porter

VCU Sustainability Coordinator Jordan Starbuck (center) and Alex French, Green Unity for VCU, discuss VCU’s environmental efforts with a participant at the fourth annual Greening Virginia Universities and Colleges Conference. Photos by Mike Porter, VCU Communications and Public Relations.
VCU Sustainability Coordinator Jordan Starbuck (center) and Alex French, Green Unity for VCU, discuss VCU’s environmental efforts with a participant at the fourth annual Greening Virginia Universities and Colleges Conference. Photos by Mike Porter, VCU Communications and Public Relations.

VCU hosted the fourth annual Greening Virginia Universities and Colleges Conference on Oct. 22, attracting 130 representatives of colleges and universities and architectural firms from Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and North Carolina.

Participants discussed climate action plans, heard about the latest green operations and high-performance buildings on campuses and learned about green curricula being developed at Virginia’s colleges and universities.

“We’ve made tremendous strides on campus and we’re very proud of that,” said Leonard Smock, Ph.D., director of the VCU Rice Center, VCU’s 343-acre living laboratory on the James River. The center’s Walter L. Rice Education Building is the first building in Virginia to achieve LEED platinum certification, the highest sustainability rating possible.

“We’re obviously proud of the Rice Center,” Smock said in opening remarks to participants. “The education center is a fantastic building in terms of sustainable design and operation.” 

Leonard Smock, director of the VCU Rice Center, welcomed participants and told the crowd that VCU is proud of the tremendous strides made in developing and implementing green policies.
Leonard Smock, director of the VCU Rice Center, welcomed participants and told the crowd that VCU is proud of the tremendous strides made in developing and implementing green policies.

Walter Simpson, C.E.M., LEED A.P., served as keynote speaker. Simpson, an environmental consultant, held the position of university energy officer for 26 years at the University of Buffalo. During his tenure, the university’s energy conservation efforts were nationally recognized and are credited with saving $100 million. 

Simpson challenged the audience to think like an environmentalist.

“We have to realize that life is fragile.  We depend on a system that’s very vulnerable,” Simpson said.

Exhibitors set up booths to share information about their green products and services. During afternoon sessions, participants could either take a virtual tour of the Rice Center or tour VCU student recreation sports projects.

VCU hosted the conference just weeks after kicking off its Year of the Environment, which features a variety of events that highlight the contributions and leadership that universities can bring to further improve Virginia’s sustainable practices and the impact on our natural resources.

“We want this to be more than the year of the environment. We want this to be a decade of the environment, a century of the environment,” Smock said.

VCU Director of Sustainability Jacken Ghosh led a panel discussion on VCU’s experiences in developing a sustainability plan. Visit VCU Goes Green for more information about the university’s sustainability efforts and for tips to become greener.