GREEN, GREEN & MORE GREEN

Team G^2
Courtney Keliher
James Morton-Hicks
Travis Michael

Valencia Moss

ENC 3250 - Professional Writing

Professor: Dr. Francis Tobienne, Jr.
November 18th, 2015

Table of Contents
Executive Summary...Page 2
Introduction ..Page 3

Green Buildings....Page 4

Communities ...Page 9
Programs

Clubs & Projects......Page 11

Corporate Buildings

Conclusion...Page 14

University Buildings

Bibliography ..Page 16

Residential

Going Green

Executive Summary
Raising awareness for our environment

The University of South Florida has committed to emit 80

percent less carbon dioxide than it did in the 2009 school year.
This pledge was expanded, on Earth Day 2013, when the St. Petersburg campus agreed to the American College and University
Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) and pledged to
achieve a zero carbon footprint on campus.
The tiered plan set forth by University of South Florida
calls for four reduced emission goals set over time. The first goal
is a 10 percent reduction in total Greenhouse Gas emissions by
the year 2015. The next goal will be a 20 percent reduction in
Greenhouse Gas emissions by the year 2025. It is in the third
emissions person that the University of South Florida will strive
to reach a lofty 50 percent reduction in harmful emissions by the

Going Green

Executive Summary Contd

Raising awareness for our environment

Through efforts coordinated with the Patel College of

Global Sustainability, the University of 2050 South Florida will
achieve emissions goals. The current focus has been on using
more energy efficient materials in university owned properties.
Solar arrays are being retrofitted to many university buildings to
generate emissions free electricity. LED lights and water restrictive bathroom fixtures are being used to reduce the amount of energy and water wasted by our university. The university Vehicle
emissions are being reduced by encouraging alternative methods

of transportation and the use of fuel efficient vehicles.

As technology continues to produce more efficient methods of energy generation and consumption, the University of
South Florida will be on the leading edge of the going green effort. The Patel College of Global Sustainability will continue to

Going Green

Introduction
If someone were to walk onto the USFSP campus, they
would immediately come across evidence of USFSPs green
efforts in becoming an eco-footprint free campus. USFSP is involved in becoming sustainable and aims to create an ecofootprint free campus by 2018. USFSPs efforts in becoming a
completely green campus have lead to solar panel installations,
green methods of transportation, water efficiency designs, proper waste disposal, student organizations and clubs, social awareness events, and many other forms of forming a green campus.

Going Green

WHY ARE BUILDINGS GOING GREEN?

Going green and the initiatives it includes has a great impact on the human life, the economy and our environment. As
we engage and/or accept green building strategies, we not only

take advantage of the environment and economic performance

but we capitalize on various other areas as well. With the advancement of technology green construction methods can be
built into the buildings at any point and phase. It can be done at
the beginning of a building project, or anywhere in between. It
can also be added to a structure already build. Of course if everything is done in the beginning it does make for a smoother process. Green buildings come with many benefits such as the following :
Environmental benefits

Protects our ecosystem

Water & Air Quality are improved
Natural resources are conserved

Going Green

LEED
Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design

CERTIFICATIONS
CERTIFIED
SILVER
GOLD
PLATINUM

WHY ARE BUILDINGS GOING GREEN? CONTD

Economic benefits
Productivity is increased via machinery and
manpower
Operating Costs are reduced
Social benefits
Community Involvement, Awareness &
consciousness

LEED What is Leed, LEED, or Leadership in Energy &

Environmental Design, is a green building certification program
that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices. To
receive LEED certification, building projects satisfy prerequisites
and earn points to achieve different levels of certification. The

LEED certification program has 4 certified levels, Certified Level, range 40-49 points, Silver Level 50 59 points, Gold Level
60 79 points and Platinum Level 80 points and up.

Going G

LEED
Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design

CERTIFICATIONS
CERTIFIED
SILVER
GOLD
PLATINUM

WHY ARE BUILDINGS GOING GREEN? CONTD

LEED also recognizes best in class building strategies and

practices and USF is one of the leaders in green energy conservations
when it comes to the buildings. We hold the certification level of Gold
for many projects namely our Science and Technology Building and
our University Student Building. Dr. Kiran C. Patel Center for Global
Solutions is dedicated to solving and implementing solutions for sustainability on a global level. The ability to be able to use our environ-

ment and its contents as a recyclable tool to live and replenish it, similar to the circle of life theory. There can be many reasons for going
green but the top three are cost savings, energy efficiency and environ-

Going Green

EPA
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTETION
AGENCY
The United States Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA or sometimes USEPA) is an
agency of the U.S. federal government which
was created for the purpose of protecting
human health and the environment by
writing and enforcing regulations based on
laws passed by Congress.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

According to the EPA, (Environmental Protection

Agency). Green buildings are designed to reduce the overall
impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment by:
Efficiently using energy, water, and other resources
Protecting occupant health and improving employee
productivity
Reducing waste, pollution and environmental decay
The efforts for going green started back in the 19th century and has evolved since then. Companies have since invested billions of dollars into going green including investments into green buildings. It is believed that investments upward of $960 billion dollars will be invested between now and

the year 2023. Green buildings has yielded 18.5% ROI

(Return on Investment) on average. It is important to note that

Going Green

EPA
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTETION
AGENCY
The United States Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA or sometimes USEPA) is an
agency of the U.S. federal government which
was created for the purpose of protecting
human health and the environment by
writing and enforcing regulations based on
laws passed by Congress.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

How can going green within our buildings help

sustain the environment? Buildings would lend itself to
greater lighting, air conditioning, heating, windows and
plumbing fixtures & solar panels just to name a few key
areas. Solar Panels, image being able to receive sunlight
during the day to be able to power your home/buildings
throughout the evening. Being able to use our own resources allows for such flexibility and liberty. These key
areas mentioned also allows for significantly lowered operating costs, while protecting the environment and even to
ones individual health. Buildings account for an average
of 70% of electricity consumption. If you compare a green
buildings electricity bill to that of a non-green building the
difference is significantly different anywhere in the range

of 25 to 30% difference. If you take a look at the slide

below you will see that the better the certification of the

Going Green

EPA
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTETION
AGENCY
The United States Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA or sometimes USEPA) is an
agency of the U.S. federal government which
was created for the purpose of protecting
human health and the environment by
writing and enforcing regulations based on
laws passed by Congress.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Going Green

Going green isnt just for Universities and

Schools, you may ask what am I able to do as an individual to help take care of my environment. Getting
involved is the first step, lets start with the home. If
you are wanting to make your home green there a number of simple things one can do to begin the process.
Programmable thermostats are a great tool to use to cut
costs on your bills and save energy. This will work for
you heating and cooling needs. You can also use fluorescent and LED lamps/bulbs, although these type of
bulbs costs a little more than regular bulbs, you will definitely see the savings in your electricity bill. Next you
can change out your plumbing for low flowing fixtures.
Cities have participated in a program that was offering
new toilet bowls to the community in an effort to

conserve water. Energy Star appliances are another way

of saving, more and more GE, Maytag and other brands
are making their appliances energy efficient. Just look
for the Energy Star, Energy Star is a government program that was started to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and has become a trusted source and symbol when
trying to identify energy efficient appliances. Changing
out windows and/or adding weather stripping can help
as well. Another way you can save and make your

All of these steps also allow for tax credits on an income tax return which can come in handy for that
summer vacation. As individuals we can also recycle paper, plastic and aluminum, whatever the situation
may be whether its the campus you attend school at, or the workplace, or a home going green, this is a concept that can be applied by anyone, anywhere and at any given time. It not only saves the environment, it
saves on costs.

Going Green

Programs & Communities

University leaders at USF St. Petersburg pledged to achieve climate
neutrality along with other campuses on Earth Day 2013, along with 685 university leaders. By agreeing to the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, the university will work towards the ultimate
goal of having a net carbon footprint of zero. One requirement of our new
commitment was to create a Climate Action Plan or CAP. David Vasquez,
the Secretary of Sustainable Initiatives and Chair of the Student Green Energy Fund Committee has stated, The CAP will identify strategies and timelines for our campus to become carbon neutral. Strategies include increasing
energy efficiency, increasing our amount of recycling [and] installing more
renewable energy on campus (Tinti). One initiative of the Student Governments Department of Sustainable Initiatives and the Garden Club is a Food
Forest that will be located behind Residence Hall One. This new Food Forest will be used to achieve three main aspects. Firstly, it will attempt to use

resources efficiently and mimic nature. The second goal is to be a shining

example of urban agriculture giving people a way to grow their own produce
in a city environment. The last and most important is to challenge the issue
of food deserts, or impoverished areas with little access to fresh produce.
Vasquez explains, We hope to provide an example solution to the city of St.
Petersburg and [surrounding] neighborhoods, and show them they can have
access to fresh fruits and vegetables by creating community gardens (Tinti).

Going Green

Programs & CommunitiesContd

The data of our most recent Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory
conducted in May by the Clean Energy and Resource Conservation
Commission has shown the two largest sources of carbon came from
commuter vehicles and electricity use. The first challenge is to reduce carbon from commuter vehicles. On the Tampa campus USF
has launched a free shuttle service to reduce the number of cars driven
on campus daily. Currently, there are no plans for the shuttle at the
St. Petersburg or Sarasota campuses. The next best approach for
USFSP is to promote the use of hybrid and electric vehicles by faculty, students, and staff. In an effort to reduce GHG and promote the
use of these vehicles the USF system has installed free to use electric
vehicle charging stations. The St. Petersburg Campus currently has
four EV charging stations. The newest addition to the campus has
come from a collaborative effort with Duke Energy in the form of the
level 3 Nissan Quick Charger. Seven of these new Level 3 chargers

have been installed in the Tampa Bay area, but USFSP is the only
campus with one. The highly efficient chargers have the ability to
fully charge an electric vehicle in just thirty minutes. Since most
drivers will not require a full charge it is expected vehicles will only
require 15 minutes on this new rapid charging station, allowing more
vehicles to use it throughout the day. The best part is this unit costs
$30,000 to manufacture and another $5,750 to install but was donated
to the university completely free. Surely, the reduction in Greenhouse

Going Green

Programs & CommunitiesContd

We have good news for that as well, The solar panels that
are installed above the parking garage will reduce the
amount of energy used by the quick charger and regular

(Level 2) chargers, said USFSP sustainability coordinator

Jennifer Winter (Moscone). Duke Energy has also donated
and installed the solar panels to the university at zero cost. While
these new charging stations will reduce the carbon footprint from vehicle emissions, the larger campus in Tampa will require more charging stations to meet the needs of its registered electric vehicles.
Patel College of Global Sustainability and Office of Sustainability have created a joint venture with student organizations for sustainability to come up with another method to reduce Greenhouse Gas
emissions from commuter vehicles, since USF campuses are all highly commuter oriented to begin with. The idea is that once a student is
on campus they have places to go and need an emissions free means
to get there. The Bike-A-Bull program is an on-campus bike sharing
program that opened Jan 14 for students on the St. Petersburg campus.
Currently on USFSP, this is a pilot program that is modeled after
Tampas Share-A-Bull-Bikes program consisting of over 100 bikes

for student use. To rent a bike for a 24 hour period students at USFSP
simply need to sign an agreement waiver and present a valid university ID. After that they are given a list of traffic laws and assigned a
beach cruiser, two lights, a helmet, and a bike lock.

Going Green

Programs & CommunitiesContd

While the program is a wild success in Tampa, the future of
the St. Petersburg program is not yet known. One major difference in
the programs is the USFSPs Bike-A-Bull program is absolutely free

to students at this time and the Tampa program charges fees for use
over two hours and further fees for failure to lock the bike to a designated bike rack. Currently, Alyssa Winston, the current director of
sustainable initiatives plans to add more bikes to the program. Ultimately, student interest will determine if additional funding will go
into the Bike-A-Bull program. This program joins the U-Pass Program, which allows anyone with a university ID to ride the Pinellas
Suncoast Transit Authority busses for free as an alternative to driving
ones own vehicle and to aid students without their own transporta-

Going Green

Clubs/Projects
In efforts to going green, students of USFSP collaborated
knowledge and attacked the same goals to create the Student Green
Energy Fund (SGEF). The goal for the students of the SGEF was

common to USFSPs; become a sustainable campus. This was the

idea of students who have the initiative to create a student organization to help USFSP reach their goals. However, to do so the students persuasively approached and lobbied the board of Governors
of the Florida State University system to set up this fund to assist in
the financing for any of USFSPs green projects. In the spring of
2011, the SGEF was approved. In order to acquire this funding,
USFSP added a $1 fee per credit hour to the students (Weybrecht).

Going Green

Clubs/ProjectsContd
So what has the students $1 fee per credit hour done for the
campus so far? To begin, every garbage/recycling unit on campus
is the work of the SGEF. The Solar Doks, which are mostly locat-

ed by the waterfront, are there because of the SGEF. The LED

lighting in the parking garages is also a completed project by the
SGEF. Unique water fountains that are specifically made to fill
water bottles, is another project funded by the SGEF. The student
fitness center, where some of the cardio equipment generates power and sends it back to the grid; again, the SGEF. The SGEF has
an extensive history for making the USFSP campus a sustainable
one. To elaborate on some of the projects the SGEF funded, there
are 20 garbage/recycling bins on the USFSP campus. One of the
bins is for landfill and the other bin is for aluminum and plastic.
Additionally, these bins were made in the United States using 937
recycled milk jugs. Now, the Solar
Doks located by the waterfront are off
the grid outdoor table/umbrella/bench
units that are powered by solar panels.
The solar panels generate electricity

that is sent to the outlets, students are

then able to use the power generated to
charge their electrical devices. Also,

Going Green

Clubs/ProjectsContd
Regardless, reducing the emissions by almost s of what
the garage originally used is still an effective project. The bottle
refill stations throughout campus provide students with a touch

free form of refilling their water bottle. Each time these refill stations are used the station counts the amount of bottles it has refilled. Providing information on how many plastic bottles are being reused. The fitness center has been stocked with sustainable
cardio equipment. These treadmills, ellipticals, and stationary
bikes generate power just from a student or member working out!
Now thats killing two birds with one stone. These sustainable devices use the power generated and send it right back to the grid,
generating power for as long as people use the equipment. The
fitness center has an indoor race called Save the Watts, where
students use the stationary bikes and race to generate the most
watts hours possible in a 30-minute period (Weybrecht).

Going Green

Clubs/ProjectsContd
So why is the SGEF doing all of this? Why do they even
take initiative to start such a fund? According to an article published by Stanford University, there are plenty of reasons why re-

cycling is important. To clarify, since humans majorly occupy

planet Earth, it is our responsibility to take care of Earth. In the
1920s, 70% of US cities had recycling programs that picked up
certain materials. In the duration of World War II, industries reused and recycled about 25% of the waste stream (Stanford).
However, there was a lack of concern for the environment up until
the 1960s, where 7.7% of recycled material of the waste stream
were reused, and in 1990 increased from 7.7% to 17%. These are
just some fundamental routines that the world should add into the
everyday schedule. The environmental benefits of recycling conserve energy, reduce air and water pollution, reduce greenhouse
gases, and conserves natural resources (Stanford). As a reminder,
USFSP and the SGEF have already started this chain reaction to
conserve and protect the planet. The SGEF has bent over backwards to provide USFSPs campus with sustainable methods of
recycling. Whether it disposing of waste properly, finding ways to

be more efficient with their plastic usage, or even reducing the

amount electricity used by installing solar panels. So the big ques-

Going Green

Clubs/ProjectsContd
Perhaps it is not cost efficient for them right now, but there
are in fact economical benefits to recycling. To elaborate, comparing the benefits of using recycled materials over raw materials. A

recycled material is already refined and has been used before. Restructuring the product back to its original state uses fewer resources and conserves energy. An example provided by Stanford,
would be manufacturing aluminum cans. By using recycled aluminum manufacturing using 95 percent less energy than creating the
aluminum originally with bauxite (an ore that is used to form aluminum cans). The more green solutions are provided, the more
advance they will become. In result, recycling will be more beneficial economically. Looking back at the SGEF, the involvement
with this student organization is incredible. These are motivated
students who understand that the world is changing, and as the
head occupants of this planet, are responsible to adapt. These students understand that as the size of societies carbon footprint increases, Earth slowly depreciates (Stanford).

Going Green

CONCLUSION
The University of South Florida is making strides in numerous directions to meet their goal of each the ultimate 2050 goal of climate neutrality. Students, staff, and the surrounding community are all taking part.

With this in mind, although the goal we have stepped out upon is steep, it
is certainly not unattainable. The University has paid notable attention to
its buildings, its campus community and message we send to the community. Internal green innovations include water disposal and dispersal , energy efficient alternatives and changes (pertaining to solar projects and
lighting upgrades), as well as public transportation innovations and charging stations. The University of South Florida has expanded and nurtured
its green community into something that will only continue to grow. This
is evident because this movement aligns with the universitys five core
values of Commitment, Community, Excellence, Innovation, Integrity.
Being apart of this movement expands and strengthens USFs community
through unity of its students and staff, but also the world around us. If we
commit ourselves to good, that is what will come back to us tenfold. Our
commitment became clear on Earth Day in 2013, when we dedicated ourselves to the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. Since then, our changes have been remarkable and undeniable.

From 2050 and beyond, the possibilities are seemingly endless. Hopefully
upon concluding this paper, the reader(s) may be able to reach an unbiased, well-rounded, educated decision as to if the University of South
Floridas goal is plausible, attainable and necessary.

Going Green

Glossary
BAUXITE -- An amorphous clayey rock that is the chief commercial
ore of aluminum. It consists largely of hydrated alumina with variable
proportions of iron oxides.
CARBON FOOTPRINT The amount of carbon dioxide and other
carbon compounds emitted due to the consumption of fossil fuels by a
particular person, group, etc.
CERTIFICATION the act of making something official : the act of
certifying something: official approval to do something professionally
or legally.
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN (CAP)A set of strategies intended to
guide efforts for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
EPAEnvironmental Protection Agency is an agency of the U.S. federal government which was created for the purpose of protecting human health and the environment by writing and enforcing regulations
based on laws passed by Congress.
ECONOMICALGiving good value or service in relation to the
amount of money, time, or effort spent.
ELECTRIC VEHICLE (EV) An automobile that is powered entirely or partially by electricity..
ENVIRONMENTALRelating to the natural world and the impact of
human activity on its condition.
GREENHOUSE GAS A gas that contributes to the greenhouse
effect by absorbing infrared radiation, e.g., carbon dioxide and chlorofluorocarbons.
LEEDLeadership In Energy & Environmental Design, is an international green building certification program .
POLLUTIONthe action or process of making land, water, air, etc.,
dirty and not safe or suitable to use: substances that make land, water,
air, etc., dirty and not safe or suitable to use.
SAVE THE WATTS Save the Watts is a competitive stationary
bike race. The goal is to generate the most watts in a specific time period.
SOCIALRelating to or involving activities in which people spend
time talking to each other or doing enjoyable things with each other,

Going Green

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Charger Provides Full Charge in 30 Minutes."
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Perkins, Bryana. "Bike Share Program

Launched." The Crows Nest. The Crows Nest,

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11 Nov. 2015. Web. 10 Nov. 2015.

http://www.usgbc.org/leed#certification

Tinti, Emily. "Erasing the Campus Carbon

Footprint." The Crows Nest. The Crows Nest,

Energy Star

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An Innovative Way to Making Your Campus

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in China. 2013. Print Article

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Williams, Glenda
Green buildings start paying off. Finweek
Article. September 2015. Magazine Print

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LEED Certified Buildings (Green Buildings)
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sustainability/green-buildings/

http://primetime.unprme.org/2012/12/17/aninnovative-way-to-making-your-campus-more
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of Recycling. Stanford University, n.d.
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Go-

ing