Cultivating A Sense Of Responsibility | finds dollars in caring for the environment
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Marty Dudek, assistant director of dining services at Holy Cross, in the college's community garden.
The colors are still purple and white at the College of the Holy Cross. But these days, many at the Worcester private school are thinking green.
From new construction, to energy conservation to even eliminating dining trays, Holy Cross has made a comprehensive campus-wide effort to reduce its global footprint over the past few years.
Among the most visible examples: the new Integrated Science Complex, encompassing 44,000 square feet of new lab space and the attached Haberlin Hall, where renovations will be ongoing through January. Holy Cross built the $60 million science complex with a goal of seeking LEED Silver certification — the third highest recognition for energy efficient buildings set by the U.S. Green Building Council.
The college has adopted a green building policy with intent to seek the same certification for all new construction and major renovations.
Like many buildings seeking LEED certification, the four-story science complex gets LEED points for making better use of light than the old the structure, featuring a glass atrium and glass walls that divide classrooms and hallways.
But it also has an energy recovery wheel that captures and reuses heat and humidity from the building’s air exhaust.
The lighting and controls system are designed to save 30 percent more energy than the previous generation of light fixtures, college officials say.
“We’re quite frankly doing it to reduce our energy costs,” said Scott Merrill, the director of the physical plant at Holy Cross. “It’s good for the environment, but it’s an economic savings.”
The school has looked for energy savings high and low for years, and the savings they’ve found are now helping the environment in big ways. First, it purchased a long-term renewable energy contract about three years ago from TransCanada. In the future, Holy Cross is also considering utilizing its hilltop location to generate wind energy. It has erected a test turbine and is currently conducting a feasibility study, Merrill said.
Dude, Where’s My Tray?
The school’s keeping its eye on the lights, too. Light motion sensors have been in place in many office and classrooms for years. But in the summer of 2008, the college went even further: it installed light motion sensors in dorm rooms at Wheeler Hall. John Cannon, associate director of the physical plant at Holy Cross, said students had no negative feedback and officials are now considering moving motion sensors to other dorm rooms.
But eliminating dining trays last March was definitely controversial.
“They definitely weren’t for it at first,” Marty Dudek, assistant director of dining, said of Holy Cross’ 2,800 students.
Holy Cross held roundtable discussions to explain the cost savings measures to students: an anticipated 900 gallons of water a day from not washing trays. Then, after posting prominent trayless countdown-the-day signs, Holy Cross started making students carry their own plates and glasses.
“We were expecting the worst with the dining room being trashed, with things left on tables, but it actually went a lot better,” Dudek said.
Anger lessened after the first few weeks, he said, and this year, only a few parents of freshmen have asked about it.
Dudek calls the move an overall success, adding that many colleges and high schools across the nation have made the change. In addition to water savings, Holy Cross students are estimated to be throwing away between 25 to 50 percent less food, especially whole fruits.
A Natural Pace
Other Dining Services efforts have been more popular, including use of locally roasted coffee, weekly farmers’ markets and special “Slow Food Dinners” — though all cell phones have to be turned off at the once-a-month events. School officials say they’re booked through next May.
During the two-hour meals, students are served several courses of locally grown, all natural or organic food. They speak with the chefs, learn how to prepare meals and are encouraged to enjoy conversation with others at their 12-person tables.
Plates at the Slow Food Dinners will feature produce, herbs and fruits grown very locally this year — right on campus next to the Hart football practice fields. Renewing one of its 1800s traditions, the college has planted a community garden on campus with a goal of making it economically sustainable by selling its produce to the campus dining operations and slow food dinners. Leftover food will be donated to Worcester area shelters.
For senior Maria de la Motte, it’s a much different campus than four years ago. Motte, co-chair of the student-run Eco-Action group, said her organization has more freshmen than ever at its meetings and other students have taken a strong interest in the group’s plastic bottle art display fundraisers and “Trash for Treasure” program, in which it organizes donations of leftover student belongings to Worcester shelters.
She said the college being more visible about its energy efficient efforts has helped her group gain student support.
“I feel like more people are concerned and aware and more people are interested in our programs…Students can ultimately only do so much,” she said. “Things need to come from the administration and I feel like they’ve done a great job.”
Sara Withee is a freelance writer based in Millis. She can be reached at sara.withee@nescopywriting.com
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