A Higher Standard

Commons Center Awarded Leed Gold
Cambridge, Mass.  - Bruner/Cott & Associates, Inc. announced that the new Commons Center for Vanderbilt University has been awarded LEED Gold certification. The Commons Center has also been awarded the 2008 Facility Design Award of Excellence from the Association of College Unions International (ACUI), and was recognized as an Outstanding Project for 2008 Educational Interiors by American School & University (AS&U)... more

Students Head Back to Greener Campuses this Fall
Washington, D.C.  - Across the United States and Canada, a powerful generational movement has emerged to fight for a clean and just energy future. The Campus Climate Challenge, a project of the youth-led Energy Action Coalition, leverages the power of young people to organize on college campuses and high schools across Canada and the U.S. to win 100 percent clean energy policies at their schools. And in just a year and a half since its launch, the Challenge has made campuses models of sustainability and have put youth at the forefront of the fight to stop global warming... more

KI Shares Insights on Advanced Learning Spaces
Green Bay  - There are significant changes occurring in higher education. Students and faculty are working in teams to solve problems and complete projects, classrooms are becoming more active places, and learning is taking place outside of the traditional classroom. The impact of these trends on design and student success is the topic of a series of seminars from KI entitled, "Advanced Learning Spaces: Trends in Higher Education." KI's Vice President of Education Markets, Nat Porter, traveled across the country sharing his insights on the future of design in educational facilities with educators, architects and designers... more

Loyola Green Building Cuts Energy Usage by More than Half
Chicago  - Loyola University's Richard J. Klarchek Information Commons, one of Chicagoland's most prominent green buildings, was designed to achieve a 50 percent reduction in energy usage as compared to conventional heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. The building became functional in mid-January 2008, and has quickly proven itself to be a green success... more

Firm Selected for District-wide Interior Architectural Design Projects
Los Angeles - Environetics, a full-service interior architectural design and space-planning firm, announced that it has been awarded a three-year, $1 million contract with the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) to provide concepts, standards and aesthetic guidelines for interior designs, and to complete projects for all nine LACCD college campuses and the District Headquarters... more

$25 Million Challenge Grant to Support Sustainability
Portland, Ore. - The James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation announced a $25 million grant to Portland State University. The $25 million grant is the largest grant in the history of the foundation and the largest grant in Portland State University history. The university has chosen to dedicate the funds exclusively to the goal of strengthening its role as a national leader in sustainability research and education...more

Solar Hybrid Vehicles to Campus Fleet
University, Miss. - Cruise Car, Inc., out of Sarasota, Fla., has partnered with The University of Mississippi to provide green transportation in time for the presidential debate scheduled to take place at the university on September 26... more

New Campus Center Construction Kicks off at Stockton College
Princeton, N.J. - Construction is under way on a new 153,000-square-foot campus center at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey in Pomona, N.J. The campus center, the largest individual building project in the college's history, will strive for the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification. The project architect is KSS Architects LLP, based in Princeton, N.J., and the associate architect is VMDO Architects of Charlottesville, Va... more

CertainTeed Supports Development of Sustainable Agriculture Laboratory
Valley Forge, Pa. - The California State University (CSU), Stanislaus in Turlock, Calif., is embarking on a unique sustainable agriculture project. The project will include the Sustainable Agriculture Learning Laboratory and a Demonstration School Garden Model that will facilitate hands-on applied research, as well as a community outreach program with local elementary school teachers and students... more

Student Housing Named Runner-Up for National Award
Mishawaka, Ind. - The new River Crossing Campus Apartments at Indiana University South Bend were named runner-up in the public institutions category of the "Dorms of Distinction" award in the August issue of University Business ...more

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