GVSU honored for sustainability efforts

Grand Valley State University has been honored by the U.S. Green Building Council for its campus-wide sustainability programs.

The USGBC recognized 12 programs its inaugural Excellence in Green Building Curriculum Recognition Awards and Incentive Grants. The awards and grants program is a central component of USGBC's commitment to locate and disseminate innovative green build curricula to educators across the country.

Grand Valley was lauded for its comprehensive sustainability strategy that integrates curriculm development, campus operations, student involvement and community engagement. Planning for Grand Valley’s transformation into a sustainable campus began in 2004 with the establishment of the Sustainability Initiative and a baseline collection of operational and administrative performance indicators. This effort resulted in the university’s first sustainability report in October 2005.

Both inside and outside the classroom, Grand Valley is committed to sustainability—a commitment that relates to the environmental impact of human activity, the enhancement of social systems, and the improvement of economic prosperity. That triumvirate of factors is commonly known as the "triple bottom line."

Grand Valley has signed the AASHE President's Climate Agreement, which is a high-visibility effort on part of institutions of higher education to neutralize greenhouse gas emissions that is beginning to set the pace for Grand Valley to lower it's carbon footprint. The university has also signed the Talloires Declaration, which is an official statement of commitment to environmental sustainability in higher education. The university has also encouraged mass transit, and bus ridership has increased from fewer than 40,000 per month in 2002 to more than 275,000 rides per month by 2007.

The awards and grants recognize pre-K through college-level curricula that advance the green building ideals of transforming how buildings and communities are designed, built and operated. “USGBC launched this initiative to highlight the central role education plays in furthering the green building movement,” said Peter Templeton, senior vice president of the USGBC. “The submissions we received showcase the range of institutions and organizations taking an active role in educating young people about green building and the Council is committed to fostering more growth in this arena.”


The award and grant recipients are located in all regions of the country and include community colleges, universities, non-profit institutions, a professional association and a state government agency. The recognition awards were judged on demonstrated success, ability to be replicated, scope of influence, advancement of green principles within the educational community and the fostering of a collaborative or interdisciplinary approach.

The U.S. Green Building Council is a nonprofit membership organization whose vision is a sustainable built environment within a generation. Its membership includes corporations, builders, universities, government agencies, and other nonprofit organizations. Since UGSBC's founding in 1993, the Council has grown to more than 15,000 member companies and organizations, a comprehensive family of LEED green building rating systems, an expansive educational offering, the industry's popular Greenbuild International Conference and Expo , and a network of 77 local chapters, affiliates, and organizing groups. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org .