Elmhurst college looks like one would expect it to for a college whose name means Elm Woods.  New building initiatives have given the college a chance to make the campus buildings as green as the lawns, hedges, and trees that are around them.

The facilities management department has been engaged in efforts for 30 years to minimize energy consumption, reduce air and water pollution and recylce waste.  Elmhurst college is pursuing LEED status on buildings as part of their commitment to sustainable design.  “If successful, we will be one of the very first colleges in Illinois to have a residence hall certified by LEED,” said Jill McWilliams, the assistant director of corporate and foundation relations.

The campus will become a model in stormwater management.  The goal is to decentralize the rain that falls to return back to the ground to become a resource for Salt Creek.  The college plans to surround part of the campus with a native prairie garden and woodland ecosystems.  In May, Elmhurst obtained a grant to install solar panels that can reduce water heating bills by 30 to 40 percent.

In the spirit of the original campus, this and other projects reach into the community- as educators and “green” leaders.  The new projects take into consideration the impact of development on natural resources, the health and well-being of the campus community and the environment of the city and beyond.

If you would like more information on green design for colleges, please visit  http://public.elmhurst.edu/news/archive/9016922.html or you can listen to the podcast.  Thank you for reading this entry!

 EDRA advances and disseminates behavior and design research toward improving understanding of the relationships between people and their environment.