Newsletters 2008 2007 2006

August 2007 Newsletter

In this Issue:

The Business Case for Sustainability

Lovins and Willard – September 10
Hunter Lovins and Bob Willard <image>

International sustainability experts, Hunter Lovins and Bob Willard are coming to the University of Florida Sept. 10th and 11th to present the Business Case for Sustainability. Willard and Lovins will share their perspective on what sustainability means for our society and its reach into the business world. Doors will open for the keynote speeches at 6 p.m. in the Reitz Student Union Grand Ballroom on Monday September 10th. The event, hosted by the UF Office of Sustainability, the Warrington College of Business Administration, the Council for Sustainable Florida and ACCENT, is free and open to the public.

In addition to the keynote speakers and a panel discussion on sustainability in business, a UF Sustainability Showcase will be hosted in the Reitz Union Galleries, before, during, and after the event on Monday evening. The goal of the showcase is to demonstrate to students and the community opportunities that exist to incorporate sustainability into a UF education, and to provide an opportunity for dialogue. UF student groups will also share their efforts and opportunities for involvement related to sustainability.

Lovins, co-author of “Natural Capitalism” and president of Natural Capitalism Solutions, has lectured extensively in more than 15 countries. Currently a professor of business at Presidio School of Management, she has served on the governing boards of one government, several businesses, and a dozen nonprofits. Lovins served on the State of the World Forum’s Commission on Globalization and was one of four people from North America named to serve as a delegate to the United Nations Prep Conference for the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg.

Willard, author of “The Sustainability Advantage: Seven Business Case Benefits of a Triple Bottom Line” and “The Next Sustainability Wave: Building Boardroom Buy-in” is a leading expert on the business value of corporate sustainability strategies. Willard applies business and leadership development experience from his 34-year career at IBM Canada to engage the business community in employing the practices of sustainability.

 

A Dream Come True

Summer Internship in Washington, D.C.
Ashley Bittner <image>


As I made my way through White House Security to a meeting, I thought to myself, I can’t believe this is happening. I took my seat in a room with officials who had served in the government longer than I have been alive. The Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality arrived, along with officials from nearly all government agencies, to discuss ocean science and resource management integration. I sat down at the table with these officials, representing the US DOT – or U.S. Department of Transportation. This was a dream come true.

Just months before, I was sitting at a table with other officials – members of the University of Florida faculty. As the student representative on the University Sustainability Committee, I was given the opportunity to contribute to sustainability efforts on my campus. This work, along with my internship with the Office of Sustainability, inspired me to seek professional experience in the “real world” before attending graduate school.

When I began searching for jobs in environmental policy, the DOT did not immediately come to mind. Through my Facets of Sustainability course, however, I began to explore the major role transportation plays in making our communities sustainable. The transportation sector contributes nearly 30% of our nation’s carbon dioxide emissions and has the potential to greatly impact the environment through our use of automobiles, railways, airplanes, and ships. I was offered the unique opportunity to interview for a position as an Environmental Policy Analyst / Truman Fellow through the Harry S. Truman Foundation – a federally-funded scholarship program, and I was lucky to be chosen the during the spring of 2006.

After graduating from the University of Florida in May 2007, I moved to Washington, DC to begin working as a Fellow at the U.S. Department of Transportation. My experience has been great thus far - I have the opportunity to regularly interact with the Department’s leadership, including the Under Secretary, Assistant Secretary, and Deputy Secretaries. I work with many issues, ranging from alternative energy and bio-fuels to the Endangered Species Act. I have drafted speeches for the Under Secretary, worked for the International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy, and managed Congressional earmark projects. My favorite issues, however, involve coastal and ocean management. My job has been a valuable learning experience thus far, and I have gained a better understanding of how environmental policy decisions are formulated and implemented.

My academic studies and extracurricular experiences at UF were instrumental in preparing me for this position. While I studied environmental policy and economics in the classroom, I also interned at the Office of Sustainability, served on the University’s Sustainability Committee, and volunteered in the Gainesville community. By working with Dedee DeLongpre and Anna Prizzia at the Office of Sustainability, I gained valuable skills that I have been able to apply as a public servant in the federal government.

Contributed by Ashley Bittner, UF Alumni with her Bachelors of Arts degrees in history and political science, and minors in economic and Latin American studies.

 

Florida Friendly Communities

Awards go to three outstanding neighborhoods

Florida Yards & Neighborhoods <image>Florida Yards & Neighborhoods presented the second annual Outstanding Florida-friendly Communities Awards to three communities at the Florida Green Building Coalition annual meeting, held July 12 at the Southeast Building Conference in Orlando. This year’s recipients were presented to The Hancock Place in St. Johns County, Pelican Preserve in Lee County and Connerton in Pasco County.

Joe Sewards, Putnam and St. Johns Counties horticulture Extension agent, said that these developments “exemplify how growth and development should occur in all of Florida.”
Florida Yards & Neighborhoods is a University of Florida/IFAS Extension educational and outreach program that benefits the environment by enhancing wildlife habitat, decreasing stormwater runoff and reducing water consumption and pollution. Award-winning communities were selected based on their exceptional efforts to conserve water and protect water quality.

The Hancock Place
The Hancock Place in St. Johns County is a 7-acre affordable housing development whose home landscapes are designed to exist on rainfall. Low impact development design elements such as roadside swales instead of curb and gutter help reduce water, fertilizer and pesticide use while increasing groundwater recharge. An ecologically enhanced stormwater pond provides water quality as well as wildlife benefits. Homeowners must maintain Florida-friendly landscaping practices and new residents attend an introductory class on Florida Yards & Neighborhoods. The St. Johns Housing Partnership is the developer for The Hancock Place. Bill Lazar, St. Johns Housing Partnership developer, said the professional services of the county extension office were invaluable to achieving a Florida-friendly community at The Hancock Place.

Pelican Preserve
Pelican Preserve in Lee County consists of more than 1,000 acres, more than half of which are used for recreation and preservation areas including wetlands and wildlife corridors. The community installed an irrigation controller that has reduced golf course irrigation by 30 percent. In addition to attending Florida Yards & Neighborhoods training, many employees lead nature walks and bird-watching tours. Residents maintain an educational butterfly garden. Pelican Preserve is a WCI community.

Connerton
Connerton is an innovative development in Pasco County. The nearly 7,000-acre community includes extensive preserved areas, a town center, a park, wildlife corridors and pedestrian trails. An irrigation controller manages common space irrigation. The device regulates when and how much water is distributed. Irrigation water is drawn from two ponds that hold reclaimed water. Brick pavers and permeable concrete make up pedestrian paths, driveways, sidewalks and parking areas. These surfaces can be penetrated by rainwater—reducing stormwater runoff. Every new homeowner also signs a pledge to protect nature and wildlife within the community. Connerton is a community by Terrabrook Development.

Five other developments were recognized as Florida-friendly communities: Mediterra in Lee County, Willow Chase in Sarasota County, University Groves in Manatee County, Veridian in Lee County and Lakes of Mount Dora in Lake County.

More information about the Florida Yards & Neighborhoods program and Florida-friendly landscaping is available from the county Extension offices and at SolutionsForYourLife.com/fyn.

Contributed by Sara Graddy

Learning from History

UF’s Green Roof - an old fashioned idea meets new technology

UF's green roofFor thousands of years people have built in response to the climate, while utilizing native materials. Planted roofs such as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the Scandinavian sod homes, are early examples. In the United States the 19th century western pioneers also used sod roofs on homes to ensure protection from the elements.

Since the early 20th century, Europe and Japan have used green roofs as resource conservation tools, reducing energy and stormwater runoff, as well as extending roof life through temperature mitigation. In fact, green roofs have become so successful in Europe that many German downtowns require new construction to incorporate green roof technology. Here in the U. S., Chicago and Portland have been leading the way in green roof construction in their central cities.

In early 2006, the University of Florida’s M. E. Rinker, Sr. School of Building Construction proposed that the Charles R. Perry Construction Yard would incorporate a green roof. Soon thereafter, University faculty Glenn Acomb (Department of Landscape Architecture), Mark Clark (Soil & Water Science Department), and PhD. student Sylvia Lang (Soil & Water Science Department), learned of the project and enthusiastically provided their design expertise.

The Charles R. Perry Construction Yard Green Roof is a 2,600 square foot, “extensive” green roof, which means that the roof has a soil depth of 6” or less – in this case 5”. A green roof system of products manufactured by American Hydrotech, Inc. was utilized, providing the waterproofing, root barrier, drainage, and media components.

Installation began in early 2007 as the structure was nearing completion. First, the monolithic waterproofing layer and root barrier sheet was applied. Next, the polyethelene drainage chamber was installed to provide for roof drainage and media aeration. Then, a


filter fabric was placed on top of the drainage chamber to prevent the particles of the soil media and roots from clogging the drainage chamber. Five inches of soil media was installed over the system’s flat roof, and in this media the vegetation was planted.

The green roof is designed to reduce the roof’s stormwater runoff by as much as 90%. The majority of its runoff will be harvested – stored in two 1,550 gallon cisterns and used for the drip irrigation system for the roof plantings. When rainfall is scarce during the extremely dry months of the year and the stored water is depleted, irrigation water is available from the University’s reclaimed water supply. As such, this design is a model of water conservation efficiency since no potable water is utilized.

In addition, the green roof will reduce the heat island effect and extend the life of a roof through lowered temperatures – conventional roofs are often 140º F in summer, whereas green roofs are typically 90º F. Further, had the Charles R. Perry Construction Yard building been under heat and air conditioning, the University would benefit from energy savings of up to 30%.

Planted roofs also provide the aesthetic appeal of a landscaped roof and the resultant wildlife diversity. Yet, plants must be carefully selected to withstand the harsh conditions of a roof and a relatively shallow soil media depth. Ten plants native to Florida and adapted to the climate of North Central Florida were selected from two environments with characteristics similar to the roof: the Coastal Dune and the Sand Hill. Plants such as Blanketflower, Dune Sunflower, Coreopsis, Blazing Star, and Gopher Apple are representatives of the plant selection.

As a learning tool, the green roof will be monitored to quantify the differences in runoff quantity and quality between a conventional and a green roof, as well as integrate these findings into the classroom. The Florida Department of Transportation provided a grant to facilitate the monitoring of the stormwater management efficiency of the green roof and the resiliency of the species of plant material selected.

The Charles R. Perry Construction Yard Green Roof has already generated a variety of interest from throughout the campus and State and promises to be a model for resource efficiency for the future.

For further information, contact Glenn Acomb at the Department of Landscape Architecture (acomb@ufl.edu) or at 392-6098 x 315.


Filter for Good

Filter for Good<image>

FilterForGood.com allows consumers to make a pledge to switch to a reusable water bottle filled with filtered tap water. Every purchase of a $10 refillable bottle, made by Nalgene, generates a $4 donation, up to $25,000, toward the Blue Planet Run Foundation. The non-profit's goal involves providing safe drinking water to 200 million people by 2027.

Take the Pledge: http://www.filterforgood.com/

 

 

Announcements

News, events, and opportunities

 

Clean and Green

UF Building Services Commitment to Sustainability

Clean and Green <image>

Sustainability and “green cleaning” has become a focus for UF Building Services. They have been testing and implementing a number of ergonomically designed cleaning tools and environmentally safe cleaning products and supplies, including:

The Building Services department now also covers recycling, energy conservation, and other sustainability tips in their training. This fall, Building Services will be partnering with the UF Sustainability Office and product vendors in the continuing conversion to “green.”

Sustainability Forum

Send us your questions about campus sustainability

Q: What transportation alternatives are there at UF if I don’t want to drive my car?

A:UF’s Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) offers a number of alternative transportation options. In addition to simply taking a walk or biking to and around campus, UF offers the RTS bus service, GreenRide ridesharing, the Flexcar car-sharing program, and even has an on-campus taxi for faculty and staff. For more information on how you can make the switch to sustainable transport, check out the TAPS website. Send your questions to sustainability@ufl.edu.