About the Program
The Longwood Green Campus Initiative (LGCI) is a joint collaboration between the three Longwood Schools (Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard School of Dental Medicine) and the Harvard Green Campus Initiative to engage faculty, students and staff in developing and institutionalizing a commitment to campus sustainability arising from a shared mission to enhance human and ecological health.
Longwood Green Campus efforts have been largely focused on energy conservation, due to the fact that laboratory facilities are incredibly energy intensive - often using 3-5 times the energy use of an office building per square foot according to the EPA.
Here are a few recent project highlights:
Change a Light, Change the World at Longwood
HMS, HSPH, HSDM and the Green Campus Initiative are offering FREE compact fluorescent bulbs to replace any incandescent bulb currently in use in an HMS, HSDM, or HSPH facility.
Fill out the CFL Request Form and email to Jaclyn_olsen@harvard.edu.
HMS "Shut the Sash" Campaigns
Chemical fume hoods in the laboratory account for large amounts of energy use, and by simply shutting the sash (the glass door on the front of the hood), researchers can reduce energy use by 30-60%, saving thousand of dollars in wasted energy each year.
The Green Campus Initiative and HMS Operations Department ran "shut the sash" campaigns in five buildings this year, reaching out to hundreds of labs across campus. As a result of the project, fume hood sashes in most labs are closed 80% of the time when not in use, saving an estimated $125,000 per year in energy costs, and reducing campus GHG emissions.
One page overview of HMS "Shut the Sash Campaign" results
The Harvard Sustainability Pledge
In 2006, over 6,000 members of the Harvard community (1,676 from the Longwood Campus) signed the pledge to reduce their own environmental impacts, and to support sustainability efforts at Harvard.
In 8 buildings on the Longwood Campus more than 50% of building occupants sign the pledge, earning renewable energy to offset 10% of each building greenhouse gas emissions. They are listed below:
HMS: TMEC, Countway, Gordon, 160/164 Longwood, 641/643 Huntington, Vanderbilt Hall
HSPH: Kresge, Shattuck International House
2006 Campus Susainability Pledge
Renewable Energy
The HSPH Operations Department has purchased renewable energy certificates (RECs) to offset 50% of the campus electricity usage this year for the 3rd year in a row. The almost 8,000,000 kWH of wind power purchased make up the LARGEST renewable energy purchaser of any Harvard Schools!
And 8 buildings on the Longwood Campus earned renewable energy this year during the Campus Sustainability Pledge Campaign since more than 50% of the building occupants signed the pledge. The winning buildings include:
HMS: TMEC, Countway, Gordon, 160/164 Longwood, 641/643 Huntington, Vanderbilt Hall
HSPH: Kresge Build ling and the Shattuck International House
Green Tips of the Month
Each month the Longwood Green Campus Initiative sends out a "Green Tip" email and poster to raise awareness among the Longwood community, and remind everyone of the simple actions each of us can take to reduce our collective environmental impacts.
Look for the Green Tip email this month! And this is a great opportunity for you to get involved:
1) Print out the poster and hang it in your office or lab each month
2) Bring the Green Tip poster to your monthly staff meeting to spark a discussion about sustainability each month
3) Send us your ideas! We are always looking for new, interesting Green Tips