| |
Spring 2008, Vol. 4, No. 2 | Index
Greening the MBL
The MBL Climate Commitment Committee (MBL-CCC) is continuing to develop a comprehensive inventory of all of the MBL’s greenhouse gas emissions. To date, the committee has calculated representative electrical and heating summaries for 2007 and is working on an inventory of greenhouse gases related to employee commuting, air travel, and MBL vehicle use. These calculations will be used as a baseline as the laboratory works to develop an institutional action plan towards neutral or positive impact with respect to green house gas emissions.
“Green” purchasing policies including those for carpet, cleaning chemicals, or energy-efficient Energy Star® appliances are in the process of being finalized and in some cases have already begun to be implemented. For example, the Swope dining areas were recently recarpeted with carpet squares made from 61% recycled material. Once they have completed their life cycle, they can be ground up and used as 100% recycled material. In addition, the Plant Operations and Maintenance department has been testing odorless no VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) paint in some campus locations with acceptable results.
In other news, the Campus Planning Committee of the MBL Board of Trustees has approved a policy stating that the MBL will strive to meet at least the U.S Green Building Council’s LEED Silver standard or equivalent for large renovations and new construction. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is a voluntary third-party rating system where building projects earn credits for satisfying specified green building criteria. Projects are evaluated within five environmental categories: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, and Indoor Environmental Quality. Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels of green building certification are awarded based on the total credits earned.
In an effort to begin producing or purchasing more electricity from renewable sources, the MBL has submitted a grant request to fund a feasibility study for a wind turbine to be installed at the Falmouth Technology Park facility that would generate electricity to power a significant portion the MBL village campus. While it is too early in the process to determine turbine size, it is the estimated payback for a $4,000,000 wind turbine investment would be approximately eight years.
Stay tuned for periodic updates and progress reports. For more information about the MBL-CCC, contact Director of Facilities and Services Richard Cutler at x7454, rcutler@mbl.edu
The Collecting Net is an employee newsletter published by the Communications Office. Comments and suggestions are welcome. Call (508) 289-7423 or e-mail us at
|
