Environmental sustainability has long been an inherent aspect of both daily operations and long term planning within the Department of Facilities Management.  From the adoption of a full scale recycling program to the implementation of a web-based work order system to the birth of the Green Devil, Facilities Management constantly strives to be a driving force in the Greening of Dickinson College.

A Few of Our Major Accomplishments

Recycling:  During the 1991-92 academic year, recycling went from a student led initiative to collect aluminum cans to a full scale campus operation to collect not only cans, but all metal, plastic, glass and paper recyclables.  This could not have been achieved without the efforts of the housekeeping and grounds staffs within Facilities.  Currently, the recycling program diverts approximately 175 tons from the landfill each year.

Maintenance:  About five years ago, Facilities invested in a web-based work order system.  The environmental impact of this change was three-fold.  First, internet submission and response replaced a five part form, thus significantly reducing paper waste.  Second, the ease of submission allows the Dickinson Community to quickly and easily notify Facilities of leaks, heating problems, and other maintenance issues enabling our dedicated maintenance staff to more quickly address them and thus decrease waste and increase efficiency. Finally, the reporting and tracking features of the system allow Facilities staff to monitor and analyze maintenance issues throughout campus and more quickly find and correct ongoing problems.

Energy:  Facilities Management employs several strategies to reduce the College’s consumption of natural resources, ranging from the types of equipment used to the manner in which it is controlled.  A large percentage of the main campus is or soon will be connected to the new Central Energy Plant on the east end of Kaufman Hall, which will supply steam heat and chilled water cooling.  The use of a central plant is more effective and cost efficient that having an individual boiler and condenser in each building.  We also utilize dual-fuel boilers, which allows the energy management team to switch between natural gas and oil based on cost and availability.  Many large academic buildings and a few large residence halls are also part of a web-based heating control system that allows for monitoring and adjustments from the Facilities Management office.  The central plant concept is also used for the distribution of electricity (12.5% of which is purchased from wind farms) to the majority of large buildings on campus.  During down times, such as winter break, we employ stringent curtailment policies that significantly reduce our consumption without jeopardizing a building’s functionality.  

Grounds:  The beautiful grounds, which are a signature of the College, play a large role in our effort to be environmentally conscientious.  All grass clippings and fall leaves are either mulched and returned directly to the ground or composted for later use in the landscaping.  Recent years have seen an increased use of native plants and we have an extensive tree planting and management system with plans to transform the campus into an arboretum.

Housekeeping:  In addition to the role Housekeeping plays in recycling, they are also making the move to greener cleaning products.  Currently, approximately 20% of the products used are considered green and that number will continue to grow as the effectiveness of green products in industrial applications continues to improve.  Moving forward, Housekeeping also hopes to continue replacing paper towels with high-efficiency hand dryers in public bathrooms.

Construction:  Efficiency and sustainability play a large role in the planning and construction of new buildings and large renovations throughout campus.  Currently, the newly renovated Center for Sustainable Living and the Rector Science Center, which is under construction, are registered LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) projects, each aiming for Silver Certification.   The College and Facilities Management are dedicated to obtaining LEED Certification for all new buildings and renovations moving forward. 

Sustainability Department:  The Department of Sustainability, which will soon celebrate its first birthday, was born from the hard work and dedication of several Facilities Management employees and interns.  To find out more about the department and everyone’s favorite harbinger of all things sustainable—The Green Devil—please visit the Dickinson College Sustainability Website.

Dickinson College, PO Box 1773, Carlisle, PA 17013