‘Water’
University eliminates single-use plastic water and soda bottles in operations on campus
Aug. 28, 2019—As part of its ongoing sustainability efforts, Vanderbilt University announced today it will eliminate all single-use plastic water and soda bottles in its operations throughout dining facilities, markets and vending machines. The collaborative effort—which involved the student organizations Students Promoting Environmental Awareness and Responsibility (SPEAR) and Vanderbilt Student Government and will save more than 430,000 plastic...
Engineering and Science Building, Eskind Biomedical Library designated LEED Gold by USGBC
Jun. 26, 2019—by Jalen Blue Jun. 26, 2019, 9:36 AM U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) President and CEO Mahesh Ramanujam presented Vanderbilt with a plaque designating the university’s Engineering and Science Building and Eskind Biomedical Library with LEED Gold status at a community-wide gathering on Tuesday afternoon in the Engineering and Science Building lobby. “It is an honor for Vanderbilt to...
Petal project at Vanderbilt expands Living Building foothold in Southeast
Jun. 26, 2019—By Ken Edelstein on June 25, 2019 The second Living Building Challenge project on a college campus in the Southeast is well underway but still half a year from completion. The 88,000-square-foot rehabilitation and expansion of two century-old buildings at Vanderbilt University in Nashville is seeking Petal Certification, a track allowing partial fulfillment of the rigorous Living Building...
Vanderbilt outlines major plans to reduce environmental footprint
Apr. 22, 2019—University will power its campus entirely through renewable energy and commits to carbon neutrality by 2050 Vanderbilt University today unveiled a comprehensive long-term strategy to significantly reduce its environmental footprint in part by powering its campus entirely through renewable energy, putting the university on track to be carbon neutral by 2050. Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos (Daniel Dubois/Vanderbilt)...
Impossible Burger has 89% smaller carbon footprint than beef
Mar. 29, 2019—Vanderbilt Campus Dining added the Impossible Burger to its menu fall of 2018. Doing so provided a vegetarian alternative to the hamburger and reduced the overall carbon foot print of the school, which is in alignment with our commitment to the Menus of Change University Resource Collaborative Initiative. A new study has found that the...
Pioneering Vanderbilt School of Nursing building designed with health in mind
Jan. 21, 2019—Written by Nancy Wise Health and well-being inform every part of Vanderbilt University School of Nursing’s new $23.6 million building expansion, opening Jan. 22. The expansion, which broke ground in 2017, was designed to target LEED Gold and WELL Silver certification. Once the certification process concludes, the university anticipates that this building will be the first complete, ground-up structure in...
Chancellor’s Charter explores sustainability across Nashville
Sep. 20, 2018—Read the MyVU story here. Faculty, staff and students joined Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos last week on a Chancellor’s Charter tour to explore sustainability, a fundamental FutureVU guiding principle and initiative. (Anne Rayner/Vanderbilt University) Designed to focus on community engagement and lifelong education, the Chancellor’s Charter tours take place throughout the year and examine significant values, themes and topics...
Wellcast: FutureVU and a Healthier You!
May. 18, 2018—Eric Kopstain, Vice Chancellor for Administration at Vanderbilt University, discusses FutureVU, the visionary land use planning initiative at Vanderbilt. He explains the goals of FutureVU and describes the many ways it is enhancing the health and wellness of faculty, staff, and students. Listen here.
Redesigned sustainability report expands focus to include holistic environmental efforts
Mar. 15, 2018—Vanderbilt displays a new emissions baseline in a redesigned version of its annual sustainability report that outlines the university’s environmental impact in 2016. The university’s GHG emissions come from three evenly split sources. Natural gas for the on-campus power plant and individual buildings represents 31 percent; 33 percent is power purchased from Nashville Electric Service;...
Rand Roof Gets Green Update
Oct. 12, 2017—The Rand Hall roof recently got a green update for the 2017 school year! A green roof was installed this summer through a student-initiated Vanderbilt Green Fund project. The roof on the third floor of Rand outside the wall of windows and across from the Anchor has been covered in trays containing sedum, a plant material....