Tree Campus Inventory Aids 2021 Tree Campus USA Higher Education Recognition
Setting out in groups of two, Ajah Quawiy ’23, Matt Giovestis ’25, Christie Ortega ’23 and Gabriela Birardi ’23 explored a portion of Lehigh’s Asa Packer Campus last fall equipped with a specialized tape for measuring the diameter of trees, an iPad for recording data on spreadsheets and books to assist with tree identification. The students alternated three-hour shifts twice per week, depending on the weather.
Their mission? To catalog the trees to help Lehigh earn a Tree Campus USA certification from the [...] Read more.
Health, Science, Technology Building is the First Lehigh Building Seeking Both LEED & Fitwel Certification
Opened in the Spring of 2022, the Health, Science, Technology (HST) building is the first new building to pursue both LEED Gold and Fitwel Three-Star Gold Certification. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) by the U.S. Green Building Council is the most widely utilized green building rating system globally. According to their website, LEED certification is a “framework for healthy, efficient, carbon and cost-saving green buildings” and “is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement and leadership” (LEED Website). Read more.
Lehigh Launches CSA and Achieves Sustainability Strategic Plan 2030 Goal!
Goal 5 in the Health & Wellness section of Lehigh’s Sustainability Strategic Plan 2030 is to “partner with a local farm or distributor and pilot a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) program by 2022”. This goal was achieved in July of 2020 with the launch of the Willow Haven Market Box CSA, which is tailored specifically for Lehigh faculty and staff.
The process of bringing this goal to fruition began in 2020 for Audrey McSain, the Director of Sustainability. She says bringing a CSA to campus faculty and staff is important [...] Read more.
STEPS Gets a New Green Roof Over The Summer
First opening in 2010, this LEED Gold Certified building at the corner of West Packer and Vine Street, was due for a green roof renovation. Over the summer a crew from Roofmeadow Services spent about 3 weeks removing the old green roof, installing new lightweight engineered soil, and planting pre-grown sedum mats.
Green roofs provide many benefits. A primary benefit is stormwater management. The STEPS green roof will greatly reduce the amount of stormwater running off the roof and into the municipal system In addition, it will slow down stormwater runoff during rain storms, thus reducing peak flow of runoff. Read more.
The Office of the General Counsel Joins the Sustainable Office Program
This year The Office of the General Counsel joined the growing list of offices that have taken part in Lehigh’s Sustainable Office Program! Lehigh’s Sustainable Office Program is a voluntary, self-guided program designed for faculty and staff to take the lead in promoting sustainable practices in the workplace.
The program is part of Lehigh’s Sustainability Strategic Plan 2030 and supports the university's top priorities of engaging the campus community in cultivating environmental stewardship. To that end, [...] Read more.