Department of Housing 2001 Progress Report

February 21, 2001

Submitted by: The Department of Housing
Sue Wallace, Environmental Coordinator
Ph: 303-735-3013
swallace@housing.colorado.edu

In October of 2000, the Department of Housing hired an environmental coordinator to administer existing environmental programs, to develop and implement new environmental programs, and to track Housing’s environmental progress. Prior to this time, improvements in energy-efficiency, the use of green building materials, recycling construction debris, and reduction in the use of hazardous chemicals were being included in project planning and daily operations as budgets allowed. The environmental achievements, however–energy savings, waste diversion rates, toxic air emissions and solid waste avoided or diverted–weren’t being documented.

The Department of Housing now has the personnel to make this documentation possible. In addition, the Department will develop a more targeted plan for achieving environmental milestones in 2001-02 and in future years, particularly with respect to the goals and objectives described in the Blueprint for a Green Campus.

Housing’s environmental achievements are described below as they help meet each of the five goals outlined in the Blueprint for a Green Campus.

Creating a Climate-Friendly Campus

The Vision: CU commits to meet the emissions reduction targets of the Kyoto Protocol, which would reduce CU’s greenhouse gas emissions by seven percent below 1990 levels by 2010.

How the Department of Housing is Working Towards This Goal:

Housing is approaching this goal in several ways: reducing energy consumption in buildings, reducing transportation energy, installing cooling equipment that does not use a CFC-based refrigerant in new projects, and reclaiming CFC’s from refrigerators requiring disposal.

1. Reducing Energy Consumption in Buildings

In Residence Halls:

• All windows in Hallett will be replaced summer 2001. The replacement of 342 single-pane windows with double-pane models will result in a thermal performance improvement of approximately 50%.
• Student rooms in Farrand and Aden were equipped with individual heat controls, and the buildings systems’ were rezoned to more appropriately deliver steam where it is needed.
• Lighting quality was improved, and an approximate energy savings of 7% were realized in the Farrand lounges with the replacement of incandescent lights with fluorescent lamps and electronic ballasts.
• 90-watt incandescent hallway lighting has been replaced in Cheyenne-Arapaho with 32-watt fluorescent T-8 lamps and electronic ballasts.

In Family Housing:

• Space heating and domestic water heating energy has been saved as a result of installing more efficient, staged boilers at Newton Court. The new boilers use roughly 60% less energy than the original boilers.
• Insulation levels were increased from R-3 to R-36 in the new roofs on two Smiley Buildings.
• A combination of approximately 300 higher-efficiency refrigerators and stoves replaced older (on average 10-20 years old) appliances. About 150 new appliances will be installed in 2001-02.

In Service/Admin Areas:

• The insulation level was increased from R-7 to R-51 in the new roof on the College Inn.

Reducing Transportation Energy

a. Alternative Transportation

Housing employees are encouraged to use alternative transportation. Out of roughly 400 employees, 158 have purchased a parking permit. It would be wonderful to be able to state with certainty that the other 242 (61%) employees are using alternative transportation regularly! Unfortunately, we are unable to document this statistic at this time.

Plans for 2001-02 include conducting a transportation survey of Housing employees to determine the level of participation and type of alternative transportation used, to identify barriers to using alternative transportation, and to provide information about better targeting outreach efforts to employees concerning the use of alternative transportation.

b. Purchasing Alternative-Fueled Vehicles

Because Housing Services provides daily maintenance/operations assistance and 24-hour emergency service (plumbing, electrical, etc.) for the residence halls and Family Housing buildings, limiting some vehicle usage may not be possible. We can, however, research cleaner service vehicle options. For 2001-02, Housing will work with Transportation Services and the Alternative Transportation Coordinator to consider the feasibility of phasing in the replacement of service vehicles with cleaner vehicles. In addition, we will investigate purchase options for an alternative-fuel vehicle for employees needing to travel between East and Main Campus.

Installing Non-CFC-based Cooling Equipment in New Projects

No cooling equipment installed in new construction projects will use CFC-based refrigerant. They will operate using a refrigerant that is either a hydro-chlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) or a hydro-fluorocarbon (HFC); HCFC’s and HFC’s have a much lower ozone-depletion potential than CFC’s.

Reclaiming CFC’s

 

Housing has a contract with a vendor to remove the CFC’s from all refrigerators that require disposal. The refrigerators and the reclaimed CFC’s are then recycled.

Growing Without Increasing Traffic

The Vision: CU caps traffic at today’s levels by growing in such a way that there is no net increase in single-occupant vehicle trips by students, faculty and staff.

How the Department of Housing is Working Towards This Goal:

As described in the previous section, plans for 2001-02 include conducting a transportation survey of Housing employees to determine the level of use and type of alternative transportation used, to identify barriers to using alternative transportation, and to provide information about better targeting outreach efforts to employees concerning the use of alternative transportation.

Creating a Safe and Healthy Campus

Part I: Minimizing Hazardous Waste

The Vision: CU reduces the amount of hazardous waste generated by the campus while maintaining the quality and quantity of research. CU continues to advance pollution prevention programs to reduce the quantity of hazardous material present on campus and to promote a safer working and learning environment.

How the Department of Housing is Working Towards This Goal:

Housing completed in 2000, and will complete by the end of June 2001, several projects aimed at pollution prevention. These projects are described below.

Connecting Storm Sewer to Sanitary Sewer

Floor drains in mechanical rooms in Libby, Cheyenne-Arapaho, Arnett, and Buckingham were re-routed from the storm sewer to the City of Boulder’s sanitary sewer as the first in a series of these types of connections. Six additional buildings are scheduled to be re-routed in 2001-02.

2. Snow Melt

Housing converted from a 100% sodium chloride-based snow melt to a less corrosive and lower alkaline blend of sodium, calcium, potassium, and magnesium chlorides. This new product–Meltdown Beneath Zero–also contains other minerals that buffer the effects of sodium chloride on vegetation.

3. Cleaning Agents

Housekeeping has converted to a new line of cleaning products, which are less toxic and corrosive. Additionally, the guesswork of estimating the correct dilution ratios has been eliminated through the installation of central mixing stations. This conversion was made in December of 2000, so data on how this system has reduced chemical usage are not currently available. This system is, however, expected to significantly reduce the amount of cleaning agent purchased.

Housekeeping is experimenting with a new type of cleaning rag made by 3M, which, due to the fiber and the weave, cleans without needing any cleaning chemical–just water is needed. If Housekeeping tests and approves this rag, this will further reduce the amount of cleaning chemicals used.

Fluorescent Lamp Disposal

 

All spent fluorescent lamps containing mercury (those that are not green-tipped) are disposed of by Facilities Management through an EPA-approved lamp recycler.

Asbestos and Lead Paint Abatement

 

All projects are assessed for the potential of encountering asbestos and lead paint. Environmental Health and Safety is contracted when a project is identified as requiring abatement. In 2000-01, approximately 350 crawl spaces in Family Housing units were abated for asbestos-insulated pipe.

Additionally, 3 units with ceilings and floor tile containing asbestos were abated at Newton Court. In 2001-02, Housing will develop a five-year plan to abate all 292 units at Newton Court, at an estimated cost of $2,000,000.

All of the units at Family Housing, with the exception of the Extension Buildings (five older homes near Athens Court), are free of lead paint. It has not been determined that the Extension Buildings require abatement for lead. If, however, they do require abatement, they will most likely be torn down or deconstructed due to their ages, and new units built in their place.

Creating a Safe and Healthy Campus

Part II: Minimizing Exposure to Toxic Chemicals and Pesticides

The Vision: CU significantly reduces the use of harmful chemicals and volatile pesticides in buildings and grounds management through integrated pest management. Campus buildings provide high indoor air quality through improved ventilation and control of indoor air pollution sources.

How the Department of Housing is Working Towards This Goal:

Housing has taken several steps in support of this goal. They are described below.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Housing has contracted with Scott Harvey of Facilities Management to provide IPM services. This has enabled Housing to virtually eliminate the use of pesticides in all structural (indoor) applications. The "roach motel" type baits are the only form of pesticides that are still used. Initially, these baits were used to gain control over what was a moderate infestation. Now that control has been obtained, we will assess the possibility of removing some of the baits. It is important to note that despite the continued use of these baits, they are a vast improvement over freely migrating toxic sprays. Scott’s typical arsenal includes non-toxic bait, caulk, mice and rat traps, live traps, and carbon dioxide.

In 1990, the residents at Family Housing voted to volunteer pulling dandelions by hand in favor of applying pesticides. Since then, Housing has eliminated all applications of pesticides outside.

Improved Indoor Air Quality

Many products that Housing Services uses in new projects and remodels–paints, glues, carpeting, cabinets, and furniture–can outgas volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) for many years. In 2001-02, Housing will develop a plan to familiarize project managers with "green" products and will develop a system for incorporating green products into project specifications.

At Family Housing, carbon monoxide detectors have been installed in every unit with a gas furnace. In 2000, approximately 260 detectors were installed.

Greening Campus Consumption and Disposal Habits

Part I: Purchasing Environmentally-Responsible Products

The Vision: CU adopts an environmentally-preferable purchasing policy, which will institute standards for environmentally responsible purchasing.

How the Department of Housing is Working Towards This Goal:

Housing Services and the administrative offices use recycled copy paper, envelopes, post-it notes, paper pads, hanging folders, file folders, paper towels, and toilet paper.

Between 1995 and 2000, Housing invested $200,000 in I I recycled plastic playground equipment and picnic tables for Family Housing, and will invest an additional $40,000 in 2001-02.

As mentioned earlier, Housing will be developing a system for including green products in construction projects and remodels. This system will include a series of triggers for performing project review to assess the practicality of including green materials; developing product specifications that will be included in front-end documents used in bidding projects; assisting project managers and contractors with procurement, installation, and verification; and maintaining records of customer- and maintenance staff-satisfaction. In this way, we hope to substantially increase our use of environmentally-preferable materials.

Greening Campus Consumption and Disposal Habits

Part II: Capping Solid Waste Going to the Landfill at Today’s Levels

The Vision: As CU grows, it will cap the amount of solid waste going to the landfill at today’s volumes by increasing recycling and composting efforts and by using market incentives, new technologies, and purchasing policies to reduce waste generation on campus.

How the Department of Housing is Working Towards This Goal:

Housing is supporting this goal in several ways: by expanding the recycling program, through outreach to Housing "customers", by pursuing construction waste recycling and food waste composting opportunities, and through recycling organic waste.

1. Recycling Program Expansion

Housing is working with Facilities Management and the Environmental Center to expand the recycling program with the addition of cardboard recycling. This new facet of the program will be operational in early March, with service to the six dining units and six locations at Family Housing. A two-three year plan is being developed to phase-in service for all of the Residence Halls, since some site improvements will be required. We expect the program to be fully implemented with service to the six dining halls, six Family Housing sites, and 11 Residence Hall sites by 2003.

2. Outreach

Housing continues to work with the Environmental Center on increasing recycling participation and volumes in the Residence Halls and at Family Housing. Through outreach to Hall Directors, Resident Advisors, attendance at floor meetings and Family Housing Tenant Council meetings, staffing booths set up in Hall lobbies, bulletin board poster displays, table tents, newsletters, and publications such as the "Guide to Residence Hall Living", we are making recycling information widely available. The locations and numbers of, and pick-up schedules for, recycling containers are also routinely assessed to assure that the service is convenient and cost-effective.

3. Construction Waste Recycling and Re-Use

In line with incorporating more green materials into Housing’s construction and remodel projects, we will also pursue opportunities for recycling construction waste and tracking volumes that are diverted from the landfill. Several local contractors are available to whom we may route re-usable materials: lumber, bricks, doors and door hardware, and concrete. Similarly, there may be opportunities for using salvaged materials in Housing’s projects.

4. Food Waste Composting

The Farrand dining facility will be extensively renovated summer 2001-summer 2002. The Dining Manager, Tim Kash, has expressed interest in food waste composting. He is working with Housing’s Project Manager and the design team on including the appropriate features to enable accommodation of this special waste stream. This could serve as the template for including food waste composting in the renovation of other dining facilities in the next few years.

5. Organics Recycling

As of November 2000, grounds crews have been taking organic waste (leaves, tree limbs, shrub trimmings, grass clippings, Christmas trees) to Facilities Management for composting. Housing supervisors will be working with grounds crews to develop a means for estimating and tracking the volume of organics that are diverted through this program.