Implemented Projects

 Below is a list of sustainability-related projects that have been implemented by staff and students at UW-Stout. Select a link to read more about a given topic.  If you would like additional information about these projects, please contact UW-Stout's Environmental Sustainability Coordinator, Sarah Rykal.

Athletics and University Recreation

Athletics

  • Campus clean-up activity by student athletes.
  • Renovated offices with light sensors.
  • Requested less frequent mowing of athletic fields.
  • Distribute NCAA and WIAA rule books via email rather than paper copies.
  • Reduced travel to meetings and reduced travel region.

University Recreation

  • Installed light censors in Sports and Fitness Center to reduce energy use throughout the building.
  • Printed advertising printed on recycled paper.
  • Organic t-shirts are purchased for events. 
  • Use green cleaning chemicals. 
  • Encouraged people bring your own utensils at U-Rec social gatherings.
  • Asked participants to donate to carbonfund.org to offset travel.
  • Installed four hydration stations in the Sports and Fitness Center.

Buildings & Grounds

  • Annual participation in Recyclemania, a national recycling competition for universities and colleges, from 2007 to present.  
  • Campus recycling program for recycling of commingled recyclables, mixed paper, food waste and organics, corrugated cardboard, scrap metal, shrink wrap, scrap wood, tires, batteries, light bulbs, ink jet cartridges, laser jet cartridges, used cooking oil, used motor oil and filters, pallets, foam peanuts, VHS tapes, CDs, and electronic waste.
  • Energy efficient lighting projects (in conjunction with Focus on Energy) for the multipurpose (track) room, west gym, racquetball courts, pool, and Johnson Field house using energy efficient fluorescent fixtures. The new Fieldhouse lights consume 22% less energy than the old ones, and the new multipurpose room lights consume 40% less energy than before.  
  • Parking lots are swept twice a year, to help with storm water management.
  • Apply only slow release zero phosphorus fertilizer to campus lawn areas.
  • Storm Water Management initiatives in conjunction with the DNR permit for storm water management.
  • New construction projects include landscape plans designed to best serve the areas affected, and are given consideration for aesthetics, impact on buildings, maintenance, storm water run-off, costs and other considerations.
  • Make an NaCl brine to pre-treat sidewalks and parking lots, to reduce the amount of salt and sand applied on campus.
  • Use IPM principals for pest management on campus grounds.

Curriculum

  •  Host sustainability in the curriculum events for UW-Stout instructors.
  • Academic minor launched in Fall 2008 semester.
  • Collaborative online bachelor’s degree launched in Fall 2009 semester.
  • A university recognized definition of “Sustainability in the Curriculum” has been adopted by Faculty Senate and Senate of Academic Staff.
  • Developed a Position Paper for Sustainability Across the Curriculum Network incorporating a summary of action plans from the ‘Infusing Sustainability into Curriculum’ conference.
  • Offer sustainability reading groups for faculty and academic staff.

Memorial Student Center

  • Renovation of an existing building. It is the most sustainable building practice.
  • HVAC System Replacement & Upgrade:  Replaced 10 old units with 5 new units with a 50% increase in fresh air intake. New units are digital controlled and programmable.
  • All windows were replaced with Low-E windows minimizing heat gain and loss.
  • New on demand hot water heaters. Replaces the old and inefficient storage tank system.
  • Lighting Features:
    • Tremendous increase in natural light on the upper and lower levels.
    • 11 solar tubes in the Terrace.
    • 5 solar tubes in the Overlook Lounge.
    • 48% of building light fixtures are LED.
    • 48% of building light fixtures are fluorescent or compact fluorescent.
    • Occupancy sensors are used throughout the building.
    • Daylight Sensors turn lights on and off accordingly in public spaces.
  • Large window walls equipped with roller shades to manage summertime glare and heat gain.
  • Carpets are all 44.5% recycled content by weight.  30.7% pre-consumer & 13.8% post-consumer.
  • Terrazzo flooring has locally sourced aggregate and is a monumental production, meaning it will last for 20+ years and requires little maintenance.
  • Ceramic tiles used in the new restroom floors and walls is 99% recycled content.
  • The wood floor used in the terrace is 100% reclaimed lumber.
  • Paints and adhesives used throughout the building are all low or no VOC’s
  • Wall tiles used in the servery all have recycled content.
  • The screens used in the Heritage Lounge booths are made with 100% recycled wood fiber and are FSC certified and are low emitting.
  • Heritage lounge booths are made with reused bowling wood (table, walls, and ceiling).
  • Bowling lane wood was reclaimed and used as seat benches throughout the building
  • Decorative wood wall treatment at the lower level lounge is reclaimed wood paneling from the Heritage Café.
  • Heritage Café fireplace was repurposed in the billiard lounge.
  • Heritage Café stained glass windows were repurposed in the Dining Offices.
  • The substrate at all casework is formaldehyde free and has recycled content as well as low VOC adhesives.
  • The “crushed glass” markerboard panels used in the Heritage Lounge has 40% pre-consumer recycled content.
  • The blue bar-height countertops used and at the light strip at the banquette in the Terrace have 40% pre-consumer recycled content (milk jugs).
  • The toilet partitions are 100% post-consumer recycled content (milk jugs).
  • The bathroom countertops and countertop at the worktable in the SOC is 100% post-consumer recycled content (milk jugs).
  • The table surface in the Creation Station is 100% post-consumer recycled content (milk jugs).
  • All restrooms are equipped with touchless faucets which minimize water usage.
  • All restrooms are equipped with touchless foam soap dispensers. Foam soap is more hygienic and cost effective.
  • All restrooms are equipped with touchless hand dryers that energy efficient, more hygienic, and have 12 or less second dry times.
  • The MSC has 7 hydration station water fountains.
  • The MSC has 30 waste/recycling receptacles that are made of 100% post-consumer recycled content (milk-jugs).
  • The MSC has one electronic recycling receptacle for ink jet cartridges, electronics, and batteries. It is made of 100% post-consumer recycled content (milk-jugs).
  • Dance floor in the Great Hall is 100% reclaimed lumber (200 year old 4x4 oak end cuts).
  • Dance floor and stage in the Terrace is 100% reclaimed lumber (200 year old 4x4 oak end cuts).
  • New floor scrubber purchased to clean the terrazzo floors only uses water for cleaning. No chemicals are needed; it uses 70% less water than traditional scrubbers.  Cleaning time has been cut 75%.
  • New carpet cleaner only uses water for cleaning.  No chemicals are needed, it uses 80% less water than traditional carpet cleaners. Carpet cleaning and dry time has been cut by 90%.
  • All lounge furniture is GreenGuard or SCS certified for low VOC’s, meeting strict indoor air quality standards.
  • Stacking chairs for Great Hall and Ballrooms are 20% recycled content and GreenGuard certified.
  • Banquet and Round tables for Great Hall and Ballrooms are GreenGuard certified.
  • Eight new bike racks and 2 bike pumps were installed around the MSC to encourage bicycle use.
  • 81% of the demolition materials and construction waste from the renovation project was recycled. This total is 1731 tons of recycled concrete, wood, metal, drywall, acoustical materials, and cardboard.
  • The east addition (MSC amphitheater) includes two rain gardens to pre-treat rain run-off
  • The Dunnville sandstone used in east addition columns and the west stair tower is a locally sourced material.

Physical Plant Administration

  • Full-time HVAC specialist dedicated to operate the university's Energy Management System and troubleshoot and calibrate HVAC controls to achieve maximum energy efficiency
  • Installation of a green roof on Jarvis Science Wing
  • Utilizing LEED Silver guidelines for all new construction and major renovations
  • Converted heating controls to digital controls

Procurement and Materials Management

  • Requires the purchase Energy Star Certified products whenever the option is available.
  • The average recycled content of all copier and printer paper on campus is 30%. Our paper is Green Seal Certified, Mill certified, and part of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.
  • Move to eliminate desktop printers and consolidate to copiers that use less energy.
  • UW-Stout's Surplus Department collects, warehouses, handles, re-utilizes, re-distributes, and recycles all university surplus property in an environmentally conscious, efficient, and profitable manner. UW-Stout’s Surplus Department operates under a zero landfill policy when disposing of unusable electronics. This is accomplished by utilizing local e-scrap collectors.

Student Life Services

  • Collaborated with community members to develop a community garden in Menomonie with a focus on reducing community hunger issues.
  • Offering Fair Trade and recycled products in the University Bookstore.

Student Projects

  • Students in the Environmental Justice Learning Community created energy conservation stickers for light switches all over campus.

 

Telecommunication & Networking

  • Established centralized control over 600 laboratory computers, shutting them off remotely when the lab is closed to avoid extra energy use if computers are accidentally left on.

Transportation

 

University Dining Services

  • Composting food waste from dining halls through a partnership with Veolia. Since start of program in January 2010 and through May 2012, a total of 194 tons of food waste have been diverted from the landfill.
  • Program for reusable take-out dining containers is available to students.
  • Converted to compostable packaging.
  • All three dining facilities use green cleaning products from Ecolab.
  • Dining Services' waste oils/grease are recycled by a local farmer for bio-diesel fuel.
  • New Hobart FT922BD dishwasher uses 168 fewer gallons per hour (444,696 less gallons of water per year) than the old machine. This new machine also saves on energy to heat the water.
  • New dishwasher at North Point Dining Facility uses 90 gallons per hour, compared to the old machine that used 458 gallons per hour.
  • New dishwasher at Price Commons uses 130 gallons per hour, compared to the old machine that used 450 gallons per hour.
  • Air-cooled (rather than water-cooled) air compressors in all new walk-in boxes: 7 at Price Commons and 2 at North Point. Estimated savings of 2,800 gallons of water per day at Price Commons.
  • Energy saving variable speed hood systems at North Point Dining Facility, activated by conditions under the hood.
  • Dining Services posts start-up times on equipment so that machinery draws energy only when it is needed during operations.
  • Encourage reuse by offering discount on beverage containers to customers for like size bulk beverages.
  • Plate waste studies done annually and results are made available to the campus. Marketing to encourage “clean plate” to reduce average plate waste. Marketing to encourage when eating light to skip the tray.
  • Terrace Café offers permanent service ware.

University Housing

  • Installed dual flush toilet flushers in various locations.
  • Installed motion sensor switches on many lights throughout the public area of the halls.
  • Red Cedar Hall was designed and built with energy saving devices.
  • The remodeling of Hovlid, Wigen and Fleming hall included energy saving devices, including energy-efficient windows, heating system, water flow restrictors, dual-flush toilets, etc.
  • Fleming Hall resident rooms include a “phantom power switch” allowing students to turn off all their phantom power on a switch at their door.
  • Installed 22 hydration stations in the residence halls.
  • Offering recycling training and education in the residence halls.
  • Students created a set of 4 posters that were posted in the residence hall.
  • Sustainability education campaign in the Residence Halls.
  • Served as a site for undergraduate research on sustainability and recycling.
  • Training incoming freshmen on recycling process as part of new student orientation.
  • Replaced over 500 of microfridges with more energy efficient models.
  • Limit the size and type of air conditioners to more energy efficient models.
  • Reduced heat in residence halls during breaks.
  • Installed new heat radiator controls in several halls.
  • Replaced many residence hall student desk lights with LED lights.
  • Residence Hall energy wars competition was held. Reduced electricity by almost 6% across Residence Hall System.
  • Laundry rooms only have front-loading washers.
  • Donation drive is held to collect reusable items from residents.
  • Created a Housing Sustainability Committee to enhance our sustainability efforts.

Campus-Wide Initiatives

  • In 2005, UW-Stout instituted an imaging program to reduce the use of paper for record keeping.
  • On September 15, 2007, Chancellor Sorensen signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), making UW-Stout a charter signatory.
  • Annual participation in Recyclemania competition
  • Paperless initiative to reduce the use of paper across the campus
  • Engaged in regional initiatives promoting sustainability
  • Completion of a Climate Action Plan for UW-Stout, which is updated annually.
  • Completion of the Greenhouse Gas Inventory. Inventories for 2008 and 2009 have been completed to date.
  • Offering sustainability-minded student organizations:
    • Greensense
    • Sustainable Agriculture in Education Association (SAEA)
    • Natural Area Club