Possible Future Sustainability Projects

UW-Whitewater has done a lot to make our campus more sustainable, but there are a large number of different projects being investigated and considered to continue the pursuit of sustainability. This page provides a list of many of the potential projects being considered. This list is not comprehensive and some projects are more feasible for implementation than others, but it provides some idea of where we hope to go with our continuing efforts.

If you wish to see projects that are complete or in progress for each topic areas, please click on the individual topic headings to access these pages.

Energy Efficiency

• Lighting Upgrades and Retrofits

• Light Emitting Diode (LED)

• The remaining/older areas of Parking Lot #2 (near Carlson) and #8 (near Drumlin and Benson) are prioritized for LED replacement.

• Additional Parking Lots under consideration for LED include #9 (in front of Williams Center), #19 (near Tutt/Wellers/Wells West), #14 (near Upham/Winther), and #13 (near Winther/Heide)

• Switch the lights for the emergency call boxes from incandescent to LED.

• Complete LED conversion in parking lots, sidewalk lighting, building wallpacks and further interior applications, particularly incandescent can lights.

• Retrofit any remaining incandescent lighting to LED for all areas of campus not previously investigated.

• Project currently in planning to replace the Young Auditorium incandescent message board on Main Street with a LED message board.

• Building Automation and Metering

• Building retro-commissioning to develop systems that maximize energy efficiency and reduce peak load electricity demand for 11 existing academic buildings.

• Individual unit temperature controls for heating radiators in Residence Halls.

• Equipment timers for vending machines and drinking fountains.

• Automated controls for the Williams Center lighting and HVAC systems to minimize operations when areas are unoccupied.

• Building Construction and Improvements

• Construction

• Investigate possibility of getting LEED-EB certification for Hyland Hall.

• Improvements

• Thermal imaging photography of buildings and steam lines to identify leaks and other sources of inefficiency.

Dining Services

• Conservation

• Reusable Containers and Packaging

• Explore additional compostable or reusable containers to replace disposable options, such as to-go containers.

• Composting

and Waste

• Expand campus composting program to service dining halls and deliver food waste to City of Whitewater composting site for processing.

Other Sustainability Projects

• Addressing Climate Change

• Develop a Climate Action Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by measureable amounts to achieve long-term goals.

• Green Computing

• Implement a workstation management strategy to minimize computer power consumption during nonessential hours.

• Landscaping and Grounds

• Incorporate extensive use of native grass for landscaping and engage in aggressive native tree planting campaign to significantly reduce campus turf mowing and trimming.

• Renewable Energy

• Obtain funding to build one or more sustainable energy generation example projects to use primarily for educational purposes, including possibly wind, solar, or geothermal.

• Solar parking pavilions being investigated as a potential application of solar photovoltaic technology.

• Solar outdoor area lighting being investigated as a pilot project in more remote campus areas without electricity service.

• Transportation

• Exploring options for a shared bicycle program on campus.

• Determine possibility of replacing van fleet with small 4x4 service vehicles that are modified to run on biodiesel.