What is the Green Dorm Initiative?

Introduction:

The Green Dorm Initiative (GDI) is a program to encourage Rice undergraduate students to adopt sustainable lifestyles in their dorm. A comprehensive list of requirements and point tallying system will suggest ways to be green, and form the basis for judging which dorms get certified and receive prizes.

Implementation:

A pilot program is being initiated at Brown college. The target date is early November, to have at least one trial month before break and possibly expanding to all colleges next semester. Response from the pilot program and extensive research on every college will be gathered, and the program adapted as necessary. For example, the point system may need to be tailored to every college. We have the Environmental Club, Rice Student Green Building Initiative and EcoReps’ support to accomplish all this. Indeed, the EcoRep will administer the whole campus-wide program, advertise its existence, certify rooms and award prizes.

Requirements:

The requirements are made clear by an online point system with comprehensive questions and multiple choices. All participants are required to attain a minimum score of 40%, keep a first-20-day log, and have all their roommates participate to be certified. Most requirements are difficult to monitor, thus it will mainly be based on an honor system with reminders such as occasional checks, shower timers, widely publicized point system, door stickers, etc. Correspondingly, prizes cannot be so extravagant that they may persuade people to breach the honor system or attract people who are not actually interested in the green principles.

Incentives:

Prizes include a certificate and door sticker for participants, a reusable bag for bronze level (40%), a steel water bottle for silver level (60%) and tetrapoints (minimum $15) for gold level (80%). A ‘grasshopper’ card that gives discounts at local green businesses is in progress. Additionally, there may be a dinner every semester and other activities to allow green dorm participants to meet each other. GDI is meant to be a sign of recognition to students who have worked to adopt a sustainable lifestyle and give an added incentive with tangible rewards to encourage changes in living styles.

Similar programs:

The program is based on the US Green Building Council’s LEED program, which encourages and certifies green buildings. In conjunction with the new LEED certified buildings on campus, individuals can now also live in certified green rooms. GDI also hopes to emphasize one does not need a new building, technology or big policy change to be green. It was surprising to find that GDI is one of the first programs to certify and reward green dorms in US, most involve architectural remodeling. One of the most similar is Brandeis University that certifies rooms that picks at least 10 green ideas that they will do. http://www.brandeis.edu/campussustainability/getinvolved/greenroom.html

Future:

Many of the appliances that use the most energy are purchased early during the freshman year. In the future, EcoReps should aim to advertise the GDI (and its requirements) to freshman so that those who wish to participate can purchase appliances that are energy-efficient, and attain GDI status and habits from the start.