Carbon Neutrality Efforts & Goals

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• Building Construction

  Sustainability Office Accomplishments: Buildings

  Buildings in residential and commercial sectors account for 40% of the United State’s energy usage in 2018. In the 2009 Macalester College Sustainability Plan, the college made the goal of incorporating sustainability principles and practices into all construction and renovation projects, thereby reducing Macalester’s carbon footprint and demonstrating the college’s environmental commitment. As part of the Sustainability Plan, a green building policy was adopted: “All new construction or  major renovation must meet the Minnesota B3 guidelines or be designed to at least a LEED silver standard.” The plan also outlines mandatory input from community members during large infrastructural changes. The Macalester GIS Sustainability Tour Map also includes a “Green Buildings” tab with where these features are located on campus and some more specific information so students can use this information in classes and Macalester can act as a model for the community. 

  By the Numbers:

  • In practice, Markim Hall reduced water usage by 80% and uses  60% less energy than a  standard building built to code. 
  • 67% of the 2018 Theater demolition was able to be recycled; a 130kW solar array was installed covering the entire roof of the building.  
  • The students and faculty who made a plan to renovate a campus house had a budget of $50,000 to renovate a faculty rental to a sustainable student house. 
  • The Sustainable Landscaping Master Plan has a goal of reducing turf grass by 60%.  

  Projects:  

  Markim Hall was the first building in Minnesota higher education to achieve the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum standard. Platinum is the highest rating possible and Markim Hall was the first building in Minnesota Higher Education to meet this standard and the third building in Minnesota.  The building optimizes daylight, utilized permeable pavers, and underground perforated pipes to help control stormwater runoff.  Macalester then offsets all emissions through Markim’s electrical and on-site combustion footprint use through Renewable Choice Energy.

   

  Leonard Center – The Leonard Center houses Macalester athletics and the Health and Wellness office. When the old recreation center, with the gymnasium originally built in 1923, was demolished, 93.3% of the 15,171 tons of demolition waste was reused or recycled. This included materials such as bleachers, lockers, benches, casework, plumbing fixtures, saunas, hand dryers, and handrails to be reused by local residents, businesses, and a church. The most significant reuse was of the former fieldhouse that became a horse barn for the Maple Hills Stable Company in Monticello, MN. A meticulous deconstruction reused 100 tons of lumber and 10 arch beams as well as the copper wiring and conduit, fans, and lights from the fieldhouse to be used for the barn. The college also hired sustainability consultants to assist in the design of the new building, and the final design promotes significant energy reductions.

   

  Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center – A renovation which finished in January of 2019 gave the Fine Arts Center many sustainable additions: a daylight sensor that adjusts the building’s heat based on the amount of solar radiation; two stormwater-holding areas that help to filter building and parking lot runoff before it runs to the Mississippi River; large bird-safe windows on the south end of the building that let in lots of natural light; and, better roof and window insulation, allowing for a tighter building envelope that will provide a s

  uperior energy performance compared to the pre-renovation building.

  EcoHouse – The EcoHouse is a residential living option for Macalester students who are interested in green-living lifestyles and willing to test the effectiveness of new green technologies. The 1950’s era Ranch-style house was renovated in 2007 through a process with Environmental Studies students and faculty to include a solar hot water system, a recyclable steel roof, a worm compost bin, and high energy efficiency appliances. The house acts as a ‘live-in’ laboratory for the students to test the energy savings and cost-effectiveness of various renovations and green technology. Residents also host events, skill-shares, and workshops, and develop new ideas for the house to try out. All renovations and events have been catalogued on the Macalester College EcoHouse website.

  Sustainable Landscaping Master Plan  The plan includes a plan to strategically place rees to conserve energy. Trees planted to the east and west of buildings provide shade during the most intense summer sun in the morning and afternoon. For the winter, since the sun is in the southern half of the sky during the day, it was outlined in the Plan to have trees covering the southern face of a building so as to not block this direct sunlight. The Master Plan also highlights that the campus should have at least a 50% tree canopy coverage in order to act as a wind breaker. This blocks chilly northwestern winds and helps alleviate ground-level winds, making foot travel more bearable in the winter, and conserves building energy.

• Markim Hall’s LEED Platinum Certification

  Institute for Global Citizenship/Markim Hall Green Touchscreen Data Institute for Global Citizenship/Markim Hall – “Information about Markim Hall’s LEED Platinum certification” “Information about Markim Hall’s LEED Platinum certification”

  • LEED Points Documentation
  • Energy and Atmosphere Category Summary
  • Indoor Environmental Quality Category Summary
  • Innovation in Design Category Summary
  • Materials and Resources Category Summary
  • Sustainable Sites Category Summary
  • Water Efficiency Category Summary
  • Appendix

• Energy Efforts

  Energy at Macalester

  Purchased electricity and heat make up 65 percent of Macalester’s greenhouse gas emissions. The Sustainability Plan includes a goal of investing in energy efficiency and switching to lower carbon fuel sources.

  Real-Time Metering

  The Sustainability Office has worked to have Real-Time Metering available to the campus community to affect behavior change.

   Photovoltaic (Solar Power)

  • December 2015 brought Macalester its first photovoltaic installation located on the roof of Markim Hall
  • Panels manufactured by tenKsolar
  • Provides Markim Hall and campus with about 17,000 kWh of electricity each year
  • Avoids nearly 10 metric tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere per year (saving $43,000 after 15 years, which can only increase as solar power becomes less expensive)
  • Expected lifespan of thirty years.
  • Total cost around $30,000 (in kind)
  • See Markim Hall’s real time solar energy output

  Wind Turbine

  

  In April 2003, Macalester College installed a 10 kilowatt BWC Excel wind turbine – the first of its size in the City of St. Paul and one of the first on any college campus, which provides an educational opportunity for students, staff and faculty learn about wind energy, wind patterns, geography and the practicality of wind turbines in urban areas.

  • Designed and manufactured by Bergey Windpower Company
  • 90’ tall with three 27′ propellers – total height of 103’
  • No louder than “white noise” (44.1 dBA at a distance of 100’)
  • Mandated by the Minnesota Legislature in the early 1990s, Xcel Energy provided $35,000 to partially fund the placement of the wind turbine
  • The 2003 Senior Class gift of $16,000 paid for the installation of the turbine
  • Turbine placement is not in a known migratory path of birds
  • Expected Payback at time of installation – 15 years; expected lifespan 20-30 years

  Energy Efficiency Projects

  Recomissioning Olin Rice

  The lights and vent hoods in Olin-Rice were placed on occupancy-sensors to ensure that the building is only heating or cooling spaces when needed, and the electric motors in the heating, cooling, and ventilation (HVAC) system have also been changed to more efficient variable speed drives. These adjustments saved the college over $50,000 in annual energy costs in just 2007 alone.

  Language Houses

  Several of the language houses along Vernon Street and Princeton Avenue have undergone energy improvements. Most improvements involve closed-cell spray foam insulation either in the basement, attic, or walls of the language houses.

   Dewitt Wallace Library

  • Library computers are set to go to sleep during periods of non-use and to automatically shut down each night.
  • The lights in the library stacks switch off automatically after a period of non-use.
  • Larger fluorescent bulbs have been replaced with smaller ones that use less energy.

  Information Technology Services

  ITS reduces energy usage by choosing environmentally friendly vendors, donating electronics, and virtualizing servers.

  Lightbulb Replacements

  Facilities Services is starting to strategically replace fluorescent and incandescent bulbs on campus with LEDs. Check out the Lightbulb Replacement page to learn more about which bulbs specifically facilities is using.

  Facilities and Energy Use

  See the Facilities Energy page to explore the facilities department’s annual energy reports.