ORCHID FOR SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

Jury Comments: Point Loma Nazarene University is living up to one of their core values. They are inspiring and educating their students, faculty and staff to be stewards of our natural resources. The latest step toward their long term goal of a carbon neutral campus is the installation of a 450 kilowatt photovoltaic system, one of the largest at any San Diego university. But many institutions can slap solar panels on a building and call themselves green. The jury was excited about the University’s more holistic approach. A comprehensive recycling program is not so unusual, but how about composting all cafeteria food waste and even harvesting overgrown native plant material to serve as a delicacy to San Diego Wild Animal Park’s exotic animal collection!  Point Loma Nazarene shows that green can be delicious.

Point Loma Nazarene University has installed a 450 KW photovoltaic system and has become the first university in San Diego to use solar power to this extent. The system will provide 80% peak energy for six of its major buildings and will reduce CO2 emissions by 586 tons per year. There are hopes for more photovoltaic systems in the future. The photovoltaic system deserves an Orchid in and of itself, but what is even more noteworthy is that this is only one part of an aggressive plan to become a carbon-neutral campus, and to educate students about the importance of sustainable design.

The construction of the solar-powered system was the result of a student research project and ensuing collaboration between students, faculty, and staff. PLNU has also implemented extensive recycling and food composting programs, the use of water-saving toilets, a campus-wide purchasing directive to buy products made from recycled materials, and a commitment to achieve at least a silver LEED rating on all new building projects. When you consider that this is a campus of over 3000 students, faculty, staff and visitors, the impact of these measures is impressive. When you consider that students are given an active role in this effort and are thereby being equipped to address the future’s unprecedented environmental issues, the impact is profound. PLNU deserves an Orchid not only for becoming a leader in “green” university campuses, but also for providing a vital education to students who may one day become our policy-makers, clients, and partners in sustainable design.

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