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LEED University: Does Sustainability Affect School Selection? by Hannah Shangraw

Posted by: | May 10, 2014 Comments Off on LEED University: Does Sustainability Affect School Selection? by Hannah Shangraw |

To bring in more students, Stanford works to make its sustainability plans accessible to any who search for Stanford online. Stanford has a webpage dedicated to sustainability which navigates through where the university currently stands and where it is going.[vii] Stanford sets its own guidelines for sustainable buildings but adopts LEED standards to remain competitive.[viii] Institution set standards helps to hold the university accountable to its goals for sustainability. The university would not be able to say that some arbitrary body of politicians created the standards which do not apply to them specifically. The LEED certification process adopted by the university helps ensure the school’s accountability. Accountability in turn may appeal to students while choosing a higher education institution.[ix]

Higher education institutions can be a viable force in changing how sustainability is viewed in today’s society. According to the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) Roadmap to a Green Campus, higher education institutions’ commitment to sustainability is crucial in “establishing new standards, developing ground breaking approaches and preparing future global citizens.”[x] Even though some students and faculty push forward the idea of sustainability, there needs to be participation of all stakeholders in an institution to create a “green campus” focused on sustainability.[xi] The stakeholders extend beyond just the students and faculty to also include the administrators, capital planning and facilities staff, and the surrounding community. The community that surrounds a higher education institution is shaped by the institution and vice versa.

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[xi] Id.

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