| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 69.69 |
| Liaison | Deborah Steinberg |
| Submission Date | Feb. 7, 2019 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Carnegie Mellon University
OP-9: Landscape Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 2.00 |
Steve
Guenther University Engineer and Assistant Vice President of Facilities Management and Campus Services Facilities Management Services |
Total campus area (i.e. the total amount of land within the institutional boundary):
Figures required to calculate the total area of managed grounds:
| Area (double-counting is not allowed) | |
| Area managed in accordance with an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program that uses a four-tiered approach | 100 Acres |
| Area managed in accordance with an organic land care standard or sustainable landscape management program that has eliminated the use of inorganic fertilizers and chemical pesticides, fungicides and herbicides in favor of ecologically preferable materials | 0 Acres |
| Area managed using conventional landscape management practices (which may include some IPM principles or techniques) | 0 Acres |
| Total area of managed grounds | 100 Acres |
A brief description of any land excluded from the area of managed grounds (e.g. the footprint of buildings and impervious surfaces, experimental agricultural land, areas that are not regularly managed or maintained):
52.5 acres removed for building footprint and impervious surfaces.
Percentage of grounds managed in accordance with an IPM program:
A copy of the IPM plan or program:
A brief description of the IPM program:
An Integrated Pest Management Program has been in place for over 20 years inside our buildings and our grounds are also maintained in accordance with an IPM Program.
Percentage of grounds managed in accordance with an organic program:
A brief description of the organic land standard or landscape management program that has eliminated the use of inorganic fertilizers and chemical pesticides, fungicides and herbicides in favor of ecologically preferable materials:
A brief description of the institution's approach to plant stewardship:
The use of native plant species in Carnegie Mellon University landscaping is currently encouraged and recommended by Division 2, Section 02950 of the university design guidelines.
A brief description of the institution's approach to hydrology and water use:
Only 5 acres (5%) of 100 acres of permeable campus grounds are irrigated. Storm water capture and retention has been used for all new development projects in the past 10 years to reduce runoff and stress on the municipal combined storm sewer infrastructure. In addition, the university has installed several water reuse systems. In 2017, we installed a 275,000 gallon cistern under our historic quad that captures storm water for use in our cooling plant. A 6,000 gallon grey water system captures rain water in a storage tank to be used for irrigating the grounds around the MCIC building. The hillside near the Gates Hillman Complex was engineered to capture storm water runoff from the hillside. There are also over 41,000 sq ft of green roofs on campus buildings. https://www.cmu.edu/environment/energy-water/stormwater.html
A brief description of the institution's approach to materials management and waste minimization (e.g. composting and/or mulching on-site waste):
Carnegie Mellon University composts all plant materials waste through a recycling contractor.
A brief description of the institution's approach to energy-efficient landscape design:
CMU has installed three rain gardens and approximately 41,000 sq ft of green roofs.
A brief description of other sustainable landscape management practices employed by the institution (e.g. use of environmentally preferable landscaping materials, initiatives to reduce the impacts of ice and snow removal, wildfire prevention):
For campus walkways we use primarily a granular ice melt that is a combination of Sodium Chloride + Potassium Chloride and sometimes it may have Magnesium Chloride added or be coated with Magnesium Acetate.
We use liquid calcium in small amounts to treat masonry surfaces like steps - ramps- etc. This product functions as an anti-bonding agent, preventing water from creating a good "freeze attachment" to the masonry surface.
Roadway Rock Salt is generally pure Sodium Chloride mined and then treated with an anti-caking solution to prevent the salt crystals from binding up into clumps thus preventing their spreader distribution. We use bulk roadway rock salt on roads and parking lot surfaces at the university.
The ice melt products have a quicker melt response time and are effective at low temperatures and is milder to plant growth than straight Sodium Chloride, however they are much more expensive. We use ice melt products on campus pedestrian access areas (walks, steps, ramps, etc.)
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.