Florida International University
PAE-3: Physical Campus Plan

Sustainability is addressed in all areas of the Master Plan and is excessively addressed in the following sections: 3.0 URBAN DESIGN ELEMENT Incorporate sustainable strategies with measurable performance-based results. Sustainable site strategies would include increasing the density through the use of a more compact urban pattern to maximize the efficiency of developed land, the use of integrated stormwater approach that utilizes natural systems to reduce infrastructure costs, reducing impervious surfaces and increasing the tree canopy to reduce the heat island effect generated by the campus. 4.0 FUTURE LAND USE ELEMENT Florida International University faces no greater challenge than to accommodate its future expansion needs while facing dwindling land resources; preparing for sea level and storm surges; preserving important environmental resources; and managing complex development influences exerted by Florida's largest urban metropolitan area. 10.0 UTILITIES ELEMENT The purpose of this element is to ensure coordinated provision of utility services required to meet the future needs of the University, consistent with current efforts to address sustainability on campus such as the development of a Climate Action Plan (a responsibility as a signatory of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment) and the university-driven direction that all new facilities meet United States Green Building Council (USGBC) standards and be LEED certified. 13.0 CONSERVATION ELEMENT In order to appropriately manage native vegetative communities and wildlife habitats, campus expansion must be in accordance with local, state and federal regulations and, when practical, conform with various agency guidelines and policies. Campus planting efforts will utilize native or non-invasive vegetation. Avoidance or minimization of wetland impacts and the establishment of upland buffers adjacent to wetlands will be implemented where feasible. Unavoidable wetland impacts will be mitigated. Undeveloped upland habitat will be left in its natural state when possible. Adverse impacts to protected wildlife species will be mitigated in accordance with local, state and federal guidelines. Natural resources occur at Modesto A. Maidique Campus, Engineering Center and Biscayne Bay Campus of Florida International University (see Element 13.1 for Modesto A. Maidique Campus, Element 13.2 for Engineering Campus, and Element 13.3 for Biscayne Bay Campus). Many of these resources are protected and will remain so throughout the future of each campus and site. There are parcels, however, which need to be assessed as to their viability for native species and vegetation as well as suitability for protection versus development. Therefore, a principal goal of the Campus Master Plan is to allow sensitively planned development while protecting and enhancing natural resources. To minimize adverse impacts to local air quality and maintain existing good air quality conditions, FIU will continue to manage its stationary sources of air discharges through an organized preventative maintenance and inspection program. Points of discharges such as boilers and laboratory flues will be inspected regularly to ensure their operations are within applicable regulatory standards. Preventative maintenance of stationary sources will reduce the probability of unexpected releases of air pollutants as well as establish a reliable management tool. Where possible, less hazardous materials will be substituted for more hazardous materials. The purpose of such replacement will reduce the potential for more serious accidents affecting the environment, reduce the generation rate of hazardous waste on campus, and reduce the volume of hazardous wastes contributed by the University to landfills elsewhere. It is an objective of the University to minimize hazardous waste accumulation points on campus and implement a system of Best Management Practices to safely manage these locations.