| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 69.80 |
| Liaison | Kelly Wellman |
| Submission Date | Dec. 19, 2022 |
Texas A&M University
PRE-2: Points of Distinction
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
N/A |
Kelly
Wellman Sustainability Director Office of Sustainability & Campus Enrichment |
Name of the institution’s featured sustainability program, initiative, or accomplishment:
A brief description of the institution’s featured program, initiative, or accomplishment:
The Gardens is a 27-acre public teaching garden focused on expanding Texas A&M’s research and outreach by building a living classroom for educational, inspirational, and recreational experiences while enriching guests’ appreciation and enjoyment of “The Aggie Experience.”
The mission of The Gardens at Texas A&M University is to engage the community in a living teaching environment, encourage curiosity and discovery, and to develop wonder for the natural world.
The Leach Teaching Gardens serve as an accessible outdoor learning space for students and campus visitors and with the pandemic evolved to also include online educational offerings.
The Professional Grounds Management Society (PGMS) recognized the Leach Teaching Gardens as the PGMS Green Star Awards Winner for taking a lead in the implementation of initiatives that sustain our environment. Examples of the commitments highlighted include a student-led and maintained garden, using Earth-Kind principles, native and adapted plants, smart watering, and other sustainable practices.
Which of the following impact areas does the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Campus Engagement
Public Engagement
Grounds
Website URL where more information about the accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
A photograph or document associated with the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment:
Name of a second highlighted sustainability program/initiative/accomplishment:
A brief description of the second program/initiative/accomplishment:
The Innovative Learning Classroom Building (ILCB) at Texas A&M University is a key component of the institution's goal to build a culture of excellence in teaching and learning. The 118,000-square-foot building houses 2,200 general-purpose classroom seats in 10 classrooms. Located across two levels of the building, instructional spaces range in size from 600-seat in-the-round arenas to 72-seat learning studios. Informal study spaces support the formal learning environments, creating a learning landscape for students and faculty to interact across the three-story building.
The ILCB opened in Fall 2020 and immediately became a student favorite. The building is designed to LEED Silver standard and has many features students enjoy such as: outdoor seating, decks, water features, hammock stands, outdoor terrace, and state of the art technology in classrooms in the round as well as in collaborations spaces.
You can view virtual tours https://ilcb.tamu.edu/21CCB/Learning-Innovation-Classroom-Building/Virtual-Tour
Which impact areas does the second program/initiative/accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Buildings
Website URL where more information about the second program/initiative/accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the second program/initiative/accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
A photograph or document associated with the second program/initiative/accomplishment:
Name of a third highlighted program/initiative/accomplishment:
A brief description of the third program/initiative/accomplishment:
Established in 1912, Sbisa is one of the largest dining halls in the country and the largest dining facility at Texas A&M University – feeding thousands of Aggies and campus visitors every day. Sbisa Dining Hall sits uniquely at one end of Texas A&M’s landmark Military Walk making it one of the most recognizable buildings on campus.
In June of 2022, Sbisa Dining Hall became 3-Star Certified Green Restaurant. Aggie Dining at Texas A&M partnered with the Green Restaurant Association to implement 39 environmental steps that focus on reduction in energy consumption, water usage, waste, and use of chemicals. Sbisa also has a full-scale recycling and composting program, and it sends its grease to be made into energy – all in alignment with Texas A&M’s mission to be a national campus leader in sustainability in environmental, social, and economic impacts to protect our planet for future generations of Texas Aggies.
Which impact areas does the third program/initiative/accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Waste
Water
Website URL where more information about the third program/initiative/accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the third program/initiative/accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
A photograph or document associated with the third program/initiative/accomplishment:
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.