Smith College

Profile

Since its founding in 1871, Smith College has provided women of high ability and promise a high-quality secondary education. Smith is situated in the lively town of Northampton in western Massachusetts, population 30,000, combining small-town ambiance with big-city offerings. As the largest women’s liberal arts college in the United States, Smith offers its 2,700 students access to 285 professors in 37 academic departments and 50 areas of study.

Among Smith's programs is a minor in Environmental Science and Policy. The college also has a campus "Green Team" - a coalition of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to fostering sustainability. They work to educate and support the campus community and the college's sustainability committee in the efficient use of finite natural resources. Smith recently completed its greenhouse gas emissions inventory using Clean Air-Cool Planet’s emissions calculator.

Past Initiatives

Smith has taken many actions to become more energy efficient.

Smith student (now alumna) Elizabeth Thomas worked to complete a campus-wide Greenhouse Gas Inventory using CA-CP's Campus Carbon Calculator in 2005.

During January term of 2005, all areas with automatic temperature controls were set back an extra 5ºF across campus, saving an estimated $1400 and 190 tons of CO₂. Then in May, Physical Plant and ITS began their effort to enable the ENERGY STAR power management features on computers connected to the Smith network, known as the "Million Monitor Drive." Smith College began replacing the insulation on its steam pipes as well, estimated to save the school $18,600, and 275 tons of CO₂ per year. The architectural built-in exit signs at John M. Greene hall were replaced with LED exit signs in July 2005. Annual savings are projected to be 6200 kWh, $1,000, and 4200 pounds of CO₂.

In summer 2005, Smith College retrofit its gymnasium lighting as well. The project cost between $97,076 and $116,692, less rebates Massachusetts Electric offers for lighting upgrades, but will save Smith $32,195 to $55,283 in annual energy costs. There are also plans to replace 240 incandescent 75-watt flood lamps in the Cutter-Ziskind dining hall with 16-watt compact fluorescent, and 38 incandescent exit signs with LED's. This will decrease the lighting load by 72% (13,700 watts) while saving $7300 a year.

Current Initiatives

Smith’s Sustainability Committee is currently evaluating a 3-5 year plan for college sustainability. This fall, Smith teamed up with Energy Star’s “Change a Light, Change the World” campaign at central check-in. Faculty, parents, and 228 students purchased 1700 compact fluorescent bulbs at a deep discount, which could save the university over $500,000 in energy costs this year. They will offer light bulbs in the campus center and at other events throughout the year. An energy reduction competition between three of the Five Colleges (Amherst, Smith, and Mt. Holyoke Colleges) is currently underway. Smith continues to examine ways to improve its dining, recycling and purchasing impacts as well.

Future Initiatives

Smith is moving forward with several “green” building projects. The Smith College Board of Trustees approved construction of a cogeneration plant in spring 2005, now in the design phase, that would cut college energy consumption significantly, and overall greenhouse gas emissions to well below Kyoto Protocol standards.  The design for the new Ada Comstock Scholar Housing Project received a 5+ star rating from Energy Star for its use of energy-efficient appliances, excellent insulation, and solar-powered hot water production. And finally, Smith’s new building for engineering and molecular sciences will be at the forefront of energy-efficient architecture. It is currently designed to meet LEED’s silver standard. Groundbreaking is scheduled for 2007.

http://www.smith.edu/physplant/greenteam/greenbuilding.php

Contact

Joanne McMullin Benkley
Coordinator, Environmental Science and Policy Program
413-585-3951 or jmcmulli@smith.edu