The University is making environmental responsibility a high priority in its current construction projects.Brandeis positions buildings to make use of natural light and collect rainwater underground. The buildings use recycled and recyclable materials, and Brandeis purchases materials locally, uses low VOC paint and adhesives during construction and uses dual-level lighting controls, according to vice president for capital projects dan Feldman.

Construction on the new Ridgewood residence hall and the Carl J. Shapiro Science Center is underway on campus, the Edmund J. Safra Center for the Arts is scheduled to begin construction later this semester and the University is scheduled to break ground on a new admissions building this summer. Feldman said environmentally responsible design is at the center of the process for capital projects on campus.

Brandeis is also in the process of hiring a coordinator to organize the efforts toward environmental sustainability, Feldman said. The coordinator will report to Bill Bushey, the University's energy manager, who reports to Mark Collins, Vice President for University Services.

The University's effort to create a greener campus through construction began with the Irving Schneider and Family Building, part of the Heller School for Social Policy and Management. The building, completed last September, was designed with large windows to make use of natural light, used a small amount of VOC paints and was built with durable materials such as recycled steel, according to the Office of Capital Projects.

Last month, University President Jehuda Reinharz joined 400 other schools by signing the American Colleges and University Climate Commitment petition, pledging to reduce the University's greenhouse gas emissions. The petition also calls for environmentally responsible construction.

The University will purchase 15 percent of its energy from renewable sources in the coming fiscal year, as part of a decision made by Peter French, Mark Collins and Bushey, Feldman said.

The University currently doesn't use any green, or environmentally friendly, energy but purchases energy off a national grid, Prof. Laura Goldin (AMST), associate director of the Environmental Studies Program, said. Goldin said some existing buildings on campus are so old that their structures inhibit environmental renovation. Many buildings on campus built in the 1960's and '70s aren't very energy efficient, Feldman said.

The University aims to upgrade the energy efficiency of existing buildings with new light bulbs, dimmer switches in classrooms and energy meters, Goldin said. Feldman said Brandeis also wants to bring residence halls up-to-date in energy conservation with dual-flush toilets and low-flow showerheads.

Environmentally responsible construction costs more at the outset but saves money over time because buildings last longer and save energy, Goldin said.

Some of the state-of-the-art strategies for trying to improve the energy performance of buildings can cost significantly more, Feldman said.

The construction of the new buildings will be a collaborative effort between management, the administration, the Office of Capital Projects, students and the Brandeis Environmental Sustainability Team, Goldin said.

Bushy said there will be some student involvement in the sustainability efforts.

"Everyone has to be an active participant [in working toward sustainability] if we're going to be successful," Bushey said.