My idea is to apply for a grant in order to fund research about the cost/benefit of green renovations to the residence halls. This is important because while the administration and trustees may think renovations are not in the budget, it could save money in the long term. This research would focus on assessing how long it would take for certain renovations to pay back themselves and be more cost-effective than just maintaining the current system. The main renovation that I think is important is a new heating system because that seems to be an area that generates a lot of unnecessary energy. If we could show the board concrete data supporting that renovations such as these will save the school money, they may be more likely to dedicate funds to such a project. This would benefit this school, the environment, and the students’ quality of life.
5 thoughts on “Green Fee Proposal”
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I think a grant to fund this research would be great. Just like Alexander Lynkins, our guest speaker in class, said, long-term fixes tend to be more beneficial and sustainable than short term fixes. I think renovating residence halls is a long-term fix since the project would be expensive and take time, but it is necessary to implement in order for students to live sustainably.
This would be an incredibly smart investment on Union’s part because, not only would it save the school money in the long run, but it would improve the building quality and efficient HVAC technology is cheaper to maintain if it is more updated. There is innovative technology that many buildings such as hospitals and hotels are researching and implementing because the benefits far outweigh the costs. Definitely worth the research!
I like your idea, and I do think it’s eventually a problem which the College is going to have to face. The question is whether to do so now or to wait until the future. I think research on this issue would obviously be beneficial to the College and the Board of Trustees, and would help to put the issue in perspective and stop us from merely kicking the can down the proverbial road.
I totally agree that the college should invest in making the residence halls more green. Even though Alex Lykins mentioned that this is a decision the board has been struggling with, it would definitely benefit the school financially in the long run. In addition to making the dorms more sustainable, certain changes would also tremendously improve the quality of living for the students.
I think this is a fantastic idea. This is great because you are providing incentive to help motivate students and faculty to conduct research that is extremely out-dated – and with your grant you will update it. Great idea and clever.