Designing Green
The Physical Environment at Penn
The Climate and Sustainability Action Plan 3.0 advances Penn’s holistic approach to a sustainable campus by addressing design, construction, and maintenance of our built environment. The focus is on reducing Penn’s ecological footprint by adopting best practices for renovations, new construction, and ecological landscapes. The implementation of the Ecological Landscape Stewardship Plan (ELSP) will build on landscape best practices and will articulate improved ecological design and management of landscape and open space across campus. The five-year goals also explore wellness-focused design and commit the University to focus on adaptation planning through peer institution benchmarking and exploration of campus resiliency strategies.
Campus Development
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PENN CONNECTS: A VISION FOR THE FUTUREThe Penn Connects plan, launched in 2006, was a blueprint for Penn’s land use, urban design, and campus development through 2011. The updated plan, Penn Connects 2.0, released in 2011, encompasses Penn’s short and long term planning initiatives through 2030, and builds upon the accomplishments of Phase I. This renewed vision explicitly references Penn’s sustainability agenda, and integrates environmental stewardship goals into Penn’s overall planning initiatives: “To employ University sustainability goals and objectives to inform future development. In particular, balance new construction with adaptive reuse opportunity.” |
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GREEN ROOFS ON CAMPUSPenn is exhibiting best practices in sustainability by installing green roofs on a number of buildings. By capturing rainwater and reducing it slowly over time, Penn's green roofs lessen the burden on the West Philadelphia sewer system, while providing several additional environmental benefits. Green roofs, or living landscapes, can be found on several building throughout campus.
Real Estate
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leed buildingsThe campus development plan, Penn Connects, recommends sustainable development for all new projects. Every new building and major renovation project currently under design is registered with the US Green Building Council, and is targeting LEED Silver rating or higher. (In addition to the list below, a number of projects have been submitted to USGBC and a decision is pending.) As of July 2018 University projects include: LEED Silver Buildings:
LEED Gold Buildings:
LEED Platinum Building
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SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGSWell built, durable lasting buildings are our most sustainable tradition: *Data is from Building America's First University: An Historical and Architectural Guide to the University of Pennsylvania 2000 by Penn's George E. Thomas, Lecturer of Historical Preservation and Urban Studies and David B. Brownlee, Professor and Chair, History of Art. Irvine Auditorium (pictured left) was dedicated with the Curtis Sesquicentennial Exposition Organ on May 9, 1929. The building's design was directed by the Horace Trumbauer firm, led by chief designer Julian Abele, the first African-American graduate of Penn's School of Architecture (1902). |
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ADAPTIVE RE-USE AND REINVESTMENTSustainability requires not only looking at present and future needs, but also drawing upon the lessons and resources from the past. Adaptive Reuse of buildings is now an important part of the sustainability movement. Examples of adaptive reuse on Penn’s Campus include:
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STORMWATER MASTER PLANIn 2013, Penn completed a comprehensive Stormwater Management Master Plan for the campus. The Plan included an assessment of all pervious, impervious, and landscaped surfaces on campus and provided an estimate of total stormwater generated within Penn’s 280-acre landscape. The plan provided site-specific examples of best practices for stormwater management, including cisterns, bioswales, rain gardens, green roofs, and permeable paving. The Master Plan also includes an Operations and Maintenance Manual for existing stormwater management systems on campus. |
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SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPINGBuilding on the experience of the Sustainable SITES Initiative at Shoemaker Green, sustainable landscape practices have been adopted for implementation across campus. These practices have had a number of significant impacts: reducing the amount of chemical fertilizers used on campus; eliminating the use of herbicides and pesticides except to treat spot outbreaks; adoption of new native species planting standards; and the reduced use of grass as a groundcover. Penn’s Urban Parks maintenance teams now treat campus meadows, grass, turf, and plants with “compost tea,” an all-natural amendment that improves soil and vegetation health and discourages weed growth and pest infestation. The compost tea is brewed on campus from compost and leaves and lawn clippings from campus. Surplus leaves and landscape waste are also mulched on campus, providing a landscape material used throughout Penn’s 280-acre landscape. Biological integrated pest control practices are also used in Penn Park and Shoemaker Green. In September 2013, staff, faculty and students joined the Penn Park maintenance team to release 30,000 ladybugs to control an aphid infestation on catalpa trees. Praying mantises have also been released on campus to help control damaging insects, further reducing the need for systemic pesticide application. |
