Welcome to Malama Honua
Malama Honua (“Caring for Earth” in Hawaiian) is UH Mānoa's online meeting place and forum for issues related to Sustainability.
Hawai‘i must become national leader in sustainability
By Virginia S. Hinshaw and Stephen E. Meder
Hawai‘i must lead the way in sustainability and the reasons are many. Hawai‘i is more dependent on electricity generated by fossil fuel than any other state in the nation. We have the highest cost of electricity in the country. We are dependent on a fuel that is dwindling in supply, escalating in cost and requiring transportation over long distances. In essence, our reliance on fossil fuel undermines the local economy, threatens the environment and harms the health of the planet—conditions that create an unacceptable liability for the people of Hawai‘i and all humankind.
We must change. The need is great and the time is now.
In response, the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa has committed—through research, teaching, building design and campus operations—to turn the tide of fossil fuel dependence to clean energy independence for Hawai‘i in the 21st Century.
Energy costs have hit UH Mānoa especially hard. Our 300-acre campus, including facilities on other islands, represents 6 million square feet of occupied buildings. According to HECO, all 10 campuses within the UH system, of which Mānoa is the largest, ranks second only to the U.S. Department of Defense in energy consumption.
The cost of that energy is climbing precariously and unpredictably, to the point that Mānoa is now paying over $23 million annually for electricity.
Several years ago, the campus adopted the ambitious goal of cutting energy use by 30% by the year 2012—a goal that we are on target to achieve. We want to further reduce energy use 50% by 2015; convert to 25% renewable energy sources by 2020; and become energy, water and waste independent by 2050.
These goals are compelling for several reasons. We are motivated to optimize every taxpayer dollar that comes to our campus. Additionally, as the leading research university in the Pacific region, we have an obligation and opportunity to create models of sustainability in our buildings, curricula and overall campus operations that can be replicated by others. These goals are becoming institutionalized by our policies, advanced by our research and embraced by our campus ‘ohana of students, faculty and staff.
We were one of the first campuses in the country to set and achieve goals like this. This is why we were invited last month to attend a White House ceremony led by President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton, who announced their commitment to such energy reduction initiatives at the national level. We join a small, but growing, group of selected leaders to advance energy efficiency and renewable energy strategies in both public and private building sector.
As part of the White House Better Buildings Challenge, Presidents Obama and Clinton endorsed nationwide efforts such as UH Mānoa’s goal of renovating our half-century-old Kuykendall Hall into the first zero net energy (non-fossil fuel dependent) retrofitted building in the State of Hawaiʻi.
This exciting initiative cuts energy use, while also creating green job training and employment opportunities in Hawaiʻi. Design work on the Kuykendall Hall renovation, as one of only three national models of net zero energy usage, was performed by experts chosen by the U.S. Department of Energy.
To make the greatest impact, UH Mānoa must continue to transform from energy user to energy generator. We’ve begun by installing photovoltaic panels on the roof of Sinclair Library in 2011 and are pursuing solar energy generation on Coconut Island. Our next plan is to invest $35 million in additional solar rooftop systems on campus that would generate renewable energy representing 10-15 percent of our campus electricity needs.
We have also embarked on a campus-wide lighting retrofit to replace old incandescent fixtures with more high-quality, low-energy lighting and are undertaking a number of other aggressive energy conserving and energy efficiency projects that will reduce our costs. These campus programs support the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative and other State sustainability objectives.
Accomplishing our goals is a team effort requiring sustained commitment by campus and community partners—particularly the State Legislature—to continue this momentum toward greenhouse gas reduction and energy independence for the university and State. By working together, we will light the way toward energy solutions for our Islands.
Virginia S. Hinshaw is Chancellor of UH Mānoa. Stephen E. Meder is Assistant Vice Chancellor for Physical Environment and Long Range Planning at UH Mānoa.
UH Manoa Charter of Sustainability
Sustainability Projects and Events at UH Mānoa
Manoa Students have put together this presentation to give the campus community a better idea of what UH Manoa is doing to become a more sustainable, environmentally responsible campus.
UHM Semester of Sustainability Kick-Off Event--Spring 2012
Tuesday, January 17th, 2012
11:30 - 2:00pm
Manoa Campus Center Ballroom
CAPT. CHARLIE MOORE, DISCOVERER OF THE NORTH PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH,
TO SPEAK AT SUSTAINABILITY KICK-OFF AT UH-MANOA
See event flyer here.
A coalition of sustainability and environmental groups will converge at the University of Hawaii-Manoa's Campus Center Ballroom on Tue., Jan. 17, from 11:30-2:00, to launch the Semester of Sustainability Kick-Off. The keynote speaker will be Captain Charles Moore, the founder of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation who discovered the North Pacific Garbage Patch. Moore will be talking about his new book Plastic Ocean and his research about the growing amount of plastic marine pollution in the Garbage Patch and the world's oceans.
Sustainable UH is hosting the event in conjunction with the KYA Sustainability Studio, the Surfrider Foundation, the UHM Sustainability Corps, the Kokua Hawaii Foundation and the Ecology Club.These and other organizations are coordinating to develop partnerships, recruit members, and share upcoming activities, projects and campaigns. Students and members of the community will learn about the rich history of - and new plans for - sustainability initiatives from UHM students, faculty, and administration.
Building on Capt. Moore's talk about marine plastic pollution, the coalition will announce a new initiative to join the Rise Above Plastics (RAP) Campaign and make UHM a plastic-free campus. The RAP Campaign is working to pass a statewide bill to reduce single-use plastic and paper bags.
CONTACT:
Nicole Ferguson, Sustainable UH, (808) 388-3809, nrf@hawaii.edu
UH Manoa works with Hawaiian vendor to help reduce plastic bottle use on campus
FloWater will shortly be arriving on campus to provide students, staff, and faculty with a filtered water bottle refill option in an effort to discourage plastic water bottle use. The short video below gives an overview of why we are doing this and how you can help.
UH Mānoa Campus deemed to be among the greenest university campuses in North America
April 21, 2011
UH Mānoa is one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in the U.S. and Canada, according to The Princeton Review. The well-known education services company selected UH Mānoa for inclusion in the just-released second annual edition of “The Princeton Review’s Guide to 311 Green Colleges: 2011 Edition.”
UH Mānoa joins the ranks of outstanding universities and colleges that are leading the “green” movement through special programs and initiatives. Says the guide about the flagship campus in the University of Hawai‘i system, “Students, faculty, and staff at this environmental research powerhouse are saying goodbye to energy waste, climate change, and greenhouse gases, and hello to a future as a leader in Asia-Pacific sustainability.”
Some of UH Mānoa’s green highlights include the creation of a Mānoa Sustainability Corps, whose members meet regularly to oversee green initiatives on campus, and the implementation of Mānoa Green Days to reduce energy use in buildings. Students also actively participate in the Help Us Bridge (HUB) group, which is working to establish the University as a world leader in sustainable research, practices and education. A major effort is a commitment to reduce energy use at Mānoa by 30 percent by 2012.
Said Chancellor Virginia S. Hinshaw, “This honor recognizes the successful campus-wide collaboration developed among UH Mānoa students, faculty and staff to reduce our energy usage. UH Mānoa takes its leadership role in sustainability research, education and practices very seriously because environmental health tremendously affects Hawai‘i and the rest of the world.”
Created by The Princeton Review in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), “The Princeton Review’s Guide to 311 Green Colleges” is the only free, comprehensive guidebook profiling institutions of higher education that demonstrate a notable commitment to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation. Schools were selected for inclusion based on a survey of hundreds of college administrators, who were polled in 2010 about sustainability initiatives.
The free guide may be downloaded at www.princetonreview.com/green-guide.aspx and www.centerforgreenschools.org/greenguide.
UHM Sustainability Corps
UH Mānoa Sustainability Corps is a forum for all of us to share data, ideas, suggestions, and to propose projects and programs so that we can not only achieve our goals toward reducing Green House Gas emissions, but place UH Mānoa at the leading edge in Hawaii and in the world in this effort. The monthly UHM Sustainability Corps meeting is an opportunity to meet other faculty, staff, students, and community members interested in sustainability projects and research. Click here to learn more about the Manoa Sustainability Corps.
University of Hawai‘i offers free e-waste disposal
In October, the University of Hawai'i hosted the Education & Government eWaste Disposal Days, an electronic recycling event to provide a 3-day opportunity for free earth-friendly disposal of computers and other unwanted electronics by the university. Click here to learn more about 2010 facts and statistics.
GSO Campus Greening Initiative
The Graduate Student Organization of the University of Hawai`i Mānoa campus created the Campus Greening program in order to move the campus towards more sustainable environmental practices. The Campus Greening program will fund projects lead by GSO members that will make the campus “greener” and more sustainable. This document explains the program, and how to apply for funds.
Upcoming Courses with Sustainable Themes:
Featuring UHM Program and Courses, Paid Internships, Employers, and Resources related to Sustainability.
News
- Shop class saves energy: article by Mary Belsey Priebe
Innovating thinking for saving energy at British Columbia School
- MEPA update Report on some massive energy savings potential
Take a look at just how much energy we can save with delamping
- LEED Certification: The John A. Burns School of Medicine’s Kaka‘ako complex has received national recognition as an environmentally responsible and healthy place to learn and work
- Solar Saunders unveils Photovoltaic testbed
- Shidler School of Business: Watch how they put the sun to work.
- Noel Kent interview (PDF)
When Noel Kent, professor of Ethic Studies was asked why he stepped up to the plate and became the building coordinator of George Hall for the Manoa Green Days Initiative...
- Mānoa Energy Performance Assesment (MEPA) Report (PDF)
MEPA Performs lighting audits across campus.
- Fiscal Year 2009 Electricity Usage Reductions Exceed Targets
Assistant Vice Chancellor Hafner reports on our energy trend
