Sustainability at U.Va.

This Site

Student Organizations and Programs

ecoMOD

ecoMOD is a research and design / build / evaluate project at the School of Architecture that aims to create a series of ecological, modular and affordable house prototypes, working in partnership with the School of Engineering and Applied Science. An interdisciplinary group of architecture, engineering, landscape architecture, historic preservation, business, environmental science, planning and economics students are participating in the design, construction and evaluation phases of the project. John Quale is the Project Director, and Paxton Marshall is the Engineering Director.

Energy and Utilities

Facilities Management spearheads many outreach efforts and programs, including Chuck it for Charity, Earth Day, America Recycles Day, and involvement in Recyclemania.

Environmental Sciences Organization

The Environmental Sciences Organization is mainly geared toward connecting undergraduate majors and minors to the Environmental Sciences Department, but has members from many different disciplines of the University. Some activities include: peer advising about courses, seminars about the department and professions in the Environmental sciences, career and job search resources, the department barbeque, and hiking and other outdoor trips.

The Green Challenge

The Green Challenge is a partnership between students and U.Va. Sustainability. It started with an informal student potluck to plan Earth Week 2010. Watching the No Impact Man Documentary inspired a customization of the No Impact Challenge for students: lifestyle changes spread out over a whole year instead of the suggested week.

Green Dining Group

Comprised of anyone in the University community, particularly Dining administrators and students, the Green Dining Group seeks to promote sustainable dining practices which foster the health of the environment in which we live, produce, and consume our food.  Green Dining has existed in some form since the fall of 2005.  It has been in its current meeting format since 2008, and currently meets bi-weekly at 1 p.m. in the Garden Room in West Range’s historic Hotel E. Contact Kendall Singleton for more information or visit Dining's Calendar.

Green Grounds Group

The Green Grounds Group is dedicated to educating and advocating for sustainable planning, design, implementation and operations, holding the belief that sustainable practices should and can be a part of the U.Va. growth strategy. It was formed in 2004 by planning and architecture students to address green design at the University. The group sponsors projects that encompass a range of sustainable design ideas from green roofs to energy use to transportation, such as the Smart Transportation Map, and works with a diverse set of University and community members. The 2010-11 Executive Director is Carla Jones.

Net Impact

The Darden School of Business hosts the local chapter of Net Impact. Net Impact is a global organization that is dedicated to using the power of business to positively impact social, environmental, and economic concerns across the world. With over 120 chapters at top business schools, Net Impact seeks to spread knowledge of social and environmental sustainability, ethics, and values-based leadership to graduate students and professionals. 

Ride Forward

RideForward is an interdisciplinary project initiated in 2008 at UVa to research, design and build alternative energy vehicles. Run by students under the guidance of professor Jim Durand, this innovative program aims to investigate the longterm impact of electric vehicles on the grid, the capability of photovoltaics for recharging, and the transportation needs of communities like universities and the greater Charlottesville area.

SIFE

Volunteers are selected for every first-year residence and some upper-class residences. Volunteers are chosen by an application process during the first few weeks of the school year. Student in Free Enterprise (SIFE) is a non-profit collegiate organization aiming at connecting and empowering leaders in business and universities to create a more sustainable world through the positive power of business. More than 1500 universities in in over 40 countries have established SIFE teams. SIFE challenges college and university students to take the knowledge they are learning in the classroom and educate members of their community about market economics, success skills, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, environmental sustainability and business ethics. Through projects, students gain valuable leadership, teamwork and communication skills. Every academic year, global business competition called SIFE World Cup. SIFE teams from all over the world come together to compete with their outreach projects. You can also find diverse opportunities in different levels of training programs, competitions, expos and grants.

Sofa Shuffle

The Sofa Shuffle, the University of Virginia's Off-Grounds Furniture Donation Drive, enables students to put their unwanted furniture, appliances and clothing to good use by donating it to local charities. Collection sites set up after Final Exercises serve as drop-off locations for unwanted items that are donated to the Salvation Army and The Habitat Store. The 2010 Sofa Shuffle successfully diverted hundreds of items from area landfills – repurposing those items for use here in our community.

Student Council Environmental Sustainability Committee

The Student Council Environmental Sustainability Committee was established as a part of the Environmental Initiatives Committee and is responsible for advising the Council regarding environmental issues affecting the University, as well as the sustainability of the University’s environmental practices.

Student Environmental Action

The Student Environmental Action is a CIO anyone can join that is committed to promoting environmental sustainability and social and environmental justice locally and globally.  Recently, efforts have been made to raise awareness regarding combating mountaintop removal, promoting sustainable energy, and in general engaging students and the Charlottesville community, and coordinating with peer institutions. Rachel Baker and Luis Oyola are the club’s co-facilitators.

The Sustainability Advocacy Program

The purpose of the program is to spread conservation and recycling tips and news to students, and provide events each semester for students to participate in and learn more about sustainability and how to be more sustainable in the way they live here at U.Va. and beyond.