CCURB will fund student projects to cut carbon emissions
Taryn Martinez
Issue date: 11/30/07 Section: Campus News
President Ruth Simmons and the Sidney E. Frank Foundation committed $350,000 last month to reducing carbon emissions at Brown and in the Providence community. Now, students and administrators are brainstorming how to put the money to work.
First recommended by the Energy and Environmental Advisory Committee, the Community Carbon Use Reduction @ Brown, or CCURB, program will primarily allocate funds to student-led projects, said Vice President for Finance and Administration Beppie Huidekoper. But instead of focusing on efforts at Brown, CCURB will concentrate on reducing emissions in Providence while helping to meet the city's needs. Brown students, faculty and staff and community and civic groups will work together on the projects that are eventually approved.
The University has already avoided 37,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions through on-campus initiatives and recently received an Excellence in Energy Efficiency Award from National Grid, Huidekoper said. CCURB is "intended to complement the work that Facilities Management is doing on campus" to reduce Brown's carbon footprint, said Kurt Teichert, Environmental Stewardship Initiatives manager.
A committee of 12 administrators, students and faculty, chaired by Huidekoper, will develop a proposal review process for potential CCURB projects. To introduce the effort and proposal submission guidelines, the committee held an information session on Wednesday night that drew more than 30 students. Those spearheading the initial CCURB committee - such as Huidekoper, Teichert and Undergraduate Council of Students President Michael Glassman '09 - emphasized the need for projects that demonstrably reduce carbon emissions in the greater community.
All Brown community members are eligible to submit proposals, but at least $200,000 will be used to fund student projects. To spur discussion, Glassman said the committee might consider proposals to distribute compact fluorescent lamps to a low-income neighborhood, start educational initiatives with public school partners or work with Providence public transportation. Proposals can request a maximum of $100,000 and a minimum of $5,000. Funding will be managed by the Office of the Vice President for Research, Teichert said.
First recommended by the Energy and Environmental Advisory Committee, the Community Carbon Use Reduction @ Brown, or CCURB, program will primarily allocate funds to student-led projects, said Vice President for Finance and Administration Beppie Huidekoper. But instead of focusing on efforts at Brown, CCURB will concentrate on reducing emissions in Providence while helping to meet the city's needs. Brown students, faculty and staff and community and civic groups will work together on the projects that are eventually approved.
The University has already avoided 37,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions through on-campus initiatives and recently received an Excellence in Energy Efficiency Award from National Grid, Huidekoper said. CCURB is "intended to complement the work that Facilities Management is doing on campus" to reduce Brown's carbon footprint, said Kurt Teichert, Environmental Stewardship Initiatives manager.
A committee of 12 administrators, students and faculty, chaired by Huidekoper, will develop a proposal review process for potential CCURB projects. To introduce the effort and proposal submission guidelines, the committee held an information session on Wednesday night that drew more than 30 students. Those spearheading the initial CCURB committee - such as Huidekoper, Teichert and Undergraduate Council of Students President Michael Glassman '09 - emphasized the need for projects that demonstrably reduce carbon emissions in the greater community.
All Brown community members are eligible to submit proposals, but at least $200,000 will be used to fund student projects. To spur discussion, Glassman said the committee might consider proposals to distribute compact fluorescent lamps to a low-income neighborhood, start educational initiatives with public school partners or work with Providence public transportation. Proposals can request a maximum of $100,000 and a minimum of $5,000. Funding will be managed by the Office of the Vice President for Research, Teichert said.