Historical Timeline

UW-River Falls has had a long history of leadership on sustainability-based initiatives among all campuses in the UW System and across the Upper Midwest. From the early days of the conservation major in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, to the Climate Action Plan and the Sustainable Campus Community Plan, to the emerging green business curriculum in the College of Business and Economics, we have much to be proud of and to build upon for the sake of our students, stakeholders, and communities from local to global.

2020

 

2019

 

 

 

2018

• Received STARS® Gold rating from AASHE

2015

• Held 5th Sustainability Curriculum Workshop, renamed as "The Kinnickinnick Project" UWRF Faculty present Kinnickinnick Project assessment research at AASHE in Minneapolis.
• Lighting retrofit project in Wyman Education Building
• LED lighting conversion project for South Hall
• MetaSys Control replacement project to optimize Hvac control in the University Center.
• Connection of North Hall to the central chilled water plant. Replaces an energy inefficient, 40 year old air conditioning unit
• Ionized water cleaning system implemented in academic buildings.
• Ag Sci 331 green wall installed
• Kleinpell Fine Arts window replacement project.
• Green cleaning policy implemented for academic buildings.
• Hvac optimization project through centralized room reservation software

2014

• Held 4th Sustainability Curriculum Workshop.
• Received STARS® Silver Rating from AASHE
• MAMAC energy monitoring systems installed in Grimm and McMillan Halls 
• Falcon Center Phase 1 project includes LED site lighting
• LED lighting conversion project for South Hall
• UWRF tops list of "System" universities for energy efficiency 
• MetaSys Control replacement project to optimize Hvac control in the University Center.
• Delamping projects in Rodli, Chalmer Davee library, Hagestad
• Ionized water cleaning system implemented in residence life.
• Falcon Center retention/detention basins created. 
• LED light installation in Wyman Education Building and South Hall stairwells

2013

• Held 3rd Sustainability Curriculum Workshop.
• Received STARS® Silver Rating from AASHE
• Hagestad Active learning classroom:  reutilization of previously unused space 
• Installed 14.8 KW capacity of Photovoltaic Panels 
• UWRF tops list of "System" universities for energy efficiency
• Delamping projects in Rodli, Chalmer Davee library, Hagestad
• Monthly surplus sales and regular online auctions begin.

2012

• Received STARS® Silver Rating from AASHE
• Passed Sustainability Proclamation with City and School District
• Co-hosted regional food hub workshop
• Developed definitions of Sustainability and Sustainability Research for campus
• Second solar panel installed on RDI building
• Held second "Sustainability in the Curriculum" workshop for faculty
• Rain gardens installed around South Fork Suites
• Completed drafts of Climate Action Plan and Sustainable Campus~Community Plan
• Received LEED gold in Jesse H. Ames Suites (opened in 2012) 
• Installation of 16 – 4'x10' solar thermal panels for domestic water heating in Jesse H. Ames Suites
• New Campus Data Center incorporates free winter cooling with hot aisle/in row cooling design 
• Cascade Ave and Q lot lighting, includes LED light street and parking lot fixtures.
• UWRF tops list of "System" universities for energy efficiency
• Delamping projects in Rodli, Chalmer Davee library, Hagestad
• McMillan and Parker residence hall mirror light replacements

2011

• Three new SCISCD Fellows working on campus and community projects
• Hosted first regional faculty leadership in sustainability workshop
• Earth Week activities held
• Hosted campus faculty workshop: "Sustainability Across the Curriculum"
• Thermal solar panel installed on RDI building
• UWRF tops list of "System" universities for energy efficiency
• LEED Silver certified construction began on new residence hall
• Sustainability Working Group moved from ad hoc to university committee status
• UWRF tops list of "System" universities for energy efficiency

2010

• Hosted Institutional Food Market informational meeting at RF Public Library
• Hosted Upper Midwest Association for Campus Sustainability (UMACS) Biennial Conference
• Student participation in national Recyclemania contest
• Rain Barrel installed
• Earth Day events held
• First students enrolled in SCISCD Fellows Program
• Held SWG workshop for completion of campus sustainability plans
• Draft of Climate Action Plan
• Draft of Sustainable Campus~Community Plan
• iRock Living Learning Community begins in May Hall
• Wind energy feasibility study launched
• UWRF receives A- on Green Report Card
• Steam distribution optimization, replaced poorly insulated sections of steam distribution piping.
• High Bay lighting retrofit project in Hunt

2009

• Student participation in national Recyclemania contest
• Switch to compostable food service items
• Earth Day/Week events held around campus\
• Held first Local Food Fair
• Rain Garden designed and installed by students
• Purchased electric vehicle for campus mail delivery
• University Center receives a Facility Design Award of Excellence
• Offered online Bachelor of Science degree in Sustainable Management
• Held Comprehensive Campus Sustainability Plan workshop
• Campus Solar Site Assessment
• Hosted regional Campus Climate Action Plan workshop
• Completion of ACUPCC carbon footprint inventory
• Campus reaches 15% energy reduction goal set by State
• Launch of Green Careers Corner on Career Services Website
• Events and programs held for Campus Sustainability Day
• Students participated in 350.org International Day of Action
• Chancellor charged SWG to create CAP and SCCP
• High Bay lighting retrofit project in Knowles

2008

• Participant in the pilot phase of STARS, a rating system for sustainability in higher education developed by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)
• Campus-Wide Energy Education Campaign
• Focus the Nation events
• Coordinated a hospitality and tourism industry luncheon held in Stillwater, MN to expand ongoing sustainability discussions in the St. Croix valley
• Student participation in national Recyclemania contest
• Hosted Synergy Green Communities Conference
• Received grant for pilot project for the UW System for composting food waste
• Launch of SCISCD website
• Presented SCUP Campus Sustainability Day webcast
• Facilitated and supported formation of the Western Wisconsin Initiative for Sustainable Communities (WWISC)
• First biomass test in campus heating plant
• Switch to trayless food service in UC
• UWRF reps assist in RFMU in forming community-wide Powerful Choices group
• Replacement ceiling panels in KFA building made with recycled materials
• Completion of AASHE STARS Pilot Program
• Construction of state-of-the-art Dairy Learning Center with environmentally friendly bedding and composting system
• New chillers installed to increase AC efficiency
• Purchase of electric vehicle for Student Affairs/UC
• Switch to Envirox “green” chemical cleaning products
• First issue of “Green Living Newsletter” by Res. Life

2007

• University Center opens
• Strategic plan lists sustainability goal and associated tasks
• Founded the St. Croix Institute for Sustainable Community Development
• Chancellor signs ACUPCC
• Received grant from the USDA for a sustainable agriculture project
• First student participation in national Recyclemania contest
• Seat on board of the Western Wisconsin Intergovernmental Collaborative
• Formation of Sustainability Working Group made up of faculty, staff and students to accomplish tasks of sustainability goal
• Green kiosk opens in UC (WPPI and UC funds)
• West Central Wisconsin Community Action Agency Inc. (West CAP) sought the university's expertise to capitalize on the region's wealth—from gasification, ethanol production and construction materials to alternative home-heating fuels
• Ag. Engineering students and faculty convert food service waste vegetable oil to biodiesel for use in campus vehicles

2006

• Governor James Doyle targets UWRF campus to go “off the grid by 2012”
• Signed an agreement with Wisconsin Public Power, Inc., and River Falls Municipal Utilities to purchase “green blocks” of energy
• Energy conservation programs for students
• CAFES offers sustainable agriculture option within crops & soils major and Masters in SCD
• Campus Sustainability Council formed
• Dairy manure composting project begun

2004

• Collaboration with The Phipps Center for the Arts for formation of a series of lectures and discussions that morphed into an expansive debate on the qualities that comprise a sustainable community

2001

• Students make presentation on the benefits of sustainable architectural design which balances social, environmental and economic issues.

1999

• Campus-wide comprehensive environmental audit (first in UW System)
• Second Performance Contract for electrical and water efficiency

1995

• Student Voice printed with soy ink and recycled paper

1989

• All paper purchased for copy machines has high post-consumer recycled content
• Began purchasing remanufactured laser toner printer cartridges

1990

• Dairy manure compost project started

1988

• First Performance Contract for energy efficiency
• Social Ecology course (now Environmental Sociology) added to Sociology curriculum

1975

• Energy efficiency monitoring (ongoing)

1970

• New academic majors in Conservation, Land Use Planning, and Parks & Recreation
• First Earth Day activities
• All paper purchased for copy machines has high post-consumer recycled content
• Began purchasing remanufactured laser toner printer cartridges