Contacts

Mark Maxwell
Assistant Project Manager
LEED® Accredited Professional
Physical Planning Design & Construction
mmaxwell@ucmerced.edu
(209) 228-4465

Thomas Lollini, FAIA
Associate Vice Chancellor - Physical Planning Design & Construction/Campus Architect
tlollini@ucmerced.edu

John Elliott
Campus Energy Manager, Facilities Management 
(209) 228-4124
jelliott2@ucmerced.edu

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Campus Climate Action Plan – 2009

Philosophy

In January 2002, Chancellor Tomlinson-Keasey set the stage for Environmental Leadership at UC Merced in her opening letter adopting the Long Range Development Plan for the campus. Noting the major goals for UC Merced, she stated that the University should “set the standards for sustainable use of energy and other scarce resources and to be a model of development in the great San Joaquin Valley.” The Environmental Stewardship Program is developing specific goals and policies to fulfill Chancellor Tomlinson-Keasey’s vision.

Sustainability refers to the physical development and institutional operating practices that meet the needs of present users without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, particularly with regard to use and waste of natural resources. Sustainable practices support ecological, human and economic health and vitality. Sustainability presumes that resources are finite and should be used conservatively and wisely with a view to long-term priorities and consequences of the ways in which resources are used.

Green Buildings & LEED
LEED-NC
LEED Silver Rating on all Buildings

It is practice at UC Merced to obtain at minimum a LEED Silver rating for its campus buildings. UC policy requires all Universities to achieve a LEED Silver Certification or the equivalent of LEED Silver baseline for all new construction. To insure that the campus will achieve its goal for each building, the Executive Design Professional Agreement and campus construction contracts include LEED Silver requirements with clear performance levels specified. The campus has a two tiered strategy for achieving LEED objectives. First, the campus has campus-wide site development & infrastructure credits that will apply to every project. Second, the campus develops a project specific strategy to achieve the remaining credits. The following is a list of prototype credits approved by the USGBC. Prototype credits help streamline the review process with the USGBC and saves the campus money.

Campus Wide Prototype Credits

• Erosion & Sediment Control
• Alternative Transportation, Public Transportation Access
• Alternative Transportation, Parking Capacity
• Reduce Site Disturbance, Development Footprint
• Storm Water Management, Rate & Quantity
• Storm Water Management, Treatment
• Light Pollution Reduction
• Water Efficient Landscaping
• Environmental Tobacco Smoke
• Innovation & Design, Building as a Teaching Tool
• Innovation & Design, Exemplary Performance Open Space
• LEED Accredited Professional, Mark Maxwell

The following list Building Specific Credits have been typical on all projects

• Heat Island Effect Reduction
• Water Efficient Landscaping Requirements
• Water Use Reduction
• Optimize Energy Performance
• Ozone Protection
• Storage & Collection of Recyclables
• Construction Waste Management
• Recycled Content
• Regional Materials
• Rapidly Renewable Materials
• Certified Wood
• Carbon Dioxide Monitoring
• Low-Emitting Materials
• Controllability of Systems
• Daylight and Views

Affiliations and Partners
Alliance to Save Energy - Green Campus Program
California Climate Action Registry
Member Institution - Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education
Member Institution - U. S. Green Building Council
California Student Sustainability Coalition