Accomplishments

Buildings/Grounds

  • Humanities & Arts Building (under construction) expected to be minimum LEED Gold
  • The ELLC Building is LEED Gold Certified as of fall 2022.  
  • The LEED Platinum certified Center for Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Nursing was completed in April 2017 and received LEED platinum in March 2019. See the sustainable features of the building.
  • A green plaza referred to as the Student Center Quad was developed in place of the old Crawford Science Building.
  • Student Center achieved LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certification in spring 2014, the first campus building to receive such certification and the first Student Union/center with such certification among all HBCUs. 
  • The Student Center features: a green roof and water gardens, a trayless cafeteria, and other energy saving measures.
  • The BSU football field was upgraded from natural grass to artificial turf, thereby saving in the cost of constant watering.
  • Close to 50 BSU volunteers planted a campus fruit tree orchard of 25 apple and pear trees donated by the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation as part of a collaboration with Vitafusion to plant 200k fruit trees worldwide by 2020. The trees were planted on the tract of land between Lot L and Loop Road (near the Student Center).

Energy Efficiency

  • First solar street light installed at Peace Park area in fall 2022
  • Completion of a Carbon Footprint Inventory of the campus to help BSU gauge the amount of carbon emission it produces and uses this yearly inventory to assist in alleviating carbon emissions throughout campus
  • Energy dashboards installed in Student Center and CNMSMN. See real time data here. 
  • University has retrofitted most water fountains on campus for bottle usage
  • BSU has a multi-year energy performance contract with Johnson Controls.

Transportation

  • BSU Bikeshare program created to cut down on campus vehicular traffic and provide a healthy means of recreational enjoyment
  • University added fuel efficient multi-passenger vehicles to existing fleet of hybrid and electric vehicles
  • Electric vehicle charging stations are located in Parking Lots G,H, S, and K

Recycling

  • 2022 recipient of Prince George’s County Waste Diversion and Recycling Award
  • Recycle bins were added to lobbies of all academic buildings
  • Students participate in yearly Recyclemania national college competition.
  • Annual Shred Day events to securely destroy paper documents and the paper is recycled.
  • Implemented an university wide ink cartridge/toner recycle program.

Solar

  • BSU hosts the installation of the world’s first solar charging bus station called the SolGreen® Casini™ Power Hub located on campus between MLK and CBGS buildings
  • The University has installed a large-scale solar panel system with the help of WGL Energy which includes 4 site locations expected to generate 2 million kWh of electricity per year or roughly 10 % of the campus needs.
  • BSU has also worked with General Electric utility company to install additional solar panels on the rooftops of the Student Center and FPAC buildings which may add roughly 2% of the campus needs. The usage can be monitored on the solar energy dashboards.
  • Parking Lot I includes a large scale solar canopy that will account for about 7% of the campus energy needs.
  • University purchased Solar energy Smart Tables in various locations across campus for charging electronic devices using 100% solar energy.
  • A solar heating system was installed in the school’s swimming pool.
  • Four Big Belly solar trash compactors & recycle units operating from 100% solar energy which condenses trash near capacity and alerts grounds staff when near full to save gas on unnecessary trips to empty them.
  • See more about BSU solar projects here: https://bowiestate.edu/about/sustainability/solar-projects/index.php

Students/Events

  • Campus hosts an annual Climate Career Expo
  • Undergraduate students elected to implement a yearly sustainability fee in 2012. Learn more about the Green Fund.
  • Graduate students agreed to add a yearly sustainability fee in 2013.
  • BSU established an Earth Week Program with various green & sustainable events throughout the Earth Day week.
  • BSU created annual ‘Earth Day’ Poetry Slam
  • Student Green Ambassador group was created to work with C4 in its efforts.
  • Campus hosts an Annual Food Day Symposium in conjunction with EPA and/or county agencies
  • Students have access to Sustainability Libguide, an online library resource for sustainability

Other Notable Accomplishments & Recognition (2014-present)

  • HBCU Green Report 2014 listing BSU
  • President signs White House Act on Climate Pledge (2015)
  • President signs the Climate Leadership Commitment (2016)
  • A host institution for the 2016 AASHE Conference (Baltimore MD)
  • BSU Students assisted in collecting data for a major local climate study & survey (2016 - pdf)
  • President signs Second Nature letter to Biden administration urging major reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 (2021).
  • Coordinator is appointed by Secretary of the Environment to co-chair of ECO Workgroup of the Maryland Commission on Climate Change
  • 2022 recipient of Prince George’s County Waste Diversion and Recycling Award
  • Bowie State receives the 2023 Community Champion award for the ELLC Building by the U.S Green Building Council Maryland Community Leadership Award Council
  • Coordinator received the Visionary Award from the Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition (October 2023)
  • Coordinator received the Individual Climate Leadership Award from the Climate Registry Organization (May 2024)
  • BSU becomes a Tree Campus Designated campus in spring 2023 and spring 2024

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