The State Building Commission has committed to the sustainability standards we advocated for in the new West Campus District plans. This outcome reflects a profound shift in how we prioritize our environmental future on campus. We must continue to watch these projects closely as they move toward construction to ensure …
April 6, 2024
Final supporters
We, the undersigned, eagerly support the UW-Madison’s goal of designing its West Campus District (see map) so that it significantly reduces the threat of climate change in both the immediate and longer-term future. We are confident that this sustainability-focused “innovation district” plan will attract climate-conscious tenants, students, and the public, thereby generating revenue needed to help this great university thrive. To that end, we ask leaders in the State Building Commission, UW System and UW-Madison to ensure that all new West Campus District infrastructure achieves or exceeds the UW-Madison's goal of "procuring 100% renewable electricity on campus by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2048 or sooner." Specific reasons for this request are listed below.
Green buildings attract tenants and generate revenue.
- The value of assets for building owners increases with implementation of sustainable infrastructure.
- Slightly higher initial building cost will rapidly be offset by lower building operation costs for decades to come.
- Tenants prefer sustainably designed buildings across the country; these buildings already are providing low operating costs (see p. 44), improvement of health, and increased productivity (see “Conclusion and Discussion”).
- Many major industries and other institutions are enhancing their reputations by going carbon neutral, even carbon negative.
A sustainability-focused WCDP (e.g., with net-zero buildings) will help boost UW-Madison's mixed reputation for leadership in sustainable campus infrastructure.
- A CapTimes article (08/22) that compared UW-Madison to 19 of its peer institutions found that it “ranked dead last,“ as defined by the university’s own STARS reporting.
- A UW System presentation, given 4/7/2022, points to UW System’s weak reputation for sustainability compared to midwestern peers and how it impacts competitiveness.
- Per an Inside Higher Education survey of international students, 85% of undergraduates consider sustainability a high priority in their college enrollment decisions.
Leadership in sustainability helps preserve a livable future for all.
In light of incontrovertible scientific findings about catastrophic climate change, provided in part by UW-Madison’s own researchers, we believe that UW System and UW-Madison have the moral and ethical responsibility, and the capacity, to ensure that the West Campus District will:
- Only construct buildings that meet “net-zero energy” standards;
- Establish transportation strategies that reduce single-occupancy vehicle emissions; and
- Restore the seriously degraded West Campus Lake Mendota shoreline.
We strongly support a “yes and” approach that synergizes financial success and climate mitigation for UW-Madison West Campus District Plan.
Updates
February 20, 2024
Reaching five hundred signatures marks a meaningful moment for our campus vision. It is encouraging to see this level of interest in building a sustainable future for the West Campus District.
Reached 500 supporters
February 18, 2024
Reached 100 supporters
November 16, 2023
November 13, 2023
The momentum building behind this proposal shows a genuine commitment to our university's future. Reaching our first hundred signatures will confirm that this vision has broad support before we present our case to the State Building Commission. Please consider directing others toward this goal so we can demonstrate the full scale of our resolve.
127 Comments
A university that proudly cites its connections to John Muir, Aldo Leopold, Gaylord Nelson and other pathbreaking conservationists not only should, but must make environmental sustainability a top priority.
A variety of UW-Madison faculty are global thought leaders on climate change issues. So definitely UW-Madison should lead by example in the design of its West Campus District, prioritizing high-value, low-carbon, climate resilient designs.
As a member of First Unitarian Society, which put on a Leed-certified/gold addition, I feel strongly that the west campus, which abuts our building, should be sustainably developed as well.
UW has the opportunity to create a model community of buildings designed to be all electric. The entire Wisconsin business community needs this example from our premier educational institution.
I was born and raised in this community and don’t want to deal with the air, soil and water degradation associated with a redevelopment project that is not offset with green building design and pavement that allows water to return to the ground.
Get that green going!
Preserving our future climate for those that come after us should be, especially as an institution set on educating our future Madisonian leaders.
Share this petition
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The State Building Commission has committed to the sustainability standards we advocated for in the new West Campus District plans. This outcome reflects a profound shift in how we prioritize our environmental future on campus. We must continue to watch these projects closely as they move toward construction to ensure …
April 6, 2024
Final supporters
We, the undersigned, eagerly support the UW-Madison’s goal of designing its West Campus District (see map) so that it significantly reduces the threat of climate change in both the immediate and longer-term future. We are confident that this sustainability-focused “innovation district” plan will attract climate-conscious tenants, students, and the public, thereby generating revenue needed to help this great university thrive. To that end, we ask leaders in the State Building Commission, UW System and UW-Madison to ensure that all new West Campus District infrastructure achieves or exceeds the UW-Madison's goal of "procuring 100% renewable electricity on campus by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2048 or sooner." Specific reasons for this request are listed below.
Green buildings attract tenants and generate revenue.
- The value of assets for building owners increases with implementation of sustainable infrastructure.
- Slightly higher initial building cost will rapidly be offset by lower building operation costs for decades to come.
- Tenants prefer sustainably designed buildings across the country; these buildings already are providing low operating costs (see p. 44), improvement of health, and increased productivity (see “Conclusion and Discussion”).
- Many major industries and other institutions are enhancing their reputations by going carbon neutral, even carbon negative.
A sustainability-focused WCDP (e.g., with net-zero buildings) will help boost UW-Madison's mixed reputation for leadership in sustainable campus infrastructure.
- A CapTimes article (08/22) that compared UW-Madison to 19 of its peer institutions found that it “ranked dead last,“ as defined by the university’s own STARS reporting.
- A UW System presentation, given 4/7/2022, points to UW System’s weak reputation for sustainability compared to midwestern peers and how it impacts competitiveness.
- Per an Inside Higher Education survey of international students, 85% of undergraduates consider sustainability a high priority in their college enrollment decisions.
Leadership in sustainability helps preserve a livable future for all.
In light of incontrovertible scientific findings about catastrophic climate change, provided in part by UW-Madison’s own researchers, we believe that UW System and UW-Madison have the moral and ethical responsibility, and the capacity, to ensure that the West Campus District will:
- Only construct buildings that meet “net-zero energy” standards;
- Establish transportation strategies that reduce single-occupancy vehicle emissions; and
- Restore the seriously degraded West Campus Lake Mendota shoreline.
We strongly support a “yes and” approach that synergizes financial success and climate mitigation for UW-Madison West Campus District Plan.
Updates
February 20, 2024
Reaching five hundred signatures marks a meaningful moment for our campus vision. It is encouraging to see this level of interest in building a sustainable future for the West Campus District.
Reached 500 supporters
February 18, 2024
Reached 100 supporters
November 16, 2023
November 13, 2023
The momentum building behind this proposal shows a genuine commitment to our university's future. Reaching our first hundred signatures will confirm that this vision has broad support before we present our case to the State Building Commission. Please consider directing others toward this goal so we can demonstrate the full scale of our resolve.
127 Comments
We need comprehensive sustainability plans that include all student voices, as equal stakeholders from the start of project development. Offering students the opportunity to provide feedback on plans already formed limits the scope of possibilities to university priorities and perspectives.
A university that proudly cites its connections to John Muir, Aldo Leopold, Gaylord Nelson and other pathbreaking conservationists not only should, but must make environmental sustainability a top priority.
A variety of UW-Madison faculty are global thought leaders on climate change issues. So definitely UW-Madison should lead by example in the design of its West Campus District, prioritizing high-value, low-carbon, climate resilient designs.
As a member of First Unitarian Society, which put on a Leed-certified/gold addition, I feel strongly that the west campus, which abuts our building, should be sustainably developed as well.
UW has the opportunity to create a model community of buildings designed to be all electric. The entire Wisconsin business community needs this example from our premier educational institution.
I was born and raised in this community and don’t want to deal with the air, soil and water degradation associated with a redevelopment project that is not offset with green building design and pavement that allows water to return to the ground.
Get that green going!
Preserving our future climate for those that come after us should be, especially as an institution set on educating our future Madisonian leaders.
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We need comprehensive sustainability plans that include all student voices, as equal stakeholders from the start of project development. Offering students the opportunity to provide feedback on plans already formed limits the scope of possibilities to university priorities and perspectives.