Thoreau Foundation Supports Williams Program
WILLIAMSTOWN — The Henry David Thoreau Foundation has awarded a $24,800 grant for building environmental leadership skills among students at Williams College.The proposal, "Using the Study of Green Building Practices at Williams College to Educate Environmental Leaders for Tomorrow," was presented by the college's Center for Environmental Studies and the Zilkha Center for Environmental Initiatives.
The CES and the Zilkha Center will jointly supervise this pilot program, slated for implementation in 2008-09. The aim of the program is to develop knowledge of sustainable building practices and create opportunities for collaboration of 10 students with Williams faculty, staff, architects and engineers. The Thoreau Foundation grant will cover a range of expenditures, including those related to a semesterlong symposium, visits to green building sites, and conferences.
Those chosen as Thoreau Fellows will develop an understanding of green building practices. They will be expected to apply this framework to the development and operations of selected buildings on campus.
In the fall 2008, the initiative will focus on the Green Building Symposium, an ongoing symposium designed to explore the main concepts of sustainable design through presentations and dialogues led by a range of experts. Thoreau Fellows will also attend GreenBuild, an international conference sponsored by the U.S. Green Building Council, and conduct on-site studies of buildings on campus and green architecture in the local area. At the end of the semester, they will present what they have learned in a seminar for the student body.
During Winter Study 2009, the Thoreau Fellows will enroll in "Green Design Workshop and LEED Certification Course." In addition, each fellow will be required to submit a proposal for a project involving new construction, renovation or operations at Williams.
Thoreau Fellows will continue working on their projects during the spring and summer, presenting their recommendations to mentors and the appropriate committees. In addition to building a working knowledge of green building practices and engaging with the faculty, staff and other experts, Fellows will regularly share their findings with other students and the community.
The project will be directed by an interdisciplinary team, helmed by Stephanie Boyd, acting director of the Zilkha Center, and Sarah Gardner, associate director of the CES and lecturer in environmental studies.
The Zilkha Center was founded last fall with a $5 million alumni donation to achieve the college's sustainability goals. The CES, established in 1976, coordinates academic programs in environmental studies and manages the Hopkins Memorial Forest.
