Georgia Institute of Technology

The University System of Georgia has approved a new PhD degree with a major in Building Construction at Georgia Tech, the first such offering in the nation. Housed within the College of Architecture and the School of Building Construction, the program is now accepting applications for fall 2012 admission.

The Georgia Institute of Technology is joining 32 other leading institutions today to launch the Billion Dollar Green Challenge. The goal is to invest a cumulative total of one billion dollars in self-managed, green revolving funds that finance energy-efficiency upgrades on campus.

Public Policy’s Marilyn Brown and Doug Noonan are Co-PIs on a Georgia Tech team that has been awarded a 5-year, $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The project will establish at Georgia Tech one of the nation’s first truly, interdisciplinary PhD program in energy science, technology, and policy.

By Georgia Wang, Contributing Writer, The Technique

Sometimes life moves so fast that it’s easy to forget the consequences of our actions. The most convenient or affordable choice may not always be the most sustainable choice. However, there are lots of little things you can do to make a big difference. These small changes not only benefit the earth, but can benefit you as well. Here are some easy tips and tricks to help you go green without slowing you down.

Use Reusable Shopping Bags

By Ben Goldberg, Contributing Writer, The Technique

Promoting “green” lifestyles may be difficult alone, but there are also ways to connect with Tech students who share the passion of keeping Earth healthy in a fun and creative way.

Students Organizing for Sustainability, or SOS, was founded seven years ago as a tool for students to get informed and active with environmental advocacy projects on campus.

Students in Georgia Tech’s School of Architecture won second place overall and first place in the creativity, presentation and coordination categories in “Building the Tower of Babylon: What on Earth is Sustainability,” an international competition held by the Global Alliance of Technological Universities (GlobalTech).

Seven participating teams, from architecture universities in China, India, Singapore, Switzerland and the United States, constructed a tower using only local materials to create a symbol of sustainability for their region, country, city and university.

Each day, many students cross the Fifth Street Bridge not thinking much of the downtown connector that exhales exhaust below; but a few are working to electrify the cars that pass beneath.

In a competition hosted by the City of Atlanta and Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, a team of Georgia Tech students earned first prize and a monetary award for proposing a system for electric vehicle adoption in Atlanta.

Shutting off the lights when leaving a room and using more energy-efficient light bulbs are easy, but effective, ways to improve energy efficiency — especially at Tech.   

“One of our goals was to ensure that lights in campus common areas weren’t on unless the room was occupied,” said Michael Leasure, assistant director of energy conservation. “But the solution wasn’t as simple as someone flipping a switch, even though the end result involves even less thought than turning off a light switch.”

Though it may not be as iconic or dense as the infamous Vogue September issue, this month's Recycling Buzz is now available for your reading pleasure.

This month's issue features the Game Day Recycling program, which kicks off its fourth season at tonight's home opener against Western Carolina, as well as information about plastic and aluminum recycling, student move-in and upcoming events. Read or download (but please, don't print) the Recycling Buzz (pdf).