SOUTHFIELD — Lawrence Technological University is one of the 353 most environmentally responsible colleges in the country, according to “The Princeton Review Guide to 353 Green Colleges” released in conjunction with Earth Day.
The Princeton Review chose the schools for this sixth annual edition of its “green guide” based on data from the company’s 2014 survey of hundreds of four-year colleges concerning commitments to the environment and sustainability. Responses from a student survey were also factored in.
Other Michigan schools on the list included Albion College, Aquinas College, Central Michigan University, Grand Valley State University, Michigan State University, Michigan Technological University, the University of Michigan, and Western Michigan University. None were ranked among the list’s top 50.
In the past The Princeton Review has noted that LTU “boasts a commitment to sustainability spanning new buildings and construction, academic programs, applied research, and campus operations.”
Geothermal wells and a vegetated roof, pictured above, are just two of the features of LTU’s A. Alfred Taubman Student Services Center, a unique green building that serves as a living laboratory for sustainability education of architects and engineers.
Those two features of the Taubman Student Center are on LTU’s Low Impact Development Trail that showcases the various stormwater management techniques put into practice around the campus to reduce the impact of development on the environment.
LTU’s inclusion in the national guide to green colleges confirms a long-term commitment to sustainability that has been demonstrated in many areas of the university’s operations and academic curricula, said LTU campus architect Joseph Veryser.
“Our students see this approach to architecture and engineering as essential for the future of the planet,” Veryser said. “If anything, our students have been pushing their professors and the administration to pursue even higher standards. Both faculty and students aspire to be leaders and innovators in sustainable practices.”
Information about the green college rankings can be found at www.princetonreview.com/college-ranking/green-guide