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Sustainability Newsletter
February 2025
Welcome Back!
Luna Farm Spring Workdays Open
Join us as a volunteer this spring at Luna Farm! Last semester with the help of our volunteers, we installed 14 new container beds and an irrigation system, added five new fruit trees, donated over 150 pounds of produce, and logged 163 hours of volunteer service. Workdays are Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Registration on EngageUTD is required.
Get Ready for Earth Week
Mark your calendar for Earth Week 2025! UT Dallas cares about environmental education and sustainability and we know that your organization, department, or business does too! Join us for the 14th Annual UT Dallas Earth Fair on Thursday, April 24, 2025, and help to equip, connect, and empower tomorrow’s leaders to adopt eco-friendly practices and minimize their environmental footprint. Complete this Booth Registration Form before the priority deadline of April 5 to request your spot!
Graduating this semester? Complete Sustainability Honors!
Are you committed to community service and sustainability? The Office of Sustainability wants to recognize you! Earn Sustainability Honors by completing 15 points of engagement before graduation. Past service can count with proper documentation. It’s a great resume booster - learn more and register for the program today!
Support Temoc’s Closet
Temoc’s Closet, a service offered by the Basic Needs Resource Center (BNRC), provides UT Dallas students with free clothing, shoes, accessories, hygiene products and more, with the goal in easing students’ financial burden of college as well as supporting students’ career readiness. The BNRC is continuously accepting donations of gently-used clothing, shoes and accessories to support fellow Comets in need. Currently, there is an urgent need for winter wear, including coats, jackets, scarves, hats, gloves and similar items. Donations can be dropped off anytime Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. at SSB 4.300 or by contacting the team to arrange a drop-off.
Students interested in volunteering to support Temoc’s Closet can find ongoing volunteer opportunities on the BNRC’s EngageUTD page. Sign-ups will be available for most weeks in the long semesters! For questions regarding Temoc’s Closet or to arrange a donation drop-off, please contact the Basic Needs Resource Center at basicneeds@utdallas.edu or by calling 972-883-6515.
The Greenhouse
Updates to the UT Dallas Eco Rep Blog
Bitter Sweet:
The Dark Side
of Valentine’s Day
Chocolate
Seher shares about sustainable chocolate options this Valentine’s Day.
Sustainability in Operations Highlight
Each month, we highlight sustainable features of campus operations
including energy efficiency, water conservation, waste management,
and green building practices.
UT Dallas is committed to enhancing energy efficiency across campus while also expanding its capacity. While LEED standards are ideal for new construction, retrofitting older buildings to meet these criteria can be complex and costly. To address this challenge, UTD is focusing on upgrading its core campus buildings, which were built in the 1960s and 1970s. Although these buildings have served the University well, advancements in building technology offer significant opportunities to enhance their efficiency.
Heating, cooling, and ventilating large academic buildings require substantial energy. Older infrastructure often leads to energy waste due to outdated and inefficient systems. To combat this, UT Dallas is modernizing its facilities with high-efficiency equipment to optimize energy use while maintaining occupant comfort. This includes replacing old pneumatic control systems with direct digital controls (DDC) and upgrading constant air volume (CAV) systems to variable air volume (VAV) systems, which adjust airflow based on demand for improved efficiency. Additionally, UT Dallas is replacing outdated incandescent and fluorescent lighting with energy-efficient LED fixtures, lowering energy consumption, and improving lighting quality. These upgrades are supported by advanced Building Automation Systems (BAS), allowing precise monitoring and control of HVAC, lighting, and safety systems.
UT Dallas is also installing utility meters in campus buildings to track and measure energy usage. These meters will provide valuable data, helping the University establish benchmarks, monitor usage, and refine energy-saving strategies with real-time insights. By analyzing usage patterns, UT Dallas can identify key areas for improvement and enhance the effectiveness of its energy efficiency efforts.
Importantly, these enhancements are being made without compromising occupant comfort. UT Dallas remains dedicated to maintaining well-functioning buildings that support student learning and engagement. By investing in energy-efficient technology and smart building management systems, the University is not only reducing its environmental footprint but also fostering a more sustainable, comfortable, and future-ready campus for students, faculty, and staff.
Important Dates
JSOM: Sustainability Strategy and Management in Aviation Certification
February 6-7
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Comet Cupboard: New Volunteer Training
February 7
10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
February 8
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
February 15
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
February 22
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
March 1
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Office of Sustainability
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The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX 75080-3021
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