Facilities and Grounds

Drake University’s facilities and grounds team has been one of the pivotal players in our efforts to go green. The facilities and grounds team oversees the implementation of our recycling program, new construction, cleaning and landscape maintenance. With the support of our facilities and grounds team, Drake has been able to make a more sustainable campus in its buildings, landscaping and expansion.

LEED Certification

Drake University has dedicated itself achieving at least a LEED Silver certification in all new construction done on campus. The LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, rating system was established by the U.S. Green Building Council as a way to ensure that existing and new construction have minimal impact on the environment.

28th Street

Drake University removed a former city street and installed a sustainable plaza in its place. Drake wanted to ensure that the environment was taken into account. We did this through several initiatives.

• More bike racks were installed along 28th Street to encourage alternative transportation.
• All of the benches and trash containers installed are made from recycled plastics and metals.
• Landscaping and porous segments along the street help retain water to prevent flooding and runoff.  Most of the water that washes over 28th Street is now returned directly to the soil.
  

Green Chemicals

Traditional cleaning chemicals can present several hazards to the environment. Once washed down the drain, some chemicals can cause neurological and reproductive damage to organisms, spur eutrophication in lakes, or cause cancer in larger organisms as the toxins accumulate.  Because of this, Drake Facility Services now cleans with green cleaning chemicals that do not contain many of the toxins found in more traditional cleaners.

Water

The improper application of water to lawns and agriculture can waste significant amounts of water every year. The proper time for watering lawns is between dawn and dusk, when the threat of evaporation by sun and wind is greatly reduced. This is when Drake runs its sprinklers. In addition to time restraints, Drake’s sprinkler system is semi-manual, allowing us to shut it off when it rains and our lawns are adequately watered.