Sustainability Grant Funded Projects
Featured Project
Rethinking Laird's Landscape
Primary Investigator: Kristen Saksa
Overview: Sustainable landscapes have the potential to restore ecological benefits and foster appreciation of natural ecosystems within the context of our rapidily urbanizing world. The goal of Rethinking Laird’s Landscape project is to cultivate public awareness and appreciation of sustainable landscaping at UD’s Laird Campus. By providing opportunities for the public to engage the sustainable landscape on Laird Campus we will build public understanding, support, and increase appreciation of sustainable landscape in general.
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The Colburn Green Roof 
Project Manager: Dr. Annette Shine, Chemical Engineering
Overview: The objective of this project is to construct a green roof above the classroom in Room 102 in Colburn Laboratory in the College of Engineering – which is uncomfortably hot most of the year - inorder to regulate the classroom’s climate, among other benefits (such as reduced storm water runoff, reduced CO2 emissions, etc.).
Growing a Greener UD 
Project Manager: Dan Kasper, PhD (2012), Center for Energy and Environmental Policy
Overview:This project aims to cultivate a demonstration organic garden on the grounds of the English Language Institute (ELI) building at 189 W. Main St. to grow organic produce and to provide community members with the opportunity to experience the joy of gardening and to interact with each other. The project will also offer various gardening- and food-related workshops free of charge to UD personnel and the public. It is also hoped that by demonstrating that students, staff and faculty are capable of maintaining a productive, aesthetically pleasing garden, the chances of establishing more campus gardens will increase. The project is managed by the UD Food and Gardening Policy Committee, which is comprised of graduate and undergraduate students, with Chad Nelson (Professor of Landscape Design) as the Faculty Advisor.
Creating a Floodplain Wetland 
Project Manager: Dr. Tom Sims, Plant and Soil Sciences
Overview: Cool Run is listed by the US EPA as an impaired water body for nutrients, dissolved oxygen, bacteria, and sediments. After completing analysis of stormwater pollutant loads in the Cool Run Watershed, one of the recommended best management practices by the UD WATER internship team was to increase the number and acreage of wetlands throughout the watershed. The primary objective of this project is to replace low-producing pasture with a healthy, functioning floodplain wetland that will reduce the University’s pollutant load to the White Clay Creek by filtering stormwater runoff.
