What We Do - Departments

Encouraging responsible stewardship of our resources on and off campus.

Business Services

admin.mnsu.edu/business-services
Direct Deposit of Student Payroll Checks (99.5%)
Paperless Student Tax Documents (Tax Form 1098-T Tuition Statement and Tax Form W-2 Wage and Tax Statement) via Student e-Services
Recycling/Shredding
Email correspondence vs paper
Web accounting vs Minnesota State printed reports
90% Energy Efficient PSU computers
Printers - power save/sleep modes
Recycle toners

Campus Computer Store

Sell Apple Computers - Environment
Sell Dell Optiplex - efficient PSU

Campus Hub/Student Financial Services

mnsu.edu/campushub
Direct Deposit of Financial Aid Overages vs printed checks
Recycling/Shredding
Email correspondence vs paper
90% Energy Efficient PSU computers
Printers - power save/sleep modes
Recycle Toners

Centennial Student Union

Elkay Water Bottle Refill Stations
Ballroom Renovation - March - October 2011
- Low VOC Paint and Sealants
- LED Lighting
- Reuse of Existing Woods and Hardware
- Reduced HVAC Loads

Facilities Management

admin.mnsu.edu/facilities-management
Elkay Water Bottle Refill Stations
GESP
Plug-in Vehicle station
Solar Panels on Bus Shelters
Lighting
- Fluorescent T8 electronic ballast
  - Campus-wide retrofit 1994-1998
  - Lighting levels adjusted to Illumination Engineering Standards
- LED Exit signs - from as much as 40W to 5W (on 24/7)
- Occupancy Sensors
  - Hallways
  - Bathrooms
  - Classrooms
- Daylight Sensors
- Some digital lighting controls
Windows
- Replace with Low-E where possible
- UV Film (Wigley Administration)
- Natural lighting (Ford Hall)
HVAC
- Direct Digital Controls
- Fan Scheduling
- Variable Air Volume (VAV) systems with Variable Frequency Drives (VFD) on fan motors
- High efficiency motors (part of Minnesota Energy Code)
- CO2 Sensor for outdoor air settings in selected zones
- Pool heat recovery unit
Water Conservation
- Reduced flow fixtures - selected buildings
- Computer controlled irrigation - Evapotranspiration (temp, wind, solar, rainfall)
Ford Hall examples – construction techniques
- Article - Helping environment, saving money
- Buildings, Benchmarks & Beyond Project
- Waste material produced
Preska Residence Hall
Clinical Science Building
University Dining Hall
Windows, natural lighting, etc.
Hazard Waste Management
Recycling of old computers and equipment
E-85 Vehicles
State-Car replacement cycles
Electric Vehicles
Waste Stream Management (PDF)
Recycling
Campus Beautification
- Carefully selected blend of more sustainable, less water consumptive perennials will replace a portion of the shorter-lived, water and labor intensive annuals. The blooming period will be extended and water will be conserved through this initiative.
- Old growth will be composted and returned to the earth to help fertilize future plantings.
Earth Day
Gardens
Bike Racks

Information & Technology Services

mnsu.edu/it-solutions
Virtual Servers (less equipment, power, heat)
Computer replacement cycles
All-in-one machines (labs)
Toner usage
Printers startup/sleep times
Duplex printing
Display replacements cycle
LCD & LED Displays
Electric delivery vehicles

Intercollegiate Athletics

Converted its pool to a sphagnum moss prefiltration system, <cwsnaturally.com> reducing chlorine use by up to 2/3rds

Memorial Library

Parking & Transporation Services

Printing Services - Copy Shoppes

mnsu.edu/printing-services
Recycling - We recycle all of our toner/drums/waste containers through the Xerox Green World Alliance
Green Paper - 50% less tree utilization, less processing of
Solid ink printing - about a dozen multi-function devices that use solid ink and produce very little waste.
Promote the use of MFP (Multi-function printers) to save electricity (copier/printer/fax/scanner) One device drawing power, rather than four.
Computer to plate - no longer use any chemicals.

Residential Life

mnsu.edu/reslife
New Residence Hall - 2010, Low-flow toilets
Recycling - Recycling efforts include aluminum cans, tin cans, plastic, cardboard, glass, and paper (all types). Recycling containers are located throughout the resident communities.
Residential Life is Living Green!
Dumpster Diversion Program - The Dumpster Diversion Program collects useful items you would otherwise throw away and diverts them to area thrift stores so they can be used by others. This popular program is a joint venture of the Department of Residential Life and several non-profits including Habitat for Humanity ReStore and MVAC Again Thrift & More Store. Last week of school in May.
New University Dining Hall officially christened at ceremony (02.07.2017) MSU Reporter
- The building’s sustainability features, which include composting, LED lighting, daylight harvesting, heat reclaiming systems, variable speed fans and overhead hoods, and the reusing of gray water. She highlighted food waste and composting as one of the areas where the new building has already seen vast improvements in just the first month of operation.
- “Last year, the old resident dining operation produced 26 bags of trash each day. Big bags of trash, the stuff that would go into the dumpster,” she said. “This university dining center has reduced that daily stream to two bags of trash, plus two bins of pulp organic materials that will get composted.”
- https://mnsu.sodexomyway.com/explore/sustainability

Security

mnsu.edu/security
Walking Patrols
Electric Vehicle Patrol

Student Financial Services

mnsu.edu/campushub
Direct Deposit of Financial Aid (82.8%) (reduction of paper and toner usage)
Online Response Forms
Email communication vs paper letters
Online FAFSA applications

University Dining

Composting
Cutting waste Sodexo helps MSU become more environmentally conscious (MSU Reporter 12.01.2010)
Spring 2010 - Trayless Tuesdays
Replaced Styrofoam containers with compostable papers in Retail Areas in the Centennial Student Union, Wissink Hall and Myers Field Market Place.
An eco-friendly option for the CSU (MSU Reporter 12.01.2009)
Making a Difference - Once Cup at a Time (MSU Reporter 1.28.2010)
Sustainability
Stopwastingfood.org
Ecotainers
Reusable Mugs