Luther College
Luther College
Luther College is a private liberal arts college of 2600 students (all undergrad) located in Decorah, Iowa, a town of 8,000 near the borders with Minnesota and Wisconsin. Luther was founded in 1861 and is affiliated with the ELCA. Largest majors on campus include Biology, Education, Music, and Business.
Luther has made sustainability one of its three priorities in a strategic plan approved in May 2008 and has committed to reducing its carbon footprint by 50%. Campus sustainability highlights include:
•Calculated “carbon footprint” for 6 years and ongoing monitoring of sustainability indicators.
•Invested $1.6 million in energy efficiency in 2003 – reduced electricity consumption by 22% and carbon footprint by 15%.
•Used geothermal heating and cooling in Baker Village and Center for the Arts.
•New Sampson Hoffland Laboratories and renovated Valders Hall of Science with LEED gold certification.
•Purchased seven hybrid vehicles for the college fleet.
•Purchased four all electric vehicles for Campus Facilities Services .
•Converting 100% of waste vegetable oil to biodiesel and using it in all grounds equipment.
•Conducting analyses of strategies for further reducing energy usage: efficiency, biomass for heating and electrical, wind energy, and photovoltaic solar.
•Hired a campus sustainability intern to work on energy education and sustainability initiatives.
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USDA's REAP program awards Luther grant, loan for wind turbine project
Tom Vilsack, U.S. Agriculture Secretary, has announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Energy for America Program will award Luther College Wind Energy Project, LLC, a $500,000 grant and a $1,302,385 loan to fund the installation of a 1.65 MW wind turbine that is expected to generate about one-third of the electrical energy consumed by the college each year. Read more...
Sustainability is Central Theme of Luther College Strategic Plan
The Luther College Board of Regents has approved the college’s Sesquicentennial Strategic Plan for 2008-12, a plan that includes a landmark initiative for Luther’s quest towards carbon neutrality.
Taking the college through its 150-year anniversary in 2011-12, the strategic plan is titled “Transformed by the Journey.” It identifies three imperatives and specific strategies by which the college will achieve those imperatives.
Luther and Wartburg Compete in Energy Challenge
This February, Luther College and Wartburg entered a new era of their rivalry: Energy Challenge 2009. This Challenge consisted of a head-to-head competition between the schools to reduce the most overall electricity and heating usage. The winning school got a hand-carved trophy and a year of bragging rights.
Luther College Bike Share
Bicycles for Luther faculty, staff, and students who don't have easy access to a personal bike now have the option to check out a bike by the day - free of charge.
Luther Cafeteria goes "Trayless"
Luther College Dining Services has “gone trayless” for three months as part of the college’s sustainability initiative and is now evaluating the pros and cons of trayless cafeteria operations.