Environmental ResponsibilityEnvironmental Responsibility
Innovista will be a leader in sustainable development. The University laid the foundation for green building with its three-year-old Green Quad residence hall, which was built with recyclable materials and features numerous conservation features.
West Quad achieved Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, and is the largest green student housing development in the nation. Innovista buildings will be LEED certifiable.
Innovista will be a walking- and biking-friendly environment, encouraging employees and visitors to park and use their legs or the University’s shuttle bus system. Many of the buses run on bio-diesel (B20) fuel, a mix of soybean oil and traditional diesel, which helps conserve energy and decrease pollutants.
The current Three Rivers Greenways paths that line much of the Congaree River will be expanded to tie into a new riverfront city park, the Gamecocks’ new baseball stadium, and the stunning University Wellness & Fitness Center just west of the Horizon Center. The Guignard family, which has roots in the area back to the 1780s, is making much of its riverfront property available for development, and the University is working with the family to continue its legacy as a responsible steward of the river.
Further, the city of Columbia’s Mayor Bob Coble has signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement to combat pollution, earning a “Cool City” designation from the Sierra Club.
Students congregate outside West Quad, part of Carolina’s Green Quad residence hall.
Photo: University Marketing and CommunicationsRelated Links
Green Quad
Eco-friendly green dorm features wildlife refuge, composting, solar panels, hydrogen fuel cell
U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement
More than 500 mayors across the nation have signed up
Sierra Club’s Cool Cities Across America
Cities that have made a commitment to stopping global warming
