Campuses are ideal environments to embrace sustainability and environmental strategies. From the use of building materials that contain recycled content to water-efficient landscaping, to maximizing the use of daylight to installing fixtures that reduce water use, the opportunities are rich to incorporate various green strategies throughout the K-12, university and hospital campus environment.

The U.S. Green Building Council and other organizations promote the greening of America’s campuses through programs targeted at schools, colleges, hospitals and other environments. It also promotes environmentally friendly building methods via the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. LEED recognizes construction projects that implement strategies for better environmental and health performance through a suite of rating systems.

Related Article: Saving Green by Going Green

But green buildings are only part of the story. Green issues in the campus environment also might include waste minimization and recycling, using greener products and even providing bike racks or preferred parking for van pools. Campus police and security departments are also critical players in the greening of the campus environment.

Here are some places to start.

Minimize Environmental Impact of Security Operations
The U.S. Green Building Council defines a green campus as a “community that is improving energy efficiency, conserving resources and enhancing environmental quality by education for sustainability and creating healthy living and learning environments.”

Campus police and security departments should take each element of that definition and consider any and all aspects of their operations that could have an impact. If you really think about it, there are plenty of ways campus security can be more environmentally conscious.

It’s important to note that implementing green practices should never compromise the ability of campus police and security to fulfill their primary duties. Embracing green technologies and strategies should occur as part of effective and optimal campus security operations. As important as it is to “think green,” the mission is secondary to security’s primary functions. Remembering that caveat, let’s look at how campus police and security can embrace green strategies.

Petroleum-powered vehicles pollute the air, and many campuses have embraced the use of bicycles, hybrid or electric vehicles and Segways as alternative modes of transportation. Conserving resources might also relate to security officers doing more electronic reporting rather than creating reams of paperwork. An electronic approach not only saves trees but also can have operational advantages.

Additionally, the security department can work to minimize the environmental impact when it is installing new systems. This effort might include reusing system components and/or ensuring that older equipment (e-waste) is properly disposed of or recycled.

Choose Security Systems With Green Benefits in Mind
How security systems operate can have an impact on environmental issues, and keeping green concerns in mind when designing a system can reap rewards, as well as help to cost-justify new equipment.

An example is remote video surveillance, which has multiple operational advantages for the campus environment as well as green benefits. Remote video enables security officers to view distant parts of the campus without having to travel there. A remote video image can help an officer dismiss a false alarm without having to investigate. It could also enable him or her to view a situation that might waste energy, such as a door left open.

Integration of centralized access control systems with HVAC systems or lighting can automate energy-saving policies, whether by turning off the lights in an empty building or adjusting heating and cooling based on building occupancy.

Technology can also be used to help facilitate the success of other campus green efforts. One example might be to install video cameras to keep commuters safe when waiting for a rideshare van. Another might be to use video cameras that can operate effectively in unpredictable and changing light, such as when natural light is being used to save energy.

Smarter cameras and additional image processing can now provide clear images, even in extreme or complex lighting, without missing any details, whether they are in the shadows or the brightest sunlight. Night vision cameras can perform well even in the (energy-saving) complete absence of light.

Select Suppliers Who Are Environmentally Concious
When choosing technology elements for a security system in the campus environment, look at the environmental record of suppliers. Suppliers should have a goal of reducing CO2 emissions and optimizing productivity across all manufacturing processes, from planning through production. They should use manufacturing practices that produce less material waste and use material recycling.

Seek out products that are made using renewable energy or by a supplier that emits fewer greenhouse gases in the manufacturing process. Look for products that are made using fewer toxins that can harm human health or the environment. Look for products that contain the highest possible percentage of post-consumer recycled content.

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