NORWALK – Cerritos College received the Green Community College Leadership Award for its water conservation efforts that is saving the campus 30 million gallons of water annually. More than 95 percent of the College’s landscape and athletic fields are maintained by using reclaimed water. This is equivalent to the amount of water that 185 families of four would use for one year, and saves the District more than $20,000 annually. Other water conservation measures include the use of drought-resistant plants and California-native vegetation. The District is also re-landscaping more than one linear mile of frontage roads that will utilize a highly efficient drip irrigation system.

Dr. David El Fattal, vice president, Business Services, accepted the award on behalf of the College at the Green California Schools & Community Colleges Summit and Exposition.

Dr. El Fattal was also featured on the Future of Zero Net Energy for Public Facilities in California panel, highlighting the College’s Integrated Energy Master Plan. The Integrated Energy Master Plan is the first of its kind at a California community college and will be a model program through the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.

The plan embodies a holistic approach that integrates energy planning with the College’s educational and facilities master plan. The program is designed to reduce or eliminate the use of energy consumed by the campus’ 41 buildings. This joint effort includes Cerritos College, the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, Southern California Edison, and architectural and engineering firm Harley Ellis Devereaux.

The Green Community College Leadership Awards is sponsored by Green Technology Magazine and honors sustainability projects at California’s community colleges in four categories: resource management, energy, curriculum, and green building.

“We are honored to receive this recognition,” said Dr. Linda Lacy, president/superintendent, Cerritos College. “We are committed to resource conservation and are extremely proud of the progress we’ve made toward our water and energy conservation efforts.”

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Published: Nov. 20, 2014 - Volume 13 - Issue 32