Photovoltaic panels

GCC has two sets of solar panels that make up an array on the lawn of the East building. These panel provide energy to the college and, just as importantly, provide teaching opportunities for a number of instructors in the college. Panel 1 is fixed. Panel 2 is a tracking panel that rotates to follow the movement of the sun from east to west. In the graphs below, the blue line represents the total energy output (in Kilowatt-hours) of the two sets of panels combined.

Facilities

GCC has a commitment to sustainability in many ways, including how our buildings perform. In September of 2008, the College installed a new high efficiency HVAC system at its Downtown Center location, resulting in an approximate 41% reduction in heating and cooling costs. Our new core is designed for daylighting, infusing light and warmth into a space that will be a community hub for the college. A geothermal cooling system will greatly reduce our summer cooling load. The new building automation systems will allow us to schedule and manage the buildings energy systems in a more energy efficient way. We are particularly excited about a photovoltaic electrical system that will be installed on our East Building roof. The 78KW system will produce electricity equivalent to the use of 15-20 average homes. A zero-net-energy greenhouse is being added to the south side of the main building, alongside a botanical-geologic garden. These integrated spaces will enhance learning opportunities in plant and environmental science, energy efficiency and renewable energy, and will inform the landscape and entrance to the south end of the building. Learn more about the photovoltaic panels that help our students monitor solar energy supplied by the sun »

Green Campus Committee

The Green Campus Committee was established in 2004 and is made up of faculty, staff, and students who care deeply about GCC and its role in the natural environment and the community.

Our mission is to advocate for policies and practices that create a greener campus, from GCC’s physical plant to its educational programs.  We want to make GCC a community leader in environmental sustainability. Toward this end, we promote the following:

• environmental awareness and education through staff development, advocating green curricula and program development, supporting natural sciences and social sciences consistent with our vision, and facilitating interdisciplinary learning related to the environment
• the use of sustainable energy and energy efficiency measures at all levels in order to reduce the college’s carbon footprint
• comprehensive recycling and composting
• local and environmentally preferable purchasing, including farm-to-school
• the creation of a deserved green image for GCC in the community
• collaborative work with the physical plant and the integration of green practices into the institution as a whole