Sustainability
Oakland University is dedicated to being a campus of choice and sustainability is a core part of this initiative. A key element of sustainability is recycling — we are excited to roll out the OU RECYCLES campaign. OU uses single-stream recycling, which streamlines the collection process on campus. The recycling effort at OU ensures items that enter the waste stream will eventually be used to make other products for sale and reduce the need to use additional natural resources.
Green Buildings and Sustainable Design
The Fall 2013 semester saw the opening of Oakland University's first green building project, the geothermal/solar thermal Human Health Science Building. The HHB is Oakland's first geothermal heat pump installation, and it includes an innovative desiccant cooling system powered by one of the largest solar thermal energy system in the U.S. The building uses a newer form of technology, Variable Refrigerant Flow heat pumps. These heat pumps use variable speed compressors and serve multiple refrigerant zones per unit. OU was awarded a $2.75M U.S. Department of Energy grant to help fund this innovative green building concept.
University Energy Usage and Cost
Take a look at the historical usage and cost of the west campus utilities over the past decade. About $380 is spent each year per Full Year Equivalent Student (FY2010 data). This equates to about 4% of a full time student's tuition (based on 15 credit hours for two semesters).
Heating and Cooling Policy
Policy 300 Air Conditioning and Heating explicitly states that non-OU personal electric heaters are prohibited on campus. Electric heaters cover up HVAC issues, create fire hazards and consume SIGNIFICANT amounts of electricity. However, an innovative, controlled heater will be provided in cases where your area's HVAC cannot provide the proper heating. Please contact the Work Control Center at ext 2381 to report a problem or request a heater, or submit an on-line request.
Sustaining Our Planet Earth (SOPE)
Facilities and Grounds teams, including Director of Facility Services, Douglas LaLone and Assistant Director for Residential Facilities, Kevin McDougall, partnered with Sustaining Our Planet Earth (SOPE) and OU student Mustafa Baig, to put on a Campus Clean Up event!
SOPE is a University Housing led sustainability initiative seeking to make our campus community more sustainable, educate students and staff on sustainable practices, and enact sustainable plans and change for our University.
This Campus Clean Up event allowed for litter to be picked up around our campus, near our residential spaces, and the upper fields. Both students and staff joined SOPE in an effort to take responsibility for our campus, address the concern of improper trash disposal and to leave our university just as beautiful as we found it as we close out the school year.
It was a successful and enjoyable event for all involved and Facilities looks forward to partnering on future events!
Additional Campus Sustainability Efforts:
Recycling news and information:
The Detroit Free Press published an interesting article about recycling mistakes.
Global Recycling Day
Mark your calendars. Global Recycling Day falls on Wednesday, March 18, 2026.
On this day, communities, businesses, and governments across the globe will unite. From local neighborhood cleanups to major corporate announcements, the day is marked by action and education. It serves as a focal point for environmental campaigns and a celebration of the progress we have made so far.
The 2026 Theme: Don’t Think Waste — Think Opportunity
This them challenges us to change our mindset. It asks us to look at a discarded aluminum can or a cardboard box and see value rather than garbage. When we view waste as an opportunity, we unlock new possibilities.
How You Can Participate
You do not need to be an environmental expert to make a difference. Here are four simple ways you can participate in Global Recycling Day 2026.
1. Audit your own waste
Start by looking at what you throw away. For one week, pay attention to your trash bin. Are you throwing away food that could be composted? Are there plastics that could be recycled? Understanding your habits is the first step toward changing them.
2. Support local programs
Recycling rules vary from place to place. What is accepted in one city might not be accepted in another. Take the time to check your local guidelines. Make sure you are sorting your recycling correctly to avoid contamination. If your community lacks good services, advocate for them. Contact local officials and ask for better recycling options.
3. Buy recycled products
Recycling only works if there is a market for the recycled material. You can help close the loop by purchasing products made from recycled content. Look for items with sustainable packaging. Choose brands that prioritize the environment. When you buy recycled, you create a demand for the “Seventh Resource.”
4. Share your story
Use your voice. Tell your friends and family why you care about recycling. Post a picture of your recycling efforts on social media using the 2026 theme. Your example can inspire others to make small changes that add up to a big impact.
Sources: https://www.remitly.com/blog/lifestyle-culture/global-recycling-day/
The Sustainability Task Force challenges every OU staff and faculty member to pick at least one sustainable Earth Day practice to try this month. If you do, we'd love to see it! Send photos of your sustainable practice to [email protected].
What is stormwater?
Stormwater is the rainfall or snowmelt that flows over our yards, streets, parking lots, and buildings and either enters the storm drain system or runs directly into a lake or stream.
What is a storm drain?
Storm drains are the openings you see along curbs and in streets and parking lots. They carry away rainwater and snowmelt and transport it through the system to nearby lakes and streams. Water and other debris that enter storm drains do not go to a treatment facility.
What is a sanitary sewer?
A sanitary sewer takes household water and waste from toilets, sinks and showers, and transports it to a wastewater treatment facility. There, the water is treated and then discharged back to a lake or stream.
How does stormwater get polluted?
As stormwater flows over our lawns and driveways, it picks up fertilizers, oil, chemicals, grass clippings, litter, pet waste, and anything else in its path. The storm drain system then transports these pollutants, now in the water, to local lakes and streams. Anything that goes into a storm drain eventually ends up in a lake or stream.
In Michigan, communities are coming together to address stormwater management on a watershed basis. In the Clinton River watershed, seven subwatershed planning groups have formed: Upper Clinton, Clinton Main, Stony/Paint, North Branch, Red Run, Clinton River East, and Lake St. Clair Direct Drainage.
Stormwater pollution has become the predominant source of water quality and habitat impairments in the Clinton River and its tributaries. Under Phase II of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), part of the Clean Water Act, more than 40 local and county governments and numerous other public entities across the watershed must meet federal and state standards for reducing stormwater pollution leaving their jurisdiction.
Each group has charted a course to fulfill the requirements of their stormwater permits by working together on a subwatershed basis, sharing data and information and creating joint planning documents.
Oakland University is located inside the Clinton Main subwatershed.
Additional information regarding Oakland University's Stormwater Management program can be found at the Office of Environmental Health and Safety website.
Facilities Management
411 Pioneer Drive
Rochester, MI 48309-4482
(location map)
Siraj Khan
Associate Vice President for Facilities Management
Oakland University
Rochester, Michigan 48309-4401
(248) 370-2160
