MITOS
Supporting sustainable spaces with green building education
As the new E37/E38 neared completion in 2020 and worked toward LEED Gold certification, a Green Building Education credit was pursued as part of the sustainable design and construction plan. A team made up of representation from MITOS, Campus Construction, Systems Performance and Turnover, and in partnership with an external designer, developed a signage program to educate building occupants and visitors on the benefits and features of E37/E38’s innovative design. The resulting display in the lobbies of E37 and E38 highlight topics ranging from community connection to climate resiliency to health and well-being. Each floor of E38 also contains more detailed information on an occupant relevant sustainability topic such as transportation and waste, with artwork designed by an MIT Architecture student. The same team is supporting additional green building education projects, including the renovated Hayden Library and New Vassar dormitory. Explore some of the signs that can be found in E38 or stop by to explore the sustainability features and signage in person.
Building Education Signs
CLIMATE ACTION
What the campus is doing:
MIT is committed to fighting climate change in pursuit of a better world—starting right here on campus. Climate action planning draws on the expertise of staff, faculty, and students from every department. Together, we are advancing equitable, science-based solutions, with a goal of creating a resilient, carbon-neutral campus.
What the building is doing:
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from buildings is critical to MIT’s climate action planning. The majority of our campus’s greenhouse emissions are associated with building-related heating, cooling, and electrical power needs. This building is powered by highly efficient systems that conserve energy, while its occupants work to exercise their role in creating a more sustainable campus and planet.
What you can do:
It is vital that we all take action to combat climate change. On your journey through the MIT campus:
● Examine your own carbon footprint and make positive changes when possible. For example, seek out lower carbon transportation options and plant-based foods that are grown or made nearby.
● Keep environmental justice at the forefront of your mind. Know that climate change disparately impacts our most vulnerable communities.
● Get curious about the changes you are seeing in the local climates around you. Ask questions and seek out answers.
What the campus is doing:
MIT is committed to fighting climate change in pursuit of a better world—starting right here on campus. Climate action planning draws on the expertise of staff, faculty, and students from every department. Together, we are advancing equitable, science-based solutions, with a goal of creating a resilient, carbon-neutral campus.
What the building is doing:
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from buildings is critical to MIT’s climate action planning. The majority of our campus’s greenhouse emissions are associated with building-related heating, cooling, and electrical power needs. This building is powered by highly efficient systems that conserve energy, while its occupants work to exercise their role in creating a more sustainable campus and planet.
What you can do:
It is vital that we all take action to combat climate change. On your journey through the MIT campus:
● Examine your own carbon footprint and make positive changes when possible. For example, seek out lower carbon transportation options and plant-based foods that are grown or made nearby.
● Keep environmental justice at the forefront of your mind. Know that climate change disparately impacts our most vulnerable communities.
● Get curious about the changes you are seeing in the local climates around you. Ask questions and seek out answers.
ACTIVE COMMUTES
What the campus is doing:
A sustainable transportation system fosters community well-being while benefiting the environment. MIT is committed to making public transportation accessible and affordable and promoting safe routes for biking and walking in order to minimize pollution and congestion. Through the program Access MIT, the Institute provides research-based incentives to encourage employees to commute sustainably.
What the building is doing:
This building was designed to support sustainable commutes. For cyclists and other active commuters, there are showers and changing facilities located on the third floor, as well as ample indoor and outdoor bicycle parking. The Kendall Square MBTA station, bike share locations, shuttles, and the Charles River walk/bike paths are located nearby, providing easy access to and from the building.
What you can do:
Want to get to, from, and around MIT sustainably? Remember, little changes add up and help to lower your carbon footprint. Here are some tips:
● Switch up your commute. See if there are ways to walk, bike, or take public transit to your destination.
● Consider sharing a ride with a coworker or neighbor.
● Stay up to date on MIT’s sustainable commuting benefits, like Access MIT.
What the campus is doing:
A sustainable transportation system fosters community well-being while benefiting the environment. MIT is committed to making public transportation accessible and affordable and promoting safe routes for biking and walking in order to minimize pollution and congestion. Through the program Access MIT, the Institute provides research-based incentives to encourage employees to commute sustainably.
What the building is doing:
This building was designed to support sustainable commutes. For cyclists and other active commuters, there are showers and changing facilities located on the third floor, as well as ample indoor and outdoor bicycle parking. The Kendall Square MBTA station, bike share locations, shuttles, and the Charles River walk/bike paths are located nearby, providing easy access to and from the building.
What you can do:
Want to get to, from, and around MIT sustainably? Remember, little changes add up and help to lower your carbon footprint. Here are some tips:
● Switch up your commute. See if there are ways to walk, bike, or take public transit to your destination.
● Consider sharing a ride with a coworker or neighbor.
● Stay up to date on MIT’s sustainable commuting benefits, like Access MIT.
DESIGNING OUT WASTE
What the campus is doing:
Buildings consume a significant amount of materials over their lifetime. A linear approach to material consumption means using products made of raw materials and disposing of them after. At MIT, we seek to design waste out of our campus in favor of a circular approach. We put this into practice by choosing items made from sustainable materials that can be reused or recycled over and over, instead of going straight into the trash.
What the building is doing:
The design team chose sustainable products with high recycled content, products manufactured and extracted locally, and products using Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified wood. More than 25% of the existing buildings on-site were reused, including wall, floor, and structural elements. Likewise, the construction utilized recycled demolition and scrap construction materials to further divert waste from landfills.
What you can do:
Here are some tips to integrate the circular economy into your day-to-day activities:
● Explore reuse channels first, before you buy something new.
● Choose products made from recycled content, if purchasing new.
● Carefully read signage for what is allowed in recycling and food waste streams.
● Design your own creative ways to reuse surplus materials or waste.
What the campus is doing:
Buildings consume a significant amount of materials over their lifetime. A linear approach to material consumption means using products made of raw materials and disposing of them after. At MIT, we seek to design waste out of our campus in favor of a circular approach. We put this into practice by choosing items made from sustainable materials that can be reused or recycled over and over, instead of going straight into the trash.
What the building is doing:
The design team chose sustainable products with high recycled content, products manufactured and extracted locally, and products using Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified wood. More than 25% of the existing buildings on-site were reused, including wall, floor, and structural elements. Likewise, the construction utilized recycled demolition and scrap construction materials to further divert waste from landfills.
What you can do:
Here are some tips to integrate the circular economy into your day-to-day activities:
● Explore reuse channels first, before you buy something new.
● Choose products made from recycled content, if purchasing new.
● Carefully read signage for what is allowed in recycling and food waste streams.
● Design your own creative ways to reuse surplus materials or waste.
WATER SYSTEMS
What the campus is doing:
Situated along the Charles River and near the Atlantic coast, MIT is deeply connected to the local watershed. We know that our planet depends on accessible, affordable, and clean water to sustain life, and so we seek to protect our local water resources. We do this by minimizing water use in campus operations, designing sustainable landscapes, and collaborating across MIT to explore innovative solutions to water challenges.
What the building is doing:
Water-efficient fixtures, such as the low-flow showerheads in the residential and commuter showers, help this building conserve water. The site features permeable paving that allows for stormwater infiltration, as well as trees and native vegetation that reduce run-off and improve water quality. Rainwater is collected and stored in tanks where it is filtered and reused for irrigation and in the cooling tower of an adjacent building.
What you can do:
Here are some tips for supporting healthy water systems:
● Enjoy Cambridge’s high-quality tap water, before purchasing bottled water.
● Limit your consumption of single-use plastics to help reduce marine plastic pollution.
● Reduce showering time to five minutes.
● Report any water leaks or faucet drips.
What the campus is doing:
Situated along the Charles River and near the Atlantic coast, MIT is deeply connected to the local watershed. We know that our planet depends on accessible, affordable, and clean water to sustain life, and so we seek to protect our local water resources. We do this by minimizing water use in campus operations, designing sustainable landscapes, and collaborating across MIT to explore innovative solutions to water challenges.
What the building is doing:
Water-efficient fixtures, such as the low-flow showerheads in the residential and commuter showers, help this building conserve water. The site features permeable paving that allows for stormwater infiltration, as well as trees and native vegetation that reduce run-off and improve water quality. Rainwater is collected and stored in tanks where it is filtered and reused for irrigation and in the cooling tower of an adjacent building.
What you can do:
Here are some tips for supporting healthy water systems:
● Enjoy Cambridge’s high-quality tap water, before purchasing bottled water.
● Limit your consumption of single-use plastics to help reduce marine plastic pollution.
● Reduce showering time to five minutes.
● Report any water leaks or faucet drips.
ENERGY SYSTEMS
What the campus is doing:
Central to its climate action plan, MIT is working to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with campus energy usage, including the consumption of natural gas, fuel oil, gasoline, and the production of steam, chilled water, and electricity. Maximizing energy efficiency across campus operations is a top priority.
What the building is doing:
To reduce the consumption of fossil fuels, this building is connected to MIT’s efficient heating and cooling Central Utilities Plant. The building itself minimizes energy use through a high-performing and insulated envelope, efficient lighting and equipment, daylight dimming, energy and heat recovery, and chilled beams for office spaces.
What you can do:
While in this building, there are many ways to conserve energy. Here are a few tips:
● Take the stairs when you can. It saves energy and is good for your health.
● Turn off equipment when it’s not in use. This includes computers, monitors, and printers.
● Report any lighting or temperature control issues. Before overriding any automatic systems, make sure to consult a building manager or member of MIT Facilities.
What the campus is doing:
Central to its climate action plan, MIT is working to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with campus energy usage, including the consumption of natural gas, fuel oil, gasoline, and the production of steam, chilled water, and electricity. Maximizing energy efficiency across campus operations is a top priority.
What the building is doing:
To reduce the consumption of fossil fuels, this building is connected to MIT’s efficient heating and cooling Central Utilities Plant. The building itself minimizes energy use through a high-performing and insulated envelope, efficient lighting and equipment, daylight dimming, energy and heat recovery, and chilled beams for office spaces.
What you can do:
While in this building, there are many ways to conserve energy. Here are a few tips:
● Take the stairs when you can. It saves energy and is good for your health.
● Turn off equipment when it’s not in use. This includes computers, monitors, and printers.
● Report any lighting or temperature control issues. Before overriding any automatic systems, make sure to consult a building manager or member of MIT Facilities.
HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
What the campus is doing:
Designing spaces that promote physical and mental well-being is part of a sustainable campus. Bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, access to transit and healthy food, and beautiful open spaces for social connection help make the campus healthier and more sustainable.
What the building is doing:
To support health and well-being, this building uses materials that are non-toxic and do not emit harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Ample bike parking, showers for active commuters on the third floor, and inviting staircases all encourage physical activity. The outdoor spaces incorporate diverse vegetation that provide a vibrant environment for the community, while helping to manage stormwater.
What you can do:
Here are some fun and healthy tips:
● Build activity into your day, whether it’s taking the stairs or the long way to the bus stop in the morning.
● Stop to smell the flowers. Exposure to plants is known to improve productivity and create a sense of wellbeing.
● Share a healthy meal outside with a colleague on a sunny afternoon.
What the campus is doing:
Designing spaces that promote physical and mental well-being is part of a sustainable campus. Bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, access to transit and healthy food, and beautiful open spaces for social connection help make the campus healthier and more sustainable.
What the building is doing:
To support health and well-being, this building uses materials that are non-toxic and do not emit harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Ample bike parking, showers for active commuters on the third floor, and inviting staircases all encourage physical activity. The outdoor spaces incorporate diverse vegetation that provide a vibrant environment for the community, while helping to manage stormwater.
What you can do:
Here are some fun and healthy tips:
● Build activity into your day, whether it’s taking the stairs or the long way to the bus stop in the morning.
● Stop to smell the flowers. Exposure to plants is known to improve productivity and create a sense of wellbeing.
● Share a healthy meal outside with a colleague on a sunny afternoon.
