Green Initiatives

A new Central Campus Zone was established between Baldwin and Cedar Streets (north-south) and Lumpkin Street and East Campus Road (west-east). Electric equipment will be used almost exclusively for routine maintenance tasks like mowing, blowing, edging and trimming. Targeted use of gas-powered equipment is used only if needed as a last resort, such as during heavy leaf season. Staff are trained on appropriate use and maintenance of electric equipment. To maximize educational value, academic classes in relevant disciplines will be engaged and a student intern in Landscape Architecture will conduct a study of comparable landscape zones maintained by electric and non-electric equipment. Study factors will include aesthetics, noise, emissions, equipment durability, employee health and satisfaction, visitor perceptions, and costs. Learn More.

In an effort to reduce greenhouse emissions, a fleet of electric Autonomous Mowers are being used at the Club Sports Recreation Fields as well as the Intramural fields to maintain turf areas. In addition to being eco-friendly, these mowers allow our groundskeepers to focus on other landscape maintenance tasks throughout campus.

The Grounds Department utilizes and maintains approximately 70 Rain Gardens throughout campus. These rain gardens utilize vegetation and grading to capture storm water runoff from impermeable surfaces, temporarily holding the storm water and allowing the runoff to infiltrate and remove contaminates.

The Grounds Department maintains several Green Roofs on the UGA campus. These green roofs provide a rainwater buffer, purifies the air, reduces the ambient temperature, regulates the indoor temperature, saves energy and encourages biodiversity on the UGA campus.

Debris from landscape maintenance activities on campus and animal bedding material is taken to the Bioconversion Facility where it is combined in wind rows and converted to compost. This compost is, then, re-used on campus as soil amendment for new landscape installations. Additionally, by utilizing this composting operation, the Grounds Department diverts this waste from local landfills. Last year, approximately 2,000 cubic yards of compost was created.

Concrete demolition debris from construction activities on campus is pulverized to be reused as base material for new concrete sidewalk installation and other appropriate construction activities.