Climate activists push UW-Madison to include sustainability in ... - WKOW

Climate activists push UW-Madison to include sustainability in redevelopment plan | News | wkow.com
Climate activists with 350 Wisconsin are trying to rally their membership and the public to press UW-Madison for sustainability minded changes to a major redevelopment plan.

MADISON (WKOW) -- Climate activists with 350 Wisconsin are trying to rally their membership and the public to press UW-Madison for sustainability minded changes to a major redevelopment plan.

The university is in the midst of drawing up a vision for its West Campus District, an area roughly between UW Hospital and Willow Creek. The four-phase plan calls for redevelopment over the course of 30 years that will add research facilities, office space, and housing.

The project, which remains a draft seeking public feedback, calls for moving the greenhouses along Observatory Drive and track and soccer field on Walnut Street to make room for the new buildings.

350 Wisconsin, the state branch of a national organization focused on steering mankind away from the worst impacts of climate change, has rallied its members and elected officials in recent weeks. The call: push UW-Madison to explicitly include sustainable building practices in its final version the West Campus District Plan.

Leading the effort within 350 Wisconsin is Winston Thompson, an intern with the group and UW-Madison undergrad entering his senior year. He has crafted much of the public facing messaging for 350 Wisconsin on the West Campus District plan.

"Looking at the project's website, it is extremely obvious that it is lacking any type of sustainability," he said.

In a statement, UW-Madison spokesperson John Lucas said that the Revenue Innovation initiative, which encompasses the West Campus District Plan in addition to other responsibilities, includes improving sustainability as a guiding principal.

"Sustainability is an important value at UW–Madison," Lucas said. "The university is committed to reducing its environmental impact and building an efficient, resilient, innovative campus."

Thompson credited the university for making affordable housing and more research facilities in the development a priority, two assets he feels the campus needs.

The UW student and activist wants the West Campus District Plan to incorporate sustainable practices like solar panels, heat pumps, and expanded public transportation into its vision for the next 30 years.

"All that is much more difficult to do after building it, and it's more expensive to do after building it," Thompson said. "The time to act is now with these projects, when the we're still in the planning and development phase."

You can find more information on the West Campus District Plan here.

UW-Madison's full response statement:

Sustainability is an important value at UW–Madison. The university is committed to reducing its environmental impact and building an efficient, resilient, innovative campus.

The West Campus District Plan is looking at opportunities to improve the character, connections, and overall experience for all who study, work, or live near the West Campus District. Within its guiding principles (
https://www.vc.wisc.edu/initiatives/revenue-innovations/) it explicitly notes: “Improve the accessibility, livability, sustainability, and quality of the campus environment, and the city-region more generally.”

UW-Madison is actively seeking input on the West Campus District Plan from all voices. The project team has held more than 100 stakeholder meetings or events since last summer to share and gather feedback about the different needs and priorities – including sustainability – of west campus users. Some of these stakeholders include:
UW-Madison faculty, staff and students. City, state and federal partners Neighborhoods and communities, including the Ho-Chunk Nation Private industry, including Madison Gas & Electric.

Past WCDP public sessions have noted the need for sustainable development, and the team is partnering with UW-Madison’s Office of Sustainability to continue to weave campus sustainability priorities into the plan.

The West Campus District Plan is still in its early stages, and we expect the planning process to result in more explicit directives on building types and individual parcels. No decisions on construction or amenities have yet been made.

The university welcomes the insights of campus and community groups and encourages them to meet with the project team or send feedback to
wcdp@realestate.wisc.edu.