Facilities

Landscape Services Honored with Leading by Example Award

Image
Campus Pond anti-erosion project
Campus Pond anti-erosion project

Landscape Services has been awarded a 2018 Leading by Example (LBE) Award from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for outstanding public sector energy and environmental efforts in the higher education category.

The award was among eight presented this morning at the 12th annual LBE awards ceremony at the State House in Boston.

The state recognized Landscape Services for sustainable landscaping and operations that includes the use of battery-powered landscape equipment, growing 80 percent of what is planted around campus in university greenhouses, relying on integrated pest management for campus landscapes, providing opportunities for students to create on-campus gardens for pollinators and songbirds, installation of two green roofs, reusing 8,000 landscaping pots annually and more.

The award was presented by Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton, Department of Energy Resources (DOER) Commissioner Judith Judson and Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance Commissioner Carol Gladstone.

Assistant director of Building and Grounds Pamela Monn, who oversees Landscape Services, accepted the award for the university.

Gov. Charlie Baker said in a statement, “Massachusetts continues to lead the nation in clean energy with the help of state and local partners like those honored today for investing in initiatives to lower emissions and reduce costs. The leadership, dedication and foresight of today’s awardees will have lasting benefits to the Commonwealth as we progress towards a cleaner, more cost effective and resilient energy future.”

“We take energy efficiency and conservation seriously at UMass Amherst,” said Shane Conklin, associate vice chancellor for Facilities and Campus Services, “and Landscape Services has taken great strides in making a large, complex landscape management operation an environmental leader on campus and in our community.  We’re incredibly proud of their accomplishments.”

LBE awards recognize outstanding efforts among state agencies, public colleges and universities, and municipalities that have implemented policies and programs that have led to significant and measurable environmental and energy benefits. The LBE program is administered by DOER and works collaboratively with state agencies and public colleges and universities to advance clean energy and sustainable practices that reduce the environmental impacts of state government operations.