Lebanese American University

Facilities Management FM

Plan, Build, Operate and Maintain

Lights Off at LAU


The university marks Earth Hour by shutting off lights on both campuses to raise awareness of the environment.

Between 8:30 and 9:30 the night of March 24, LAU’s Beirut and Byblos campuses turned off their lights and closed down non-essential equipment. It was the university’s way to mark Earth Hour, when people across the globe shut down their electric devices for one hour to mark their commitment to protecting the environment.

Earth Hour is organized by one of the largest grassroots environmental movements in the world, the Worldwide Fund for Nature. The annual event started in Sydney in 2007 and quickly spread across the globe, with over 7,000 cities and towns participating in recent years.

LAU has been taking part in Earth Hour since 2015. And while this is an international movement, the university has been pursuing sustainability on its own.

“The Facilities Management department has been acting to inspire and encourage environmental sustainability at all levels across both campuses,” said Georges Hamouche, assistant vice president for facilities management. “Accordingly, a sustainability plan aiming at setting aspirational goals to advance the university’s sustainable strategies was developed.” He noted the “six green pillars” his department is focusing on in its environmental efforts: energy saving and water conservation, sustainable living, sustainable design and construction, environmental protection, recycling and waste management, and sustainable purchasing.

“Earth Hour is one of the numerous green initiatives that we are undertaking as part of our strategic sustainability plan to initiate the community around us and to help lead our country toward a greener future,” said Ziad Haddad, director of the Byblos physical plant.

Among the work they’ve done is to ensure all new and renovated properties on LAU’s campuses are constructed and operated with sustainability in mind. That means using efficient construction techniques to reduce building waste, insulation to reduce the loss of heated or cooled air, high-efficiency equipment and lighting, energy-saving controls, water-saving fixtures and non-toxic material.

Byblos campus, where most new construction takes place, has one building that is being constructed in line with the US Green Building Council’s LEED Gold Certification standards, and one building certified according to the International Finance Corporation’s EDGE rating system.

The university also encourages recycling, with several initiatives across LAU, including the Facilities Management Recycling Committee’s work to partner with organizations to reduce waste and institutionalize the practice. 

“Earth Hour is just a moment, but this is meant to influence human lives and act responsibly toward Mother Nature, the source of life,” said Roger Haddad, director of the physical plant in Beirut. “In this sense, LAU’s participation in Earth Hour reflects LAU’s values, contribution and commitment to educate the whole person and assure a better tomorrow.”

LAU's joined millions of people across the globe in switching off the lights of our business premises and our homes for one hour as part of Earth Hour 2018

As we joined the world’s biggest celebration for the planet, we invited our community to support the movement and play a part in creating a greener and more sustainable future. This year, Earth Hour 2018 focused on enhancing awareness of biodiversity and sparking conversations through social media platforms. It is a global call for every individual throughout the world to connect the dots between climate change and biodiversity loss.

Earth Hour 2018 called on us to shine a light on the myriad of wildlife and its habitats on social media platforms. From Twitter to Facebook, Telegram to Wechat, ignite conversations and learn as you share. Hop on to connect2earth.org and see what others have to say. Engage in interactive and informative conversations; you might just find someone who shares the concerns and passion you have for biodiversity!

LAU's joined millions of people across the globe in switching off the lights of our business premises and our homes for one hour as part of Earth Hour 2018

In addition, we would like to encourage everyone to take a look at our sustainability initiatives on the LAU FM Website by clicking Sustainability at LAU and to take our green pledge by clicking Take the Green Pledge where you will be able to make a personal commitment to actions that benefit our planet beyond the hour.

LAU's joined millions of people across the globe in switching off the lights of our business premises and our homes for one hour as part of Earth Hour 2018

LAU's joined millions of people across the globe in switching off the lights of our business premises and our homes for one hour as part of Earth Hour 2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Updated: March 14, 2020

Copyright 1997–2024 Lebanese American University, Lebanon.
Contact LAU | Feedback | Privacy Statement