Indianapolis architect Bill Brown will become Indiana University’s first director of sustainability.
Brown will try to improve the university’s sustainability efforts and reputation. In recent years, IU has ranked at or near the bottom of Big Ten schools in environmental diligence.
A campus task force, formed in 2007, has identified areas of environmental need at IU. Brown said their plan will initially serve as his road map.
“The vision that’s been laid out by the sustainability task force will actually allow IU to leapfrog over other universities,” he said.
At first, Brown said, he will serve as a facilitator for projects already in the works. Currently, he is a partner at Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf Architects, where he has stressed environmentally-friendly designs.
Brown said his experience in the field will help IU improve.
“Well, I think I bring a pretty unusual expertise to the academic world in that my training as an architect is all about taking a vision and turning it into reality,” he said. “That’s certainly what I’d like to do here, take that community vision, that campus vision and find ways to implement those great ideas.”
Brown will begin his IU position March 2, 2009.
