From Sustainable Seafood to Eco-Architecture: Northeastern University Leads the Green Movement in Higher Education

BOSTON, April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Focusing on the cutting-edge green scene, Northeastern University unveiled their newest dining concept within their campus dining arena at International Village. At the forefront of the green building revolution taking place on campuses nationwide, the university has reinvented college foodservice showcasing a green dining adventure through modern ecological architecture and exceptional food from sustainable sources.  

Northeastern University's Vision

Design it Green.

Fueled by a culture in support of everything green, Northeastern University recruited a knowledgeable team of experts to help their vision come to fruition. Key partners and advisors included Northeastern University, Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services, Prellwitz Chilinski Associates and the Green Restaurant Association.  This Green Team focused on creating a sustainably built and operated dining facility aligned with Boston's revolutionary green building strategies and commitment to LEED design standards. Extensive preplanning with the shared understanding of eco-friendly development and the professional food scene inspired collaboration among the Green Team members.

With assistance from the Green Restaurant Association, Northeastern University's vision for creating ecologically sustainable dining at International Village became a reality. The 20,000 square foot dining facility (almost half a football field) includes combined retail space housing Jamba Juice and Peet's Coffee & Tea. The dining hall and retail space are both 3-Star Certified Green Restaurants and belong to a distinguished group of 23 3-star certified facilities in existence nationwide. With 280 Green Certified Restaurants in total, International Village is the first campus dining facility to operate two 3-Star Certified Green Restaurants within a LEED Gold Certified structure in the U.S. Cambridge Massachusetts-based architecture firm, Prellwitz Chilinski Associates, in partnership with base building architect Kyu Sung Woo of Boston, helped pioneer the design of International Village.

Build it Green.

Sustainable design is incorporated throughout the infrastructure. Integrated green building solutions include high performance, energy-efficient foodservice equipment from HVAC to exhaust hoods, to water consumption and automated lighting controls.  Eco-correct low VOC paints, eco-friendly carpeting and the integration of recycled content were used throughout the entire facility. 90% of the build-out waste was diverted from landfills and an air quality monitoring system was implemented during construction.  Daylighting, or maximizing the use of natural light, was mainstream in the design evident by the dramatic skylights and floor to ceiling windows running along the perimeter of the seating area that could host 450 diners.

Run it Green. Return it Green.

The campus dining services' operating strategy focuses on waste reduction initiatives that contribute to environmental preservation.  Ecologically sound practices from recycling to composting to biodegradable greenware have been fully embraced by the students. These efforts are further reinforced by a campus-organized Peer Composting Team committed to the success of the school's overall eco-factor.

Northeastern University's overall green campus initiatives earned recognition from the Princeton Review and was named to the esteemed 2010 Green Rating Honor Roll by becoming one of only 15 colleges to score 99 out of 697 colleges rated.

As Northeastern University's foodservice provider, Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services understands the impact that operations have on the environment considering 2,500 meals are served daily at International Village alone. According to Steve Sweeney, Chartwells' President and CEO, "Chartwells is proud to partner with Northeastern University and is committed to providing the campus with ethically produced, sustainable, high quality food products, services and programs while operating at maximum efficiency within environmentally friendly operations."  

Northeastern University Dining Services received an "A" grade on their College Sustainability Report Card for their innovative efforts for campus food and recycling programs, as well as sustainability best practices. The College Sustainability Report Card is an independent evaluation of campus operations and endowment investments published by the Sustainable Endowments Institute.

The Perfect Setting for an Eco-Chic Dining Adventure

The right combination of green restaurant-style aesthetics, culinary platforms and professional service draws students to International Village dining. The setting is eco-chic because it's aligned with today's socially conscious global trends and made from recycled environmentally friendly materials.

Contemporary restaurant features compliment the distinctive space creating a lively atmosphere that evokes the curiosity felt in anticipation of a great dining adventure. At the entrance, visitors are greeted by friendly staff and pass by video screens displaying a combination of live and still media from around the world. Visitors could watch a live feed from Tokyo or observe a series of images from Northeastern study abroad programs.

With intrigue, diners navigate their way down an avenue of culinary platforms manned by impeccably dressed chefs in front of individual open style kitchens. Instead of placards, menus printed on recycled paper display the day's specials. Food preparation and service is perfectly executed by graduates of the Culinary Institute of America and Johnson & Wales University. The setting inspires visitors to explore every destination while the design aspect creatively and purposely focuses attention to the food.  

Students could sit at many of the culinary platform counters on contemporary high back aluminum chairs and join the action. Within the main dining area, red leather stools and beech wood chairs with polished chrome legs placed around white table tops fill the room.  Diners are exposed to lively street corner views and the Boston cityscape.

For today's college students, the environment is just as important as the food. Square white plates were chosen to provide the ideal palate for food presentation.  As an option, small plates inspired by tapas are offered so students can have fun and sample more of the different flavors. The combination of restaurant aesthetics, impeccable food presentation, lively yet relaxing atmosphere and great service truly creates a unique dining experience at International Village.

The Food Students Want

The role that food has played in campus dining has changed with the times and sustainably sourced products are at the forefront. Today's students want an extensive selection of customizable meals that are healthier, robust and flavorful. Academic institutions understand that they must keep up with the changing trends and offer great on-campus dining options.

Northeastern University has accomplished this at International Village by pairing popular entrees with a variety of healthy sides so students could create a complete, customized appealing meal. From tandoor to brick ovens to sushi and sliders, International Village offers something special for every student with international cuisine and modernized versions of comfort foods as signature dishes.

Ryan Fox, President of the Student Government Association said, "Taking into consideration student food preferences from a large-scale assessment conducted by the Student Government Association, the cuisine was expertly sculpted to explore the international theme of the facility and to cater to students' culinary needs and preferences."

Menu options highlight sustainably-sourced natural foods at over a dozen different culinary platforms.  The all day breakfast station uses cage-free shell eggs, milk without artificial growth hormones, and Fair Trade Certified coffee and tea.  The dedicated vegetarian and vegan platform uses locally purchased produce including tossed-to-order custom micro green salads. Throughout the different dining destinations, pork and poultry produced without the use of routine antibiotics is prepared in a variety of dishes.  All seafood is purchased in accordance with the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch guidelines for sustainability to protect our oceans and their inhabitants.

Northeastern University is proud to provide students, faculty, staff and the community with a dynamic and sustainably-built green dining center on campus. From the carefully planned eco-architecture to energy efficient equipment, ecologically sound practices and food sourcing, Northeastern University has truly delivered a fully integrated dining experience.

About Northeastern University

Founded in 1898, Northeastern University is a private research university located in the heart of Boston. Northeastern is a leader in interdisciplinary research and experiential learning programs on a global scale. The university's cooperative education program is one of the largest and most innovative in the world. It integrates classroom learning with real-world experience, where students alternate semesters of full-time study with semesters of paid work infields relevant to their professional interests and major on six continents. The University offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs leading to degrees through the doctorate.  For more information, please visit www.northeastern.edu.

About Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services

Chartwells, a division of Compass Group, provides dining services for over 230 colleges and universities nationwide. Chartwells has been in partnership with Northeastern University since 1974.  Visit www.EatLearnLive.com for additional information about Chartwells and www.CGNAD.com for information about Compass Group.

About PCA:  Prellwitz Chilinski Associates (PCA, Inc.) is a Cambridge-based, full-service architectural firm of 20 people who enjoy putting design into action on behalf of clients. Whether transforming a neglected dining facility into a must-visit destination or discovering a best-fit solution for a new residence hall on a landlocked site, our progressive, practical approach to student life facilities has enriched campus communities since 1982. Visit www.prellwitzchilinski.com.

SOURCE Chartwells