In pursuit of F&A’s Sustainability strategic initiative, the Office of Sustainability, Parking and Transportation, and Facilities & Capital Planning has introduced three solar-powered bus shelters on campus. This effort reflects Rice’s dedication to green energy and supports the university’s goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. Furthermore, this project highlights the remarkable innovation for which Rice Alumni are renowned.
In 2022, Rice Alum Chris Garza, Jones ‘22, offered to donate a state-of-the-art solar-powered bus shelter to campus. Garza designed structures with steel, tempered glass, and solar panels that affix to the roof. This innovative design includes over 16 feet of shelter and a bench for bus riders. Instead of running electrical lines and conduit under concrete to the shelters, the panels harvest sunlight and store it to provide full functionality for the station’s LED lights, digital displays, and wireless charging stations on campus.
Houston’s climate, which is marked by intense sunlight and frequent rainfall, creates the ideal conditions for the bus shelter as it offers riders respite from the elements while also contributing energy to the grid. Pairing these benefits with Rice’s carbon neutrality goal, Parking and Transportation made the investment in two additional solar-powered bus shelters. The new bus shelters are located in the West Lot and are marked on the map below.
As the university continues to make progress toward carbon neutrality and the UN SDGs, expect more updates on sustainability initiatives unfolding throughout the F&A division in future Fast Five publications.