Duke University Central Campus Implementation Plan

Cutting edge stormwater management strategies and a complete set of sustainable design metrics will help guide and measure sustainability throughout the long-term development of a new, 200-acre campus.

Duke University is engaged in a long-range planning process to develop its 200-acre Central Campus located between the East and West campuses. The development is expected to occur in phases over a 20 to 50-year period. The goal is to create an “academic village” that attracts and serves members of the Duke community throughout the day and evening. The new Central Campus will also serve to connect the other campuses, both physically and programmatically.

Working with the Master Planning and Phase 1 Schematic Design team, Biohabitats provided environmental sustainability planning and design. Specifically, Biohabitats developed stormwater management strategies that meet and exceed state water quality regulations and sustainable design metrics. These metrics encompassed the categories: Location Efficiency, Ecological Integrity, Compact, Complete, and Connected Campus, Resource Efficiency, User Health, and Institutional Commitment. Each individual metric included a goal, specific targets, and indicators with which campus administrators and all affected stakeholders can see how the goal and targets are met.

The goals and targets of each metric will ensure that the Central Campus landscape uses resources efficiently and enhance and preserve the ecological function of the woodlands and hollows surrounding the Central Campus development site. Meeting each metric’s detailed goal adheres to Duke University’s Environmental Policy and furthers the campus’ commitment to sustainability and responsible environmental stewardship.