Sustainable Living at Maharishi University of Management

Maharishi University of Management offers the first Sustainable Living degree program in America.



=Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Living= The B.S. in Sustainable Living covers seven key areas:


 * Self Sustainability — develops your total inner potential through Consciousness-Based education
 * Bio-Geophysiology — provides the foundations of ecology and geology as the model for sustainability
 * Renewable Energy — includes solar energy, wind energy, and biofuels
 * Sustainable Agriculture — emphasizes organic agriculture and permaculture design practices on our organic farm
 * Eco-Architectural Design — focuses on creating buildings and communities in harmony with the laws of nature
 * Green Business and Entrepreneurship — provides the basics of business, entrepreneurship, and eco-economics that drive sustainable communities
 * Social-Ecological Interface — includes bio-cultural ethics, environmental law, and an overview of mega-sustainability issues

Internships and certifications
Real-world internships and professional certifications are a featured part of the Sustainable Living degree program.

One course at a time
Our students take one course at a time — they’re immersed full time in the course for about 4 weeks — and then move on to the next course. They learn more with less stress and less effort, and never have the burden of homework and exams in 4–5 subjects at once.

This system is immensely popular with our students — they find it’s the most effective and easiest way to learn.

The University’s commitment
The university serves organic vegetarian meals daily — often with locally grown produce — and we’re committed to applying the principles of sustainability to our own campus to the maximum extent possible.

Option for one-year MBA in Sustainable Business
Upon graduating, students have the option of taking a one-year MBA in Sustainable Business. Requisite undergraduate courses are needed for this option. -

=Sustainable Living Center=

To house the Sustainable Living programs, the University is building a 7,000-square-foot Sustainable Living Center, which architects predict will set new standards in green building construction and operation.

The Center will include classrooms, a research lab, greenhouse, a recycling center, a metal and wood workshop, kitchen, and offices. Construction is scheduled to begin in October and be completed in late fall 2009.

Sustainable Living Center receives grant from Kresge Foundation

In December 2008 the international Kresge Foundation’s Green Building Initiative awarded Maharishi University of Management a $50,000-dollar Planning Grant for the Center. The funds will help cover costs such as ecological site planning, energy analysis and modeling, and LEED certification.

Center Features


 * Extensive use of daylighting — A unique architecture will capture sunlight and direct it throughout the building to provide all of the lighting for about three quarters of the day.


 * Solar panels and wind turbine — Electrical power will come from photovoltaic panels and a wind generator. A generator fueled by student-manufactured biofuel will provide backup energy.


 * Natural cooling system — Night air will be used to cool the thermal mass walls, which then hold the cool temperature and radiate it during the day. Also, the building will absorb very little heat because of these walls and Vedic verandas on the east and west. Cooling will also be provided by geothermal tubing.


 * Natural heating system — The building will use radiant in-floor heat supplied by solar water-heating panels, with a biofuel-powered generator as a backup. In addition, heat will be conserved by insulation as well as heat storage in the thermal mass walls. Also, the building will recapture the heat from the ventilation system rather than exhausting it.


 * Use of rainwater — A rainwater catchment system will collect 90% of the rainwater on the roof and route it into a cistern for nonpotable uses. The remaining 10% will be routed into a UV treatment system for consumption.


 * Treatment of wastewater — Wastewater will be treated by a leech field, in which bacteria digest the matter, and then a green-plant mediated living system in the greenhouse will be used to remove the excess nitrogen.


 * Earth block construction — The building will be constructed from earth blocks made by the Sustainable Living students using a mixture of compressed clay and sand.

The building’s features will qualify it to receive the highest level of certification from LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). It will also comply with the healthy-building principles of Bau-Biologie. The plan is to also meet the Cascadia “Living Building Challenge” — which would be the first building ever to reach this benchmark.

=LEED Certified Student Center=

On February 1, 2008, Maharishi University of Management opened the 50,000-square-foot Argiro Student Center, America’s first student center constructed according to the ancient principles of Vedic architecture for harmony with natural law.

It also incorporates advanced green features that will qualify it for LEED certification.

The Argiro Student Center features a 300-seat auditorium, two dining halls, student café, student lounge, banquet room, bookstore, mailroom, and offices for student-related activities.

The Student Center is named for Dr. Vincent and Dr. Maggie Argiro, University trustees and principal donors to the building.

Green elements to qualify for LEED certification

 * Energy Efficiency: Energy savings in the Argiro Student Center come from heat exchangers, which capture 80% of the heat from the air that is being exhausted from the building and use it to help heat the incoming fresh air.


 * Daylighting: Large, triangular windows cast light deep into the Argiro Student Center on the two upper floors. Daylighting sensors automatically turn off the lights when enough daylight is present. The building’s cupola also helps reflect light into the atrium area.


 * Insulation: The Argiro Student Center is insulated 50% better than average. The heating and cooling systems also have a higher-than-normal efficiency.


 * Nontoxic Materials: The Argiro Student Center is constructed with nontoxic materials, including over 13,000 square feet of bamboo flooring. Carpeting is green certified, and the flooring in the serving areas is Marmoleum, which is a natural linoleum made with 100% natural ingredients: linseed oil, cork, limestone, tree rosin, and natural minerals.

=MBA in Sustainable Business=

The MBA in Sustainable Business covers five key areas:


 * Self Sustainability — develops your total inner potential and leadership abilities through Consciousness-Based education


 * Sustainable Entrepreneurship — focuses on creating successful green businesses that produce real value for society


 * Sustainable Business Solutions — provides the knowledge and skills needed for transforming and managing businesses for lasting sustainability


 * Sustainable Management — emphasizes the people and organizational skills needed for managing projects and operations


 * Sustainable Living — provides advanced knowledge and experience in renewable energy, organic agriculture, and the other principal fields of sustainable living

=History of Maharishi University of Management=

Maharishi University of Management (MUM), formerly known as Maharishi International University, was founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who introduced the Transcendental Meditation technique. The campus is located in Fairfield, Iowa, USA, on the grounds of the former Parsons College.

The university is accredited through the Ph.D. level by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and offers "[Consciousness-Based education", including practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique. Degree programs are offered in the arts, sciences, in business, and in the humanities.

Maharishi University of Management cites high rankings on "benchmarks of effective educational practice" from the National Survey of Student Engagement and also the results of the ACT alumni survey that show a high level of alumni satisfaction.