SOUTH BEND — Green is the color to be wearing on St. Patrick's Day, but Saint Mary's College is helping students be green all the time. From a more environmentally friendly computer lab to the construction site on the north side of campus, the campus is finding ways to be more energy efficient.

The 24-hour campus computer lab is now making students more aware of how much they're printing. A network-based printer accounting program has helped decrease paper costs for 4 of the campus' most used printers by more than $1,000.

Students must type in a user name and password every time they're about to print, to make sure they realize how much paper they're using.

"It forces them to take an extra minute to think: 'Do I really need this? Do I need to print this out?'" said Student Computing Coordinator Kathy Hausmann. "And it reminds them they need to pick it up from the printer."

The new academic building on campus, Spes Unica Hall, will include state-of-the art classroom, laboratory and office space. It is currently being built with "green" or environmentally-friendly elements such as furniture and carpet made of recycled materials.

"We hope this to be our flagship when it comes to tying in to energy conservation opportunities," said Facilities Director Bill Hambling. "We will sort of address what happens to the rest of our buildings based on what happens here."

The building also features large areas of glass to maximize natural light, and operable windows for optimal air flow.

The building's name — "Spes Unica" — is Latin for "our only hope" and the motto of the College and the Congregation of the Holy Cross.