As the nation gears up to celebrate Earth Day on April 22, SUNY is once again recognized for its outstanding commitment to environmental conservation. The Princeton Review, in collaboration with the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), this week salutes eight SUNY campuses among the 230 most environmentally responsible “green colleges” in the United States and Canada.
“SUNY’s commitment to an energy-smart New York and to sustainability throughout our system is a critical component of our strategic plan, one that our campuses have widely embraced and consistently shown leadership on,” said SUNY Chancellor Zimpher. “Congratulations to the eight SUNY campuses listed in the 2013 Guide to Green Colleges. This recognition is much deserved and highly commendable.”
The eight campuses named show due diligence in their environmental efforts day after day: Continue reading →
William R. Greiner Hall, UB’s newest residence hall (housing mostly sophomores), provides a glimpse at the future direction buildings at UB will be modeled upon. The building, which debuted in August 2011, is the first of several state-of-the-art structures that have opened or will open on campus over a two-year period.
UB’s recent burst of new on-campus construction has already been nationally noticed — Greiner Hall earned a gold rating under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification system. Continue reading →
Design concept produced by Rafael Vinoly Architects with Foit-Albert Associates.
The award winning design concept produced by HOK that will be used to produce the final design for the new UB medical school in downtown Buffalo.
HOK brings an impressive and deep portfolio in health sciences complexes. The firm designed the acclaimed King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia and the Francis Crick Institute’s cardiovascular and cancer research center in central London, which will be the largest center for biomedical research and innovation in Europe.
Because of UB’s sustainability and climate-impact reduction goals, HOK’s green-design credentials influenced its selection: UB has set a goal of LEED Gold for the new medical school building. LEED is a sustainability ratings system created by the U.S. Green Building Council.
HOK has been repeatedly ranked the “top green design firm” by Engineering News-Record, while KAUST was certified in 2009 as the world’s largest LEED Platinum project. Continue reading →
UB All In One recycling bins increase efficiency of on campus recycling by accepting bottles, cans, and paper.
The University at Buffalo is the 14th largest green power user among U.S. colleges and universities, according to new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rankings.
UB bought more than 44 million kilowatt-hours of green power, about 20 percent of the university’s electricity usage, for the 2011-12 academic year. That’s up from 22 million kilowatt-hours, or roughly 10 percent, in 2009-10, an indication that UB is moving toward reaching its goal of becoming climate neutral by 2030.
In fact, with the opening of the new 3,200-panel Solar Strand on UB’s North Campus and additional renewable energy purchases, about 30 percent of the university’s power will be coming from renewable sources.
As a result of these efforts, UB has been able cut carbon emissions by 23 percent during the past 10 years. During the same time, university facilities’ square footage grew nearly 7 percent.
Well ahead of its peers in the Mid-American Conference, UB was named Individual Conference Champion by the EPA.
The Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program that encourages organizations to buy green power as a way to reduce the environmental impacts associated with electricity use. For additional information, visit http://www.epa.gov/greenpower.
UB celebrated the opening of The Solar Strand, its newest sustainability initiative, on Monday, April 23, 2012. Funded by the New York Power Authority and designed by renowned landscape architect Walter Hood, The Solar Strand comprises 3,200 panels stretching for a quarter mile along Flint Road on the North Campus.
The strand’s significance lies in the fact that it merges sustainability with technology, beauty and public engagement. In coming years, the array and surrounding landscape will serve as a classroom and research site for undergraduates and a field trip destination for K-12 pupils.
The installation, a work of landscape art and a gateway to the university, has a maximum rated capacity of 750 kilowatts—enough to power hundreds of student apartments, or even William R. Greiner Hall, SUNY’s first LEED gold-designed student residence hall. The building is packed with such green features as high-efficiency lighting, low-flow faucets and laundry-room counters made from recycled Tide bottles.
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