Brady PieperNew York State is investing more than $150 million to transition public college and university campuses to cleaner, greener and more sustainable energy sources.
As part of this investment, the state will deliver approximately $100 million in grants to the State University of New York (SUNY) system, including a significant funding boost for climate resiliency and energy generation at the University at Buffalo’s campus.
“This investment reinforces our work in decarbonizing UB and creating world-class learning and research space that also reinforces our university’s value of taking responsibility for our carbon emissions,” UB Vice President for Finance and Administration Laura Hubbard said. “We thank Gov. (Kathy) Hochul and the overwhelming amount of voters who passed the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act that supports this work.”
The new funding, from the state’s $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022, seeks to advance the state’s long-term clean energy goals while replacing existing, low-efficiency energy systems on higher education campuses.
The University of Buffalo’s portion, $12 million, will allow the campus to install a thermal energy network and construct the first of many energy hubs, which are noted as necessary to eliminate fossil fuel-based systems and reinforce new clean energy resources, according to university officials.
The project will construct the high-efficiency energy hub near South Campus to service up to five buildings surrounding Parker Hall. This hub would feature new, innovative technologies that lower greenhouse gas emissions and improve the operating efficiency of university processes.
The completion of this energy hub project and thermal energy network will contribute to SUNY’s recently approved South Campus Clean Energy Master Plan, which includes recommendations on how 67 campus buildings will be adapted to utilize clean energy systems.
The university will look to expand its clean energy efforts through the North Campus Clean Energy Master Plan, focusing on upgrading heating and electrical infrastructure across
125 campus buildings and integrating new technologies, such as more-efficient heat pumps and expanding the existing chilled water loop.
The university anticipates this project, in tandem with additional investments in cleaner energy systems, will lower carbon emissions on campus and create a future model for other institutions looking to expand resilient, clean energy sources.
This funding announcement from New York’s Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act will also deliver a $50 million climate resilience grant to the City University of New York (CUNY). Seeking to reduce CUNY’s carbon footprint, the university system will utilize the new state funding to implement solar, energy storage and heat pump projects on three campuses.
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