Walter Simpson, Energy Officer & Director of the UB Green Office - University of Buffalo

"Recipes for a Successful Program"

Walter began his presentation with a reality check: Energy is the MOST significant campus environmental impact and we must meet the challenge of  combating global climate change. Walter referenced a quote from James Hansen (NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies) which essentially states that time is running out and we have less then ten years to make significant GHG emissions reductions to avoid catastrophic climate tipping points.

After 20 years of work at Buffalo we are still just scratching the surface. There are however key programatic elements for success (bolded items emphasized):Facilities first, staffing and leadership, top level support,energy awareness, comprehensive green campus program,strong energy policiesand nurturing creative staff.

Facilities First: facilities managers and staff run the campus energy systems, they usually know what needs to be done and without their support it can be difficult to achieve progressive energy policies. Housing the Green campus office within facilities can aid in achieving strong energy policies. 

Energy Awareness: talking about changing the campus culture (are lights off in empty buildings?), need to be realistic in what people can do (those who live on campus vs commuters, staff vs students vs faculty etc), active versus passive participation (not always necessary to have active participation but cooperation and passive support is good ). Signs in the buildings are important-(example, signs that remind people how much is spent annually on electricity).

Energy Policies: formalize the goals. Need academic buy-in, timing is critical, don't forget to implement those great policies! Examples of policies, heating and cooling temps, fan run times, reheats, new construction standards.  Also see the AASHE resource on Energy Conservation Policies. Also, check out the AASHE Resource on Campus Global Warming Commitments.

Walter gave numerous examples from UB of policies and projects they have undertaken to become more sustainable. The University is a signatory to the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). Currently, they are purchasing wind power and are producing some on site renewable energy. They seek to buy local wind REC's and invest in long term wind contracts. They have a 73.5 KW solar PV installation (see AASHE Resource on Campus Solar Electric Installations for other examples). Walter also stressed the importance of documenting all initiatives and projects (this helps with benchmarking and internal assessment) which can help move the campus forward. Documenting and rating campus sustainability is one of the goals of the new AASHE program STARS.