The Daily Bulletin Archive

Members of the Buffalo State community traveled to Saratoga Springs November 12–14 to take part in a SUNY-wide energy and sustainability summit. Attendees explored how a greater focus on energy and the environment can bolster economic development and education throughout SUNY centers.

Buffalo State representatives included Joseph Ball, associate director for campus services; John Bleech, environmental programs manager in the Environmental Health and Safety Office; Camille Holmgren, assistant professor of geography and planning; Tamara Horstman-Riphahn, executive assistant to the dean of the School of Education; and Bettina Martinez-Hackert, earth sciences support specialist.

Participants heard from a variety of prominent government and business leaders, as well as SUNY faculty and staff. They viewed exhibits such as an alternative fuel car and a tabletop solar/hydrogen powered home, and displays such as residence hall energy savings, sustainability in art design, biowaste conversion to bioenergy, and other relevant topics. The conference also served to advance the recommendations contained in the SUNY Energy Task Force report, which provided the basis for a new SUNY-wide paradigm on energy use.

“SUNY is striving to become more energy efficient than the California State University system,” said Martinez-Hackert. “The new paradigm is with the president [Howard], and the time for discussion is over. We’ve been asked by SUNY to start making changes now.”

As part of the SUNY energy policy, all new buildings, additions, and major renovation projects must meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver rating requirements beginning in 2008. The LEED rating system is a national benchmark for high-performance green buildings.

Martinez-Hackert said she gained enthusiasm by meeting so many people interested in making SUNY campuses greener, and she thinks that getting the entire SUNY system on board is an “amazing first step” toward lasting change.

Holmgren, a first-year assistant professor at Buffalo State, said the information she learned will be helpful for her curricula and meaningful for her students. “I’m teaching global climate change but am new to this region, so the summit really helped me learn about what others are doing locally and statewide,” she said. “There’s a lot of movement within SUNY. It was interesting to learn about initiatives to reduce energy, new regional climate models, biofuels and research, and many ideas and solutions for a greener environment.”

Martinez-Hackert sees the new requirements and the upcoming Math and Science Complex construction project as an opportunity for Buffalo State to be a green building role model.

“I know we’re now required to meet the LEED Silver level, but it’d be nice if we strived for the Gold level,” she said. “My hope is that future draft designs will provide more sunlight throughout the building. How awful is it to have a totally enclosed office with no windows and natural lighting? Effectively, it needs to be lit using electricity. Really, if the new Math and Science Complex at Buffalo State does not embrace green building, who else will? The rest of the community—even outside the campus—looks to scientists for knowledge and encouragement.”

In conjunction with SUNY’s new mandates, Martinez-Hackert said, everyone should start thinking “green” in everyday lifestyles. Print fewer or no PowerPoint slides on paper, use ANGEL more for record storing, and turn off the lights at the end of each work day, she advises.

“We should ask ourselves what we can do right now to make a small difference,” she said. “Other universities are doing a lot more than we are. It’s time to start putting SUNY’s strategies into practice.”