Sustainable News

"For us, environmental sustainability is as much about leadership as it is about stewardship, and the CUNY community of 450,000 students, faculty and staff will help us define and exercise both."

-Vice Chancellor Iris Weinshall

Vice Chancellor for Facilities, Planning, Construction, and Management

BEDC and CUNY's Kingsborough Community College Help Contractors Go Green
FIRST "GREEN ADVANTAGE® TRAINING PROGRAM" IN NEW YORK CITY WILL HELP SMALL AND MID-SIZE CONTRACTORS STAY COMPETITIVE

Brooklyn, NY, April [23], 2008-- The Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) and Kingsborough Community College have formed a partnership to provide low-cost training for small to mid-size contractors and builders who want to earn the green building certification they will need to stay competitive and meet New York City's PlanNYC 2030 environmental goals. The Green Advantage Training Program, the nation's only green certification for contractors recognized by the US Green Building Council, will have its inaugural New York City session on Saturday, May 17, at the Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn. Read More.

Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer, Allan Dobrin to present First Sustainable Suggestion Award
The Sustainable CUNY Suggestion Program rewards ideas that will help CUNY achieve its sustainability goals and is designed to increase the involvement from the students, faculty and staff. Each CUNY Campus has the opportunity to establish its own unique Sustainable Suggestion Program with $1000 funded from the CUNY Sustainability Project.

The first award from the Sustainable CUNY Suggestion Program will be presented to Ian Taylor from CUNY’s Department of Design, Construction and Management. Ian, a recent graduate from New York City Tech will be presented a charitable gift check for his innovative suggestion to reduce the energy consumption of A/C window units by plugging them into a “smart” power strip. The power strip is then coupled with a software program already utilized by CUNY.

CUNY Green Campus Loan Fund
The Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE) has secured a $1 million grant to initiate a revolving Green Campus Loan Fund in order to assist CUNY colleges with integrating sustainability into their buildings. The program is being administered in partnership with CUNY Economic Development Corporation.

The CUNY Green Campus Loan Fund will provide eligible CUNY applicants with capital funds for projects that can measurably reduce CUNY's environmental impact and demonstrate monetary savings to repay the no interest loan. An application process is under development that will include a panel that will review and award applicants. Projects will be selected on their ability to contribute to one or more of the following:

Emission reductions
Energy conservation
Water conservation
Sewage and storm water output reductions
Hazardous waste reduction

Solid waste reduction
Liquid waste reduction
Gaseous emissions reduction
Operation improvement that decrease environmental impacts
Operation improvements that decrease energy use

Applications and instructions to apply for this program will be available in the Spring of 2008.

15 Million Dollars Committed to Sustainable Business and Technology Incubator in the Bronx
The Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE) and the City University of New York Economic Development Corporation (CUNY EDC) will develop a Sustainable Business and Technology Incubator as part of the Bronx Community College Campus. CUNY EDC has committed 15 million dollars to help develop the incubator.

The incubator will focus on businesses that are ready to supply sustainable services and energy technology into the New York City market. The incubator will also provide opportunities for CUNY researchers and their partners with paths to test and commercialize their applied research.