Sustainability

The University at Buffalo is ranked No. 3 in climate action among 250 institutions worldwide, according to the first-ever Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings. The rankings recognize universities across the world for their social and economic impact, based on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs. The SDGs are a collection of 17 goals collectively aimed at ending extreme poverty, fighting inequality and injustice, and fixing climate change by 2030. More than 450 universities from 76 countries submitted data for the new THE University Impact Rankings. It’s the first global attempt to document evidence of universities’ impact on society, rather than just research and teaching performance.

UB also was ranked on the following Sustainable Development Goals: Good Health and Well-being, No. 54; Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, No. 61; Sustainable Cities and Communities, No. 66; and Partnerships for the Goals, 201-300.

UB moved up five spots on Sierra Club magazine’s “Cool Schools” ranking for 2017. The university landed at No. 52, up from 57 last fall, on the environmental group’s annual list of schools that are ahead of the curve when it comes to sustainability.

We are a leader in purchasing renewable energy. UB is poised to move toward purchasing 30 percent of its electricity from wind power.

UB beat its conference rivals by using more than 219 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power, representing 100 percent of the school’s annual electricity use. That’s equivalent to the electricity use of nearly 21,000 average American homes annually. Of the 38 Conference Champion Award recipients, UB had the second-highest kilowatt-hours usage, trailing only the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s 250 million kWh.

In May 2016, UB won $1 million as part of Governor Cuomo's Energy to Lead competition. This money will help to bring 100 megawatts of new, locally produced solar energy to Buffalo within the next four years and will provide new experiential learning opportunities for students.

We were one of the first universities to sign on to the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment to achieve climate neutrality.

UB came in at No. 22 on College Consensus’ 25 Best Green Colleges list.The Best Green Colleges highlights the nation’s leading institutions in sustainability.UB was recognized for its ability to generate its own green power thanks to the Solar Strand, SteelWinds and other efforts, as well as its leadership of Localizing Buffalo’s Renewable Energy Future. The initiative aims to develop up to 100 megawatts of renewable energy within the next four years.

The University at Buffalo’s commitment to solving pressing environmental issues, educating students about these challenges and operating eco-friendly campuses has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with the Environmental Champion Award. The EPA also named UB the Mid-American Conference (MAC) champion for renewable energy usage. 

UB received a 2016 Green Power Leadership Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). UB was one of only three organizations nationwide to be chosen as a Green Power Partner of the Year. With this award, EPA recognizes Green Power Partners who distinguish themselves through their leadership, overall strategy and impact on the green power market.

UB is an innovator in solar energy on campus through The Solar Strand, a one-of-a-kind solar array designed by landscape architect Walter Hood that serves as a model for blending art, science, accessibility and technology at public research institutions.

The inaugural Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Ranking of U.S. colleges and universities — based on data from Times Higher Education — places UB at No. 28 among the nation’s top public universities. UB is No. 130 among more than 1,000 private and public colleges and universities ranked by the WSJ/THE. UB is rated highest — No. 1 — among SUNY institutions in the ranking. Factors measured by the rankings include engagement, student outcomes and learning environments.

UB IT increased the efficiency of the computing power at the Center for Computational Research. The project decreased total energy consumption at the data center by 20%, saved UB more than $278,000, and reduced our carbon footprint by 550 metric tons.

UB has been highlighted in the 2016 Sustainable Campus Index in the Public Engagement section (AASHE) for its efforts in advancing sustainability in higher education. UB was mentioned specifically for the partnership it created with Erie County and area business leaders to form the Western New York Sustainable Business Roundtable, a group of nearly 50 businesses that works to advance green practices among businesses in the region. 

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) on April 26 named UB one of 16 “Leaders” among REV Campus Challenge First Movers. The REV Campus Challenge is part of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV), a strategy to build a clean, resilient and affordable energy system for all New Yorkers. UB was recognized as a leader for its comprehensive, clean energy investments, embrace of clean energy research and development and curricula efforts, and increased engagement in communities.

UB is No. 10 on the Environment America list, which was compiled by gathering data from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) and ranking 180 qualifying colleges using their Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) scores from the past three years.

To account for differences in school size, Environment America divided the amount of renewable energy each school produced or purchased by the number of full-time equivalent students.

We have made a commitment to sustainable buildings. Greiner Hall debuted in August 2011 and represented the first LEED gold designed student residence hall in the State University of New York System and also was designed with the practice of Universal Design in mind.

UB was ranked 52 out of 227 "cool schools" of 2017 by the Sierra Club. The Sierra Club's rankings are based on sustainability (AASHE) ratings.

The annual Second Nature Climate Leadership Awards recognize innovative and advanced leadership in sustainability, climate mitigation, and resilience at signatory campuses of the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment. They do so based on demonstrated advances in innovation, embedded opportunities, and student preparedness with relation to sustainability and climate action.

The U.S. Green Building Council Center for Green Schools named UB one of the 2014 “Best of Green Schools” recipients. The awards recognize 10 individuals, institutions, projects and events representing national leaders and innovators in school sustainability. 

UB is among the 50 most environmentally responsible colleges in the nation, according to The Princeton Review. The Princeton Review’s Guide to 361 Green Colleges profiles colleges with the highest commitment to sustainability based on their academic offerings and career preparation for students, campus policies, initiatives and activities. New as of 2016 is a ranking of the Top 50 Green Colleges, with UB coming in at No. 33 on the list.

Due to UB's continued committment to sustainability, the university has been recognized by AASHE, Advancement for Sustainability in Higher Education as a STARS gold university. As a result, the university is now placed in the top 1.6 percent of colleges and universities in North America. Of the more than 5,000 higher education institutions, only 81 have achieved the level of gold.

UB has been named to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance’s 2016 list of “Best College Values,” which considers colleges based on quality and affordability. UB placed 53rd on the magazine’s national ranking of the 100 best values among public colleges for in-state students and 66th for out-of-state students. 

UB was named among the 50 most “green” universities in the United States by Online Schools Center, a website that features higher education news. The website ranked UB 34th and highlighted numerous environmentally friendly initiatives at the university, among them the Sustainability Academy, the Solar Strand and waste-reduction programs.

UB is benchmarking its sustainability performance with the State of Sustainability Infographic. This will help communicate our goals and achievements to both the campus and the broader community.

In 2016, The Princeton Review rated the University at Buffalo among the colleges and universities it considers the nation’s best for high-quality degree programs, affordability and career prospects. 

For the second straight year, UB tops the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in green power usage, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2018-19 College and University Green Power Challenge. Of the 36 conference winners this year, UB ranks No. 2 in green power usage. The university uses more than 224 million kilowatt hours of green power — equivalent to the electricity consumption of more than 21,000 average American homes annually — which represents 100 percent of the university’s annual electricity use.

UB ranks first on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership list of the largest college and university green power users. UB fulfills 100% of its energy needs, an annual 213 million kilowatt hours (kWh), with zero-emission, clean energy.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has named UB one of its Top 10 College and University Green Power Partners.

An article in The Wall Street Journal listing "The Best Architecture of 2014" includes UB’s Solar Strand, calling the 3,200-panel, ground-mounted photovoltaic array a “small but telling model of landscape architecture at its most forward-thinking.”

UB developed a world-class climate action plan with one-, three- and five-year goals for six committees that span the university’s sustainability spectrum.