The 75 kWh solar array on the roof of Norton Hall serves as a continued demonstration project and educational opportunity surrounding solar energy.
A Timeline of Our Key Accomplishments
UB’s environmental efforts formally began in 1971 with the Rachel Carson College, created from a collegiate workshop on ecology and named after the “Silent Spring” author who launched the modern environmental movement
In 1978, UB professor Adeline Levine and her students studied dozens of families affected by contamination from Love Canal
The Conserve UB program was established in 1982 with the hiring of UB’s first Energy Officer. Three years later, the Great Lakes Program was created
In the mid-1990s, UB Environmental Studies students conducted environmental audits of UB campuses, Buffalo City Hall and other Western New York buildings. These audits led to millions of dollars in savings
The UB Green office was created in 1999 to provide environmental stewardship for campus facilities
In 2001, UB published “UB High Performance Building Guidelines,” a model for construction statewide
In November 2006, UB unveiled its first solar electric system. In 2007, former Vice President Al Gore gave two lectures in Alumni Arena, speaking on environmental issues. He was joined throughout the year as part of the Distinguished Speakers series by environmental leaders Jean Michel Cousteau and Nobel Peace prize winner Wangari Maathi
In March 2007, UB became an initial signatory of the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment
By Fall 2009, UB released its Climate Action Plan, a document born out of two public forums and critical work from the Environmental Stewardship Committee. The Plan draws from UB’s Comprehensive Plan and sets a goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2030
In September 2011, UB appointed its first Chief Sustainability Officer, elevating our overall commitment to sustainability and focusing efforts on creating a strong culture of sustainability at UB
Throughout 2012, UB is opening several new buildings, all of which were designed to meet U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards
In April 2012, UB celebrated the opening of the Solar Strand. The Strand contains 3,200 photovoltalic panels, and generates 750 kilowatts of power
The spring semester of 2016 saw the creation of the first cohort of ELFS: Education and Leadership Fellows in Sustainability. These students take a deep dive into learning about sustainability and have a chance to develop a program that decreases the amount of UB's environmental impact
In May 2016, UB was awarded a grant through New York State's REV Campus Challenge. The Localizing Buffalo's Renewable Energy Future initiative is a plan to generate 100 megawatts of solar power while working closely with the Western New York community
Sustainable Futures, a service learning program in architecture, landscape architecture and planning, is conducted in Monteverde, Costa Rica and hosted by the Monteverde Institute, the University at Buffalo, and other universities.
Helping Others
4/8/19
A Senior Environmental Design student from UB won the 13th session of the International Winter University competition for their proposal on how to fix the uncontrolled development of Irkutsk, Russia.
Tree Planting
4/8/19
More than 100 volunteers planted 90 trees and native shrubs at the Solar Strand site on Flint Road near the Maple Road entrance to the North Campus.
Eighteen UB students volunteered in the Louisiana Bayou during their winter break to work on wetland restoration projects.
Educational Opportunites
4/8/19
Through UB’s Center for Educational Collaboration 1,000 students in the Buffalo public schools have been offered opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math.
More than $3 million in grants have been awarded to the Buffalo Promise Neighborhood initiative to provide "cradle-to-career" support to Buffalo schoolchildren.
UB’s environmental efforts begin with the creation of the Rachel Carson College, named for the author of “Silent Spring,” the book that sparked the environmental movement.
6/19/14
UB hires its first energy officer and creates the Conserve UB program, which leads to energy conservation efforts that have saved the university more than $100 million.
6/19/14
The UB Green office is created, providing environmental stewardship for campus facilities. Today, the office’s efforts include offering assistance to groups both on and off campus.
6/19/14
UB becomes an initial signatory of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, a pledge to reduce the global emission of greenhouse gases.
6/19/14
UB releases its Climate Action Plan, which draws from the university’s comprehensive plan and sets a goal of achieving climate neutrality by the year 2030.
6/19/14
The university appoints Ryan McPherson as its chief sustainability officer, charged with creating a culture of sustainability at UB.