Clean Energy

Over the past seven years, the University at Buffalo has generated or purchased 100% of its electricity from renewable sources leading to an approximate 30% decrease in our overall carbon footprint. This has been achieved through direct onsite solar (one of the largest on-campus producers of renewable energy in the country), off campus solar generation and the purchasing of renewable energy credits.

The UB Solar Strand at Sunset on North Campus Photograph: Douglas Levere.

Initiatives

Through our operations, academics, and extracurricular activities, our University has built partnerships to increase engagement and infrastructure in renewable energy.

solar install.

Locations

UB currently generates more than 400,000 kWh of solar energy onsite from the Solar Strand and Norton Hall, and expect more solar panels soon from our REV initiatives. 

Energy Conservation

Green IT

Woman in a computer lab.

UB’s IT Services has been at the forefront of utilizing green information technologies and practices. As part of its ongoing 2020 IT Strategic Transformation, the department has implemented measures such as server virtualization, cloud computing and virtual computing, which have all increased UB’s efficiency and decreased its environmental impact. In addition, the Center for Computational Research launched a series of green IT projects a little over 2 years ago with funding from the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The projects have been successful, resulting in an incredible seven-fold increase in CCR's research computing capacity as well as a decrease in total energy consumption by 20%. As of January 2012, such actions have saved the university more than $278,000 and reduced greenhouse gases by more than 550 metric tons. The recently relocated CIT data center will soon undergo similar improvements.

IT services has also been working on providing a cutting edge learning environment for the School of Management, self-help course capture technology in the School of Social Work, and upgrading CIT's UBUnix timeshare environment.  For more information about IT services initiatives, please click here!

Energy Saving Tips

windows.