Silda Wall Spitzer, first lady of New York State, served as keynote speaker Tuesday night at the SUNY & Sustainability Conference. She urged participants to enlist all groups on individual campuses in the effort to create energy sustainability. She also noted that as the largest system of public higher education in the world, SUNY is ideally situated to lead the initiative. She said the system is already infusing energy studies in its academic programs, including scientific research, architecture, engineering, marketing, public relations, and other disciplines.                             Photo by Kyle Wilson, '09

The first-ever SUNY & Sustainability conference concluded Nov. 14  in Saratoga Springs, NY as representatives from all of the 64 State University of New York campuses discussed sustainable projects energy throughout the world's largest public higher education system.
More than 80 speakers addressed the audience of over 300 administrators, students, faculty and staff, and members of the public during the three-day event.

Dr. Maureen Dolan, chair of the university operations committee for the University Faculty Senate, chaired the conference. Dolan explained the purpose of the conference was to promote sustainability, "not just in our SUNY campuses, but in everybody's personal life."

The conference was divided into three tracks: research and development, policy and practice, and raising awareness/curriculum.

Dolan said the conference coincided with the new SUNY energy policy that went into effect Nov. 7. The policy is based on the report of the SUNY Energy Task Force.

The task force identified six sustainability goals:
• Reduce campus energy consumption 37 percent by 2010
• Cap and reduce greenhouse gas emissions 20 percent by 2014
• Increase use of renewable energy 30 percent by 2014
• Increase the use of bio-fuels 10 percent by 2010
• Develop five new combined (heat and power) projects by 2010
• New and rehabilitated buildings must meet or exceed the L.E.E.D. Silver standards

Congressman Steven Israel (D-Long Island) told the audience that while SUNY's contributions are important, the federal government must take a leadership role in solving what is a global problem. "It is a national obligation," said Israel. "If I'm right in believing that our reliance on foreign oil is as great and grave a threat as World War II, then relying on SUNY to solve that problem is the functional equivalent of President Roosevelt asking campus security to invade Normandy."

Israel is a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water.

Track I of the conference centered around discussions of the technologies SUNY campuses are implementing to save energy. SUNY faculty led presentations on solar panels and other methods of harnessing the sun's energy, new types of battery storage materials, water filtration, and energy efficiency in construction. "Clean technology would help all of us," said Dr. Martin Schoonen, interim dean of the South Hampton campus of Stony Brook University.

Track two focused on the funding and policies of conservation in SUNY buildings and campuses. James Pepe, Director of Facilities Management at SUNY Fredonia said proponents of sustainable energy cannot take a single minded approach, but must pursue multi-tiered strategies. "There is no one silver bullet," he said.

Track three was, in part, a 'best-practices' exercise with speakers from various New York colleges, both public and private. It also included an inventory of energy and environment curricula in the state's primary and secondary schools. Speakers described steps their campuses have taken toward sustainability and outlined successful programs that are already in place.

Dr. James Winebrake of Rochester Institute of Technology reported on national parks projects related to environmental conservation. Winebrake is chair of the Department of STS/public policy and co-director for RITA laboratory for environmental computing and decision making. He said the University National Park Energy Partnership Program has funded over 70 projects at 30 national parks. He said he hopes to work with SUNY students to do even more.

Dr. M. Howard Golloday, president of Sullivan County Community College, said the economic impact of energy saving projects at SCCC is "phenmominal."

Throughout the conference participants browsed numerous displays of energy-conscious technologies. SUNY Farmingdale's Raswan Naji presented a house model that was 'energy-independent'. The model uses hydrogen power for heat and electricity and has solar panels for recharging the hydrogen cell. Naji said the system could feasibly work well enough that the user could send surplus power back "into the grid" for a tax credit.

The conference concluded over lunch Wednesday with a panel discussion followed by a Q&A session. SUNY Board of Trustees member Edward Cox praised participants for their work. "We are the right university, we are in the right place, and we have the right reach," he said. Organizers said they hope to make the conference an annual event.

Silda Wall Spitzer, first lady of New York State, was the keynote speaker at Tuesday night's dinner, where she offered perhaps the best definition of energy sustainability with a Native American proverb: "Treat the earth well. It was not given to you by your parents; it was loaned to you by your children."