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The College of Saint Rose is committed to following best environmental management practices in all operations; preventing, or minimizing pollution, and using educational activities to promote environmental awareness, local action and global concern.

Our Commitment

Massry Center for the Arts

Perhaps the most significant manifestation of the College’s commitment to reducing the its carbon footprint is the Massry Center for the Arts. In January 2010, the Massry Center for the Arts was awarded LEED® (Leadership in Environmental Energy and Design) Gold established by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute. The Massry Center was Northeastern New York’s first non-residential new construction to be certified LEED Gold and, at 46,000 square feet, the largest. The designation certified it as one of the region’s greenest and most energy-efficient buildings. Saint Rose achieved certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable development strategies.

A centerpiece of the Massry Center’s energy efficiency is its geothermal environmental control system that heats, ventilates and cools the building without burning fossil fuels.

Centennial Hall

Built in 2012, the 94,000 square-foot Centennial Hall incorporates a number of “green” features to minimize its energy use and overall impact on the environment. A closed loop geothermal heat pump system with a supplemental gas-fired high-efficiency hot water boiler provides the majority of the heating and air conditioning requirements. The hall’s design incorporates materials low in volatile organic compounds (VOC) throughout the building. The thermal design and insulation of the exterior walls exceeds New York’s building code while reducing the building’s energy demand. Other energy- and Earth-friendly features, such as high-efficiency lighting and lighting controls to reduce electricity use and the use of single-stream recycling for paper, glass, metals and plastics, are included throughout.

The College has made considerable progress in understanding its pattern of green house gas emissions and has acted affirmatively in both implementing strategies and in initiating planning processes which will lead to further action.

Specific projects in the active planning and development stage which relate directly to greenhouse gas mitigation include:

  1. Lighting retrofits: Utilization of LED Lighting Technology to produce a better quality of light while also reducing the lighting energy load.
  2. Occupancy sensors
  3. Ventilation and exhaust controls
  4. Energy recovery (reclaim heating and cooling BTU’s from exhaust air)
  5. Offsets (clean and renewable energy)
Transportation

The College promotes alternative transportation in a number of ways. Reserved designated parking spaces are available for Car Pools and Low Emission Vehicles. The College of Saint Rose also partners with the Capital District Transit Authority (CDTA) in a “green” initiative to provide complimentary transportation services throughout the city of Albany. All current students, faculty, staff, and administrators can take advantage of this program simply by using their college identification card.

Campus Store
  • Operating in a responsible and sustainable environment is important to BNED, the parent company of Barnes and Noble College.  As part of their commitment to being responsible corporate citizens, they make it a priority to understand and manage their social, environmental and economic impact on the world around us.
Dining Services
  • Sodexo USA employs 125,000 people and touches the lives of millions each day across all 50 states. They have the opportunity to take positive climate actions that positively impact their employees, clients and communities. They are committed to reducing their carbon emissions in their direct operations, on client sites and in their shared supply chain.
  • Biodegradable alternatives have been introduced to reduce Styrofoam, plastic and paper waste from dining services.
  • Sodexo contracts with food suppliers committed to buying as much local produce as possible.
  • Dining services has been tray-less since 2006.
Document Services
  • Usherwood, the College’s document management service provider, recycles toner cartridges and future plans include SFI and FSC printer certification.
  • The Canon fleet of equipment is all Energy Star rated.

  • The College electricity supply accounts are 100% enrolled in community solar programs which support clean, locally generated power, while avoiding the generation of greenhouse gases with typical power generation methods.
  • The College purchases approximately eighty-five percent of its computers from Lenovo. At Lenovo, they recognize that climate change is a serious threat to the planet. They continually seek new ways to reduce harmful greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across all of their business activities, including those of their suppliers and customers.
  • The College purchases office furniture from Group Lacasse and Corbett Inc., -KI who have been recognized by Greenguard Environmental Institute (GEI) for indoor Air quality Certification and Children & Schools Certification; and KLN Ironwood furniture which is from recycled steel.
  • 99% of our office supplies are purchased from Staples who have a long line of items that are environmentally friendly – high recycled content, higher ease of recyclability, reduced energy consumption, re-manufactured, refillable items, etc.
  • The College purchases our paper from W. B. Mason who aims to reduce their carbon footprint and increase sustainability. .
  • Utilize “Magic Salt”, consisting of natural rock salt and an organic mixture for application during inclement winter weather.
  • Introduced “green seal certified” custodial cleaning products.
  • Converted to micro fiber custodial wet mops and wiping rags which utilize 95% less cleaning chemicals and water to operate through their life span – an estimated annual savings of 36,000 gallons of water.
  • Phased in Rubbermaid Pulse Cleaning System which cleans more square feet in less time. Includes microfiber, on-board reservoir, and user-controlled release of solution meaning cleaner floors faster, easier, and more effectively. This cuts down on chemical usage because less is needed to accomplish the same job.
  • Utilize Consume® “Nature’s Way” line of chemicals: Large family of chemicals utilized daily. These sustainable products harness the ability of select microorganisms to use organic waste as their energy or food source. They have little to no negative impact on the environment and essentially, “keep cleaning” after the cleaning. They “eat” the germs and dirt.
  • Utilize Kimberly Clark Professional Paper – Recycled Fiber Content: 65%, Post-Consumer Waste: 40%.
  • Utilize Kimberly Clark Professional Coreless Toilet Tissue – Recycled Fiber Content: 65%, Post-Consumer Waste: 50%, 100% elimination of core cardboard waste.

  • Facilities use of “night setback options” within its building automation software to force all heating and cooling set points into an “unoccupied” mode at the end of the night conserves energy within buildings that are not being used during the overnight hours.
  • Network refresh projects have dramatically reduced power consumption in the Network Operations Center. This includes reducing the quantity of physical servers by using hardware virtualization and an 85% reduction in core switching energy consumption (less equipment, less electrical usage, less environmental conditioning).
  • Recycling of batteries, paper, VHS tapes, used projector lamps, servers, computers, monitors, and any other electronics that can be recycled. The Risk Management and Environmental Safety and Informational Technology Services departments aggressively implemented an electronics recycling program to ensure that the College’s decommissioned technology equipment is recycled in an environmentally friendly and efficient manner. It is well known that discarded electronic equipment poses a significant risk to the environment. The College understands and fulfills its responsibility to responsibly recycle this equipment.
  • Timers on equipment, including computers, guarantee evening shut-down.
  • Digital signage implementation reduces paper waste for advertising and computer lab signage, while enhancing campus communications.
  • Asynchronous and synchronous virtual tools allow for lecture capture, online meetings, and less driving to campus.

  • The College continues to implement electronic processes to reduce related costs and conserve resources.
  •  The College has recycling programs for paper and corrugated cardboard, lead and acid based batteries, printer ink cartridges, fluorescent tube lights and waste oil. “Single -stream” recycling has also been expanded to all buildings on campus. Dining Services also recycles fryer grease for bio-diesel fuel.