State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry
PAE-1: Sustainability Coordination

The main goals of the Campus Climate Change Committee are to: continue and increase efforts to foster awareness and involvement with sustainability and climate action projects among the campus community, publicize and expand sustainability efforts to the local community and beyond, closely monitor and adjust plans, progress, and goals as necessary, and continue growing ESF’s portfolio of sustainability efforts. The committee reviews, comments on and recommends projects, plans and policies to be implemented. These include student initiatives (examples include biodiesel production, fish/aquaculture, and composting), campus/faculty initiatives (new biomass boiler, combined heat and power project, rain gardens, porous pavement, ridesharing, car sharing, and electric campus vehicles), as well as major campus initiatives (Climate Action Plan, Recycling, purchasing and other sustainable policies).

Charlie Hall - Professor, Environmental and Forest Biology Cornelius Murphy - President of SUNY-ESF David Johnson - Professor, Chemistry David VanTress - Staff, Physical Plant Douglas Daley – Professor, Environmental Resources Engineering Hannah Morgan - Graduate Student, Environmental Science Justin Heavey - Undergraduate Student, Environmental Studies; Research Assistant, Office of Renewable Energy Systems Michael Kelleher - Director of Renewable Energy Systems Paul Otteson - Staff, Communications Richard Smardon - Professor, Environmental Studies Robert Davis - Director of Forest Properties Theodore Endreny - Professor, Environmental Resources Engineering Tim Sweet - Director of Energy and Computing Management Timothy Volk – Professor, Forest and Natural Resource Management Andrea Webster-Graduate Student, Environmental Studies

The Office of Renewable Energy Systems’ (O.R.E.S) mission statement is to advance campus community knowledge, skills and provide leadership to reduce ESF’s carbon footprint and impact on the environment. The goals of the O.R.E.S. is to implement a Climate Action Plan, acquire funding to support climate action plan, teach courses in renewable energy and energy markets, to maintain and enhance offerings with an energy focus, provide guidance and leadership to initiatives, implement energy efficiency and renewable energy demonstration projects on campus, and disseminate information on campus energy projects through presentations, seminars, web, and written articles. Although the title of the office includes “Renewable Energy,” the office has a broad focus on sustainability efforts. The office helped develop a broad range of college sustainability policies including: Space Churn Renovation Plan and Policy, Reduced Mercury Light Bulb Purchasing Policy, Low Impact Site and Green Building Exterior Management Policy, Erosion and Sedimentation Policy, College Sustainable Cleaning Products Purchasing Policy, and the College Solid Waste and Recycling Policy. In addition, the Office of Renewable Energy advises and engages in many areas of sustainability including campus grounds, transportation, and storm water runoff (green roofs, rain gardens, and others). The Office also reviews and helps implement student projects and develops materials to disseminate sustainability information.

The sustainability coordinator’s position focuses on finding and adopting technologies to help the college save energy and produce energy from sustainable and renewable sources. Mr. Kelleher seeks out funding so that ESF can implement renewable energy technologies on campus. Grants and other funding sources he has obtained so far include: $1.0 M for renewable energy and CHP projects and $500 K for additional photovoltaic and biomass projects. Mr. Kelleher also teaches courses at ESF, including Renewable Energy and Energy Markets. Other projects Mr. Kelleher has been involved in include de-lamping, installing wood boilers at a satellite campus, and developing college sustainability policies, including: the Space Churn Renovation Plan and Policy, the Reduced Mercury Light Bulb Purchasing Policy, the Low Impact Site and Green Building Exterior Management Policy, the Erosion and Sedimentation Policy, the College Sustainable Cleaning Products Purchasing Policy, and the College Solid Waste and Recycling Policy.