University at Buffalo
PAE-1: Sustainability Coordination

In November 2007, the Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) was created to direct UB’s efforts toward fulfilling our commitment of achieving climate neutrality and ensuring that UB is moving toward sustainability. Since then, the ESC created, submitted and began implementation of a Climate Action Plan aimed at reducing UB’s net carbon emissions to zero by 2030. The Environmental Stewardship Committee was constructed according to one basic principle: that individuals representing units of the university with the budget authority and operational capacity to implement a climate action plan should be intimately involved in creating, managing and monitoring the plan.

Robert G. Shibley, chair dean of architecture and planning and campus architect Mary Alice Coffroth, professor geology and biological sciences Jordan Dalton, graduate student association Michael F. Dupre, associate vice president, university facilities Thomas Furlani, interim associate vice president, information technology Ryan McPherson, Chief Sustainability Officer James S. Nadbrzuch, associate vice president for resource and support services, university life and services Joseph T. Raab, director, environmental health and safety services, interim director, ub green Alan Rabideau, professor of civil, structural, and environmental engineering Jeffrey Reed, director of employee relations, human resources Kenneth M. Tramposch, associate vice president, office of research Dan Vivian, assistant vice president for procurement services Jean Wactawski-Wende, professor of social and preventive medicine and vice provost for strategic initiatives

The Office of Sustainability works with a broad range of campus and community groups, including the UB Environmental Stewardship Committee, to facilitate the university's Climate Action Plan, which calls for UB to achieve climate neutrality by 2030.

In September of 2011, Mr. McPherson was named the University at Buffalo’s first Chief Sustainability Officer. In his role as the CSO, Ryan connects people across the university with information, innovation, and tools to reduce UB’s footprint on the future and enhance quality of life by improving environmental stewardship, increasing economic efficiency and augmenting cultural values and awareness. He specifically works closely with university partners and employs an integrated campus-wide strategy that leverages the university’s operations, curriculum, external engagement and research to further UB’s sustainability efforts.