In an ongoing effort to be more environmentally friendly, NYU declared last month that it hopes to become climate positive, meaning its total emissions will be less than zero, in 30 years.
According to the Climate Action Plan, a report by NYU's Sustainability Task Force, the university will achieve these savings through cleaner energy production, carbon emission offsets and a change in energy usage habits among the more than 55,000 students, staff and faculty on campus.
Since 2006, NYU has cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 20.4 percent. That year NYU began tracking all of its emissions on the Washington Square campus. Through 2007 the university calculated that it emitted 171,000 metric tons of carbon equivalent annually, a barometer used to measure greenhouse gas emissions.
"We knew some of the sources of pollution on campus, and in the short term, we're able to start reducing emissions right away," said Jeremy Friedman, manager of NYU's sustainability initiatives.
However, in the near future, the largest pollution reduction will come from NYU's $120 million invesment in its cogeneration plant on West Fourth and Mercer Streets. When the plant begins service in 2010, it is estimated to cut more than 23 percent of NYU's emissions. Other programs like NYUunplugged, where residence halls compete to cut energy usage, and the installation of motion sensors to control lighting have helped reduce student waste. These shorter term initiatives will save the university more than $2 million a year.
The report also said that by 2017, the university will have added 2 million square feet to its Washington Square campus, which will increase emissions by 28,900 metric tons of carbon equivalent.
To offset pollution from the additional space, NYU has set strict building requirements.
All newly acquired and renovated buildings will be converted to meet the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver standard. The LEED certification program awards buildings based on how environmentally efficient they are.
Gallatin's home at 715 Broadway was the first building to be completed under this initiative and it received the LEED gold standard. More than 96.5 percent of NYU's greenhouse emissions come from heating, cooling and powering its buildings — making the focus on greening properties even more important. The remaining 3.5 percent stem from university waste and transportation services.
In order to become more environmentally efficient, NYU formed a committee composed of students, faculty and staff to create plans for green buildings and to encourage conservation on campus.
Though NYU has made efforts to be more environmentally friendly, the Environmental Protection Agency has yet to review its Climate Action Plan.
"It would be premature for EPA to comment specifically about the plan," EPA spokesman Elias Rodriguez said.
