NYU Climate Action Plan to Reduce Carbon Footprint

Aiming for Climate Neutrality by 2040 through Comprehensive Emissions Reduction Strategies

New York University today released its Climate Action Plan (CAP), a comprehensive approach to reducing the University’s carbon footprint and enhancing its overall sustainability. NYU’s CAP details the University’s current greenhouse gas inventory, lays out specific and effective projects to mitigate these emissions using current fiscally sound technologies while maintaining NYU’s vital teaching, learning, and research missions.

The full report can be found at: The development of NYU’s Climate Action Plan was spurred on by the signing of two separate commitments to mitigate climate change: Mayor Bloomberg’s PlaNYC Climate Challenge, and the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC).

* PlaNYC Climate Challenge: NYU will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions per square foot by 30 percent from FY 2006 levels by FY 2017. This commitment offers a framework to reduce emissions in an immediate, ambitious and tangible way.

* ACUPCC: NYU commits to a goal of achieving “climate neutrality” (i.e. net zero emissions) by FY 2040. This will be accomplished by upgrading University buildings through efficiency and conservation, generating cleaner on-site and renewable energy, fostering behavioral shifts and culture change, planning for green building, and offsetting remaining emissions.

NYU’s CAP is structured around four major emissions reduction strategies:

1. Reduce Energy Intensity-50 percent of NYU’s climate neutrality goal: NYU will reduce the amount of energy used in buildings through conservation, “green” construction and renovation, retrofits and upgrades, and operational innovations to run buildings more effectively. In the coming years, NYU will set Energy Use Index (EUI) targets, which will help prioritize buildings to retrofit in order to maximize emissions reductions. This strategy will encompass the largest share of NYU’s emissions reductions, while also accounting for the University’s physical growth. Initial efforts have already resulted in 20% emissions cuts.

2. Generate and Use Cleaner Energy-30 percent of NYU’s climate neutrality goal: NYU will generate cleaner energy on-site with an upgraded and expanded cogeneration power plant. Starting this year, the new plant will annually mitigate 23 percent of NYU’s baseline FY 2006 emissions. NYU will also minimize the use of fuel oil to heat buildings, replacing it where possible with cleaner, more efficient energy sources.

3. Generate Renewable Energy-10 percent of NYU’s climate neutrality goal: NYU is exploring options to develop on-site distributed renewable energy generation projects on its buildings, including wind and solar technologies. NYU sees immediate potential for viable projects offering a positive return on investment using current technologies and through support by state and federal incentives.

4. Reduce / Offset Remaining Emissions-10 percent of NYU’s climate neutrality goal: Given the constraints of a dense urban environment, it is likely that NYU will purchase high-quality, credible offsets to accomplish long-term climate goals. The University will seek out transparent, local-based offsetting programs that offer added social, environmental, and educational value.

About New York University: New York University is located in the heart of Greenwich Village. Founded in 1831, it is one of America’s foremost research universities and a member of the selective Association of American Universities. It is one of the largest private universities, it is a leader in attracting international students and scholars in the U.S, and it sends more students to study abroad than any other U.S. college or university. Through its 14 schools and colleges, NYU conducts research and provides education in the arts and sciences, law, medicine, business, dentistry, education, nursing, the cinematic and performing arts, music and studio arts, public administration, social work, and continuing and professional studies, among other areas.