UAlbany Top-10 on Sustainability Index

Liberty Terrace, an apartment-style student living complex, features geothermal heating and air conditioning system, energy-efficient windows and doors, green roofs and permeable pavement. The building is LEED Gold certified, and a prime example of UAlbany’s sustainable buildings. (Photo by Paul Miller)

ALBANY, N.Y. (Sept. 13, 2018) — The University at Albany was honored for its sustainability practices in the most recent Sustainable Campus Index, published by AASHE, the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.

The University was named a top-10 performer in the Buildings category, which measures design and construction, indoor air quality, and operations and maintenance. Mary Ellen Mallia, UAlbany's director of sustainability, noted that the high score is a reflection of the University’s robust indoor air quality plan, high performance building guidelines and its seven LEED-certified buildings.

“We are proud to be highlighted in AASHE’s Sustainable Campus Index,” Mallia said. “AASHE has been a valuable resource in furthering our efforts, and the STARS framework provides a thorough vehicle for assessing our efforts across campuses and providing guidance on how we can improve. Our ranking in the Buildings category is a testament to the hard work of our facilities staff towards integrating sustainable practices in the design, operations and maintenance of our buildings. “

The AASHE ratings are based on 17 sustainability impact areas as measured by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS), a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS participants submit data in four categories: Academics, Engagement, Operations and Planning & Administration. As of July 1, 2018, 906 STARS reports were submitted by 477 institutions in 11 countries, and there were 902 STARS Participants in 37 countries. 

UAlbany received a Gold certification in its last rating, submitted in January of 2016, and is awaiting results of the latest submission.

The University also was listed in the Sierra Club’s Cool Schools ranking, at No. 63 out of 269 colleges and universities. UAlbany was the second highest ranked SUNY school, after the College of Environmental Science and Forestry (38th).

The Sierra Club rankings combine scores from STARS categories of curriculum, research, campus and public engagement, air and climate, and buildings. It also considers innovation and divestment of fossil fuel investments.

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