University at Albany announced a $30 million decarbonization project that will replace two gas-fired absorption chillers with a high-efficiency electric centrifugal chiller and a heat recovery chiller powered by a geothermal well.
SUNY Geneseo’s Milne Library underwent a deep energy retrofit that incorporated all electric, high‐efficiency HVAC systems; LED lighting; upgraded plumbing; demand‑control ventilation; etc.
SUNY Maritime has a new training ship, Empire State VII, that is completely electric when in its berth in the Bronx nine months of the year. It has energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems allowing it to conserve more energy. This project was funded by SUCF.
SUNY Oswego opened Hewitt Hall in August 2025, unveiling a geothermal system with 90 six-inch bore holes at 500 feet deep each, providing renewable energy to reduce costs and environmental impact.
| Year | Recommended activities | Status |
Energy & Buildings - Planning & Tracking |
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| 1 | Begin implementing the Clean Energy Master Plans, promote net zero-ready construction and retrofits, and prioritize electrification of building heating and cooling systems and thermal energy networks. | Launched or underway |
| 1 | Implement other innovative clean energy technologies when feasible, actively share best practices across campus, and identify opportunities to replicate successful clean energy projects at multiple campuses through centralized contracts, streamlined procurement, and other strategies that leverage SUNY's buying power, using SustainChain and other platforms. | Launched or underway |
| 1 | Develop guidelines for assessing the need for new buildings versus adaptive reuse of existing ones to meet evolving student levels and program needs, with consideration for space utilization studies, embodied carbon, waste generation, costs, physical constraints for reuse, and resiliency. | Not Started |
| 1 | Pursue cost-effective renewable energy and energy storage projects on campuses, using all applicable federal, state, local, utility, and other grants, as well as private-public partnership financing, and work with the major utilities in the state to advance grid reliability and hosting capacity. | Launched or underway |
| 1 | Track construction and demolition waste and analyze data to assist in programs to increase diversion rate. | Launched or underway |
| 2 | Encourage campuses to undertake space utilization studies. | Not Started |
| 2 | In major capital investment decisions over $10 million include a life-cycle analysis of carbon emissions (from embodied carbon in construction through emissions in operations to end-of-life use or disposal) and the social cost of carbon per DEC’s Value of Carbon Guidance. | Not Started |
| 2 | Develop selection and design criteria for environmentally preferable building materials that reduce embodied carbon in construction materials for new facilities, adaptive reuse projects, and significant renovations. | Not Started |
| 2 | Employ energy managers who will save campuses money based on SUNY’s current experience. | 50% Complete |
| 3,4,5 | Invest in building management systems to monitor energy and water use and actively manage equipment to achieve reduction of use and flattening or shifting demand to reduce emissions. | Launched or underway |
Energy & Buildings - Building Standards |
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| 1 | Maintain the standard that all new buildings and significant renovations meet or exceed the EUI target in Directive 1B-2. | 100% Complete |
| 1 | Consider ways to update the SUNY Board of Trustees’ 2007 resolution requiring all buildings to meet LEED Silver standards. | Launched or underway |
| 2 | Encourage community colleges to develop energy use and greenhouse gas goals, adopt construction guidelines like Directive 1B-2, and implement a system of record for energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. | Not Started |
| 3,4,5 | Develop ideas and pathways for state-operated campuses to meet the EO22 goal for state agency use of 100 percent renewable electricity by 2030, if feasible, based on availability in the market and affordability under current REC rules. | Not Started |
Energy & Buildings - Funding |
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| 1 | Implement $100 million in Bond Act funding for clean energy dedicated in Governor Hochul’s 2025 State of the State executive agenda. | 50% Complete |
| 1 | Create a SUNY Green Building revolving fund for campuses to implement smaller-scale efficiency and clean energy projects. | 100% Complete |
| 1 | Seek additional funding from State entities (e.g., NYSERDA and DEC), the Federal Government (e.g., the Inflation Reduction Act, DOE, and EPA), local utilities, and private organizations to support the implementation of Clean Energy Master Plans. | 50% Complete |
| 2 | Advocate strongly for regulatory flexibility to form public-private partnerships and innovate solutions that other public higher education systems are leveraging to drive decarbonization. | Launched or underway |
| 2 | Assess the applicability and benefit of leveraging private funding and expertise through energy performance contracts and similar public-private partnerships that commit to energy and greenhouse savings and cost reductions or control. | Launched or underway |
Energy & Buildings - Other |
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| 1 | Advocate for the removal of procurement and regulatory obstacles to decarbonize facilities, such as greater use of design-build, expansion to construction manager build, and updating of civil service titles and exams to support green buildings with modern control systems and other needs. | 100% Complete |
| 2 | Develop training programs for facilities staff on efficiency and sustainability goals and practices. | 50% Complete |
| 3,4,5 | Participate in the Department of Public Service's comprehensive planning around grid expansions and upgrades and the State’s Energy Planning Board. | Launched or underway |