ESF’s green building commitment good for student engagement; a lesson for SU
*This article originally ran in print Wednesday Feb. 18, 2009*
The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry has recently made strides in erecting a new ‘gateway’ building on the ESF campus. SUNY officials say the building is planned to be certified at the highest efficiency rating possible-LEED platinum, and be one of the first buildings in New York to generate more energy than it uses.
This is a great step in campus building if this plan is followed through. ESF is a school centered around environmentally-conscious learning, and to show that the school is just as committed to its academic mission as the faculty and students and will create a great atmosphere for learning, innovation and student engagement.
After last semester’s budget cuts, the fiscal constraints on ESF must be large, but the foresight to set aside money for this buildings construction will pay off. While other schools across the country are cutting back, ESF can show incoming students how it is setting the standard in green construction and that it is still committed to its education principles.
Building to this green standard should be the trend, while it may be expensive now, energy conservation will pay for itself in the long run.
What this proposed building also does is provide a sharp contrast to Syracuse University’s building plan. SU just completed construction of a behemoth Life Sciences building that is not LEED compliant, and has proposed a WalMart-sized bookstore and recreation center with no hint of green compliant building.
Often administrations are mired in bureaucracy, tied up in money problems, and can lose touch with what’s most important to a learning institution. SU is clearly passing on a great way to connect its students to academics by not making its buildings environmentally friendly.
ESF, on the other hand, will undoubtedly see increased student involvement with campus activities because of this investment in its academic values.
Hopefully when Syracuse sees the scholarship in action at ESF that results from taking campus initiatives seriously, it will learn its academic engagement lesson.
