Environmental Bond Act Funding For New York SUNY Campuses

February 12, 2024, $150 million in climate resiliency grants  to make New York State’s public college campuses greener, more resilient to severe weather, and more energy efficient was announced by New York State Governor Kathy Hochul.

The grant funding is through the $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022. $100 million will go towards clean energy projects for  State University of New York  (SUNY)  campuses.

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New York’s higher education institutions play a significant role in leading by example to help advance a cleaner, greener future.  The $150 million in new investments from the Environmental Bond Act will allow SUNY and CUNY to take a significant step forward in electrifying campuses and integrating cleaner energy solutions to reduce pollution and help New York’s colleges become more energy efficient. - New York State Governor Kathy Hochul

SUNY schools that will receive grant money include SUNY Oswego, University of Buffalo, Stony Brook University, and Binghamton University.

For Binghamton University, a portion of the grant money will go towards the installation of thermal energy networks and building heat pump technology on its campus. According to Governor Hochul's office, this funding will help implement the construction of new high-efficiency networked water source heat pump systems in select buildings currently operating on approximately 20-year-old, lower-efficiency chillers.

This will lower energy use by 45 percent, operating costs by $300,000, greenhouse gases by 1,100 metric tons (based on current grid emission factors), and other pollutants for the benefit of the Binghamton University campus and the larger community according to Governor Hochul's announcement.

CUNY projects funded by the Environmental Bond Act include Hunter College, Brooklyn College, and the City College of New York.

The Governor's Office notes that the climate agenda for the Empire State is calling for an affordable transition to a clean energy economy that creates family-sustaining jobs and promotes economic growth through green investments.

The goal is to achieve an emissions-free economy by 2050, including in the energy, buildings, transportation, and waste sectors.

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