Green Roof Proposal

The planned Stern Green roof will be built directly above the 11th Floor of the Kaufman Management Center. It will be an accessible, 6,500-square-foot extensive green roof, which will serve as a safe and beautiful space for MBA students to use and enjoy. It will not only reduce the school’s environmental impact, but will also add significant value to the school’s profile. NYU Stern will be the first business school in the world with a green roof of this type!

An interesting component will be the renewable energy system on the elevator machine room. This system will provide energy to power the roof, and will also filter renewable energy back into the Management Center.

The MBA Class of 2008 will provide the seed funding for the project through its Legacy Gift.

SAMPLE PROJECTS:

Recycling

The SCGI has worked with Stern administration and facilities management to implement a comprehensive recycling program. Color-coded bins for mixed paper, glass, plastic, and aluminum are now located throughout the Kaufman Management Center and Tisch Hall, with more arriving in the coming weeks. All Stern recycling bins are colored blue or brown, to differentiate them from the black garbage cans, which are being reduced in number to encourage recycling.

Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning

In order to save energy and money, the SCGI is enacting a pilot program to avoid extreme temperatures in the Kaufman Management Center when they are not needed. Summer temperatures inside the building will be slightly warmer than before, and winter temperatures will be slightly cooler. Additionally, overnight temperatures will be more moderate. Eventually, the program will be instituted throughout the building.

Information Technology

Five IT initiatives have gone into effect this year: the televisions in the second floor meeting rooms shut down after ten minutes of inactivity; public computers shut down after one hour of inactivity; public printers go into sleep mode after ten minutes of inactivity; a printing quota (2000 pages per year) has been implemented; and double-sided printing is now the standard throughout Stern.

Lighting

The 2nd and 4th floor meeting rooms of the Kaufman Management Center and the majority of faculty offices and public spaces in Tisch Hall are now equipped with motion-sensor lighting. By mid-semester a pilot program will be implemented in some bathrooms and faculty offices in the Kaufman Management Center, with the eventual goal of having all such spaces covered by motion-sensor lighting.

Water-Bottle Refilling Stations

Four water-bottle refilling stations are currently installed on floors 2 through 5 of the Kaufman Management Center. By the end of the school year there will be two per floor, with an eventual expansion of the program into Tisch Hall in the works.

Food and Beverages

The Sosnoff Café in the Kaufman Management Cetner and the 3rd floor Tisch Café are gradually becoming greener. Already, they use some biodegradable plastics, reusable cutlery, recycled napkins, and less bulky packaging, and a more intensive launch is planned for Fall of 2008. Additionally, a number of local coffee discounts for students using reusable mugs have been negotiated: 35 cents off at the Sosnoff and Tisch Cafés; 15 cents off at the Campus Eatery (at West 4th Street and Greene); 10 cents off at the Starbucks at West 4th and University place; Large coffee for the price of a small at Think Coffee (on Mercer between West 4th and West 3rd); 25 cents off at the coffee carts outside Stern.

Green Tip of the Week

Through the MBA Announce email update and the Sternlinks homepage, the SCGI delivers three green tips per week. These tips help Stern students live greener lives. Eventually, the tips will be included in faculty and administrative correspondence.

Faculty and Administration

The SCGI is currently working with the Sustainability Task Force to investigate implementing green mandates for Stern faculty and administration through the Advocate program, where Stern employees take responsibility for their department’s green endeavors. By Fall of 2008, there will be one Advocate within every Stern department.