by Michael D. Kornitas, CEM, LEED®

Rutgers University was founded as Queens College in 1766. As the state university of New Jersey, Rutgers is considered one of the premier research universities in the country and is nationally recognized for its more than 100 undergraduate programs, masters programs, and more than 80 doctoral degree programs. With over 54,000 enrolled students, the university is a member of the Association of American Universities.

In addition, the university is a member of the USGBC, Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, and, the New Jersey Higher Education Partnership for Sustainability, as well as Energy Star and a CHP Partner with the EPA. In 2009, the university signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the EPA and was recognized this year as the largest reducer of greenhouse gases out of all the higher education signers.

The university has more than 800 buildings throughout the state, with major campuses in New Brunswick, Piscataway, Newark, and Camden. The physical plant stock includes everything from buildings on the National Historical Register to structures that were formally part of Camp Kilmer to buildings built with the 21st century in mind.

FORMULATION OF A PLAN:  Antonio Calcado, vice president of facilities and capital planning, charged his departments with the task of reducing the university’s dependence on fossil fuels and to reduce the university’s greenhouse gases with the intention of making its physical plant more sustainable. “We believe that institutions of higher education should not only teach but should practice what they teach and lead by example. The campus should be a living laboratory, seizing on opportunities to not only better the environment for students, staff, and citizens but to have an impact on our economics as well. That’s the culture we strive to create at Rutgers,” said Calcado. The university spends over $60 million dollars a year on energy, and Calcado’s vision led to a number of energy conservation and carbon reduction efforts.

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