10 Buffalo Business |
monitors in rooms. Now universities are seeking exper-
tise on how to approach goals systematically: What it will
take to complete an energy master plan and how to think
about sustainability moving forward."
To have the biggest impact, these projects oen begin
by addressing university energy systems.
"There are new technologies we can incorporate,"
Pietkiewicz says. "Instead of installing a heat pump for a
single building, why not develop a heat pump plant, and
connect four buildings together and create a district?
By innovating with technology, you save on costs while
decreasing energy use overall."
State policies are also driving innovation. For
example, New York sets goals and timelines, while also
partially funding the studies.
"Wendel and other similar organizations can help
universities navigate potential funding channels to help
cover the cost of studies and find
ways to manage existing budgets
to creatively fund projects in
support of their plans," he says.
Cristian Tiu, chair and asso-
ciate professor of finance, sees
universities aligning their invest-
ment decisions with their goals to
achieve climate neutrality. In his
role on the investment committee
of the Board of Trustees of the UB
Foundation, Tiu was part of a rigorous effort to consider
adopting ESG — an investing principle that prioritizes
environmental, social and corporate governance issues —
in investment decisions.
In 2021, UBF announced that its investment portfolio
of U.S. public equities had divested from companies that
The Wendel team,
working with UB
Facilities and UB
Sustainability,
conducts a detailed
assessment of
campus energy use
to develop a Clean
Energy Master Plan
aimed at helping UB
to achieve carbon
neutrality goals.
Photo: Jason Denue
Tiu
