Sustainable Operations at Cortland
The Division of Facilities Management takes great pride in developing a unique culture and environment for sustainability to thrive at SUNY Cortland. The division comprises three departments which include: Facilities Planning, Design and Construction, Facilities Operations and Services and Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S). These three departments execute efforts related to sustainability and high performance building operations. The Campus Energy Manager advises each department in this regard to assure optimum efficiencies while maintaining comfort. Environmental Health and Safety assists in monitoring and assuring a healthy comfortable environment to learn and work.
How You can support Sustainable Operations
You too can help on an individual level by conserving resources where and when possible. When you see waste or excess, please report it to your Building Administrator or Residence Hall Advisor. Here are a few simple ways on how to get started.
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Turning off lights and other pieces of equipment when they are not in use and being mindful of phantom power
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Using a reusable water bottle or thermos to reduce waste
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Making sure windows and doors are closed when you leave an area
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Being active in your campus community advocating for sustainable and environmentally conscious practices by joining a campus committee or student group that is related to sustainability
How Sustainable Operations can support you
Sustainable Operations works in a number of ways to support you and provide a comfortable living and learning environment. Overall comfort and well-being is administered through multiple offices each addressing part of the whole. Sustainable Operations is a practice of coordinating and providing guidance on how the various responsible entities on campus work together to provide the appropriate comfortable environment.
In Facilities Management, Planning Design and Construction is responsible for adhering to multiple guidelines, codes, and directives that impact our indoor environmental quality (IEQ). The main entities supplying these guidance documents includes: State University of New York (SUNY), State University Construction Fund (SUCF), Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY), and Department of State. Fundamentally, they define our approach to design and construction in a manner that provides a clean indoor environment.
Ongoing Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) monitoring is conducted during construction related activities and prior to building occupancy during building turn-over procedures. Additional IAQ auditing is conducted on a seasonal basis depending on building and occupancy. Audits are conducted by Energy Management Office, EH&S Office, and Facilities Operations and Services Maintenance Staff. Our main science facility, Bowers Hall, has a complete air volume and IAQ assessment conducted annually as part of the lab safety program overseen by Environmental Health and Safety Office (EH&S).
Should you have questions or concerns related to Sustainable Building Operations and or Indoor Air Quality, please contact Customer Service. Once you have contacted Customer Service, an appropriate action plan will be developed to address your needs.
Please refer to the following links:
SUCF Directive 1B-7: Energy, Sustainability, LEED and Executive Orders
SUCF Directive 15H-9: Commissioning
Department of Energy – Pacific Northwest National Laboratory – Guide to Building Commissioning
Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) is responsible for addressing concerns identified by the Campus Community related to Indoor Environmental Quality.