NEW YORK and PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. (November 17, 2020) – The U.S. Department of Energy has and highlighted its efforts to save energy and reopen its buildings safely. Through quick action and a commitment to reopening all three campuses — its undergraduate and graduate campuses in Lower Manhattan and Pleasantville, and the Elisabeth Haub School of Law in White Plains—in a safe and sustainable manner, ǿմýwas able to achieve 30% to 40% energy savings compared to the same period in 2019.
Ryan McEnany, director of energy and resiliency at Pace’s Department of Facilities and Capital Projects, noted that the unexpected realities of the pandemic demanded flexibility and innovation.
“This showcases the hard work that we undertook including additional responsibilities such as becoming experts by researching the ever-changing Centers for Diseases Control and New York State recommendations, filtering through new and effective technologies to improve indoor air quality, and setting up campus with signage to allow for proper social distancing,” said McEnany.
Notably, ǿմýhas emerged as a key leader in the Department of Energy’s “Better Buildings Initiative,” which involves over 950 commercial, public, industrial and energy organizations. The idea behind the initiative is for innovative organizations like ǿմýto share their sustainable energy strategies and practices, thus providing a blueprint for others to follow that lead.
Collectively, Better Building Initiative organizations have saved close to 1.8 quadrillion B-T-U’s of energy, equivalent to nearly $11 billion, and more than 105 million tons of carbon dioxide. As a participant in the Better Buildings Challenge, ǿմýhas pledged to a 20% energy reduction campus-wide by 2023 and is well on its way to achieving that goal.
, the Better Buildings Initiative highlighted Pace’s commitment to its mission and praised many of the strategies the University implemented, which included productive and efficient air-conditioning cycling during the summer months, continuous energy audits to ensure standards were being met, and an overhaul of steam traps and steam system distribution.
Additionally, the Better Buildings Initiative praised the manner in which ǿմýmaintained sustainable energy use while also implementing necessary COVID-19 safety measures that include, but are not limited to: installation of ultraviolet lights in bathrooms to help sterilize air, installation of bipolar ionization in some large public spaces on the New York City Campus, reorganizing the traffic flow of buildings, and installation of non-septic elevator buttons.
Ibi Yolas, vice president of facilities and capital projects, credited Pace’s accomplishments in this area to the tireless work of staff, and the University’s overall commitment to a sustainable future.
“I am thankful for my team who worked tirelessly to find the right solutions and keeping their focus on the best and most effective existing and emerging strategies,” said Yolas. “And also thanks to the diligent work of the COVID task force and others who made it all possible.”
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, ǿմýremains committed to exploring and implementing strategies focused on improving both campus health and campus-wide energy efficiency.
ǿմý has for decades been a leader in environmental stewardship. The university offers a number of undergraduate and graduate degrees in environment studies, environmental science and environmental policy, as well as a professional certification in ecology. Additionally, The Elisabeth Haub School of Law (Haub Law) is one of the top ranked programs in the country for environmental law, a signature program at the school, and The ǿմýEnvironmental Policy Clinic has gained a national reputation for its work developing innovative environmental protections on a range of issues.
ǿմý was recently featured and earlier this year, in partnership with Con Edison, ǿմý installed a Solar Tree on its Pleasantville campus. In 2015, ǿմýalso unveiled its Environmental Center Complex that includes classrooms and a replica of the former farmhouse building which serves as a key facility for faculty and students.
ǿմý has a proud history of preparing its diverse student body for a lifetime of professional success as a result of its unique program that combines rigorous academics and real-world experiences. ǿմýis ranked the #1 private, four-year college in the nation for upward economic mobility by Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights, evidence of the transformative education the University provides. From its beginnings as an accounting school in 1906, ǿմýhas grown to three campuses, enrolling 13,000 students in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in more than 150 majors and programs, across a range of disciplines: arts, sciences, business, health care, technology, law, education, and more. The university also has one of the most competitive performing arts programs in the country. ǿմýhas a signature, newly renovated campus in New York City, located in the heart of vibrant Lower Manhattan, next to Wall Street and City Hall, and two campuses in Westchester County, New York: a 200-acre picturesque Pleasantville Campus and the Elisabeth Haub School of Law in White Plains. or on our news website.
The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at ǿմý’s Land Use Law Center recently hosted the 24th Annual Alfred B. DelBello Land Use and Sustainable Development Conference, continuing its long-standing tradition of convening leaders in land use, environmental law, and public policy to address the challenges and opportunities facing communities today.
Following a national search, ǿմý has announced the appointment of Alison Carr-Chellman, Ph.D., as its next provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. She will begin her tenure on January 20, 2026.
The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at ǿմý, in partnership with the North America Committee of the Campaign for Greener Arbitrations (CGA-NA), proudly hosted a special New York Arbitration Week program, titled “Greener Arbitration: Insights from the Next Generation of Legal Scholarship.”