Energy Efficiency
Installing green roofs and energy-efficient lighting and using hybrid vehicles and efficient heating and cooling systems are just some of the ways Facilities is helping make the University more energy effiicient.
- Green roofs
- Hybrid cars
- Green labs
- Energy-efficient lighting and lighting sensors
- Geothermal Energy
- Heating/Cooling Management Systems
Green Roofs
Building green starts at the foundation and extends to the roof. Making roofs green is a major way to contribute to the creation of sustainable environments. Green 
roofs provide partial solutions to several environmental problems that are common in urban locations, including storm-water management, the reduction of pollution and improved air quality.
Making a roof green can also reduce costs on energy and roof upkeep as well as insulate and protect buildings. Grass and plants growing on green roofs take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and turn it into oxygen, helping to cool temperatures in the hottest months and clean the air supply.
In early November 2007, Columbia University Facilities installed green roofs at 423 West 118th Street and 635 West 115th Street, home of the Office of Environmental Stewardship. Read more about our green roofs.
You can also view a video by clicking on the following links:
http://blip.tv/file/1386630 or http://news.columbia.edu/climate/1262
Hybrid Cars
As part of the University's vision to develop more environmentally friendly initiatives 
across campus, the Department of Public Safety has introduced hybrid cars into its patrol fleet. The hope is to eventually replace the entire fleet with hybrids.
The Department recently purchased several 2008 Ford Escape Hybrids to replace older cars and to use for expanded patrols around campus. These new hybrids - which are being used on both the Morningside Campus and Medical Center campus - will be used for patrol, escort, and other public safety-related services.
To read more about Public Safety's hybrid cars, click here.
Green Labs
Labs21
In the design of the Interdisciplinary Science Building (ISB) and other projects, Columbia is collaborating with Labs21, a voluntary partnership program jointly sponsored by the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL) to improve the environmental performance of U.S. laboratories. The goal of the program is to encourage the development of sustainable, high-performance and low-energy laboratories nationwide. As a Labs21 Partner, Columbia will set measurable energy and environmental performance goals for the seven floors of laboratories in ISB, benchmark performance using Labs21 tools and share performance results. To read more about Columbia's partnership with Labs21, click here.
Fume Hood Upgrades
Phased rehabilitation and upgrading to "low-flow" fume hoods on the Morningside Campus is yet another contribution to Columbia's energy-saving efforts. To read more, click here.
Energy-Saving Lighting and Lighting Sensors
For about 15 years, the University has been replacing incandescent lighting with more efficient, longer-lasting fluorescent bulbs.
The environmental benefit of fluorescent lighting rests in its energy savings. One 27-watt fluorescent light has the same light output as one 100-watt incandescent bulb, translating into a near 75 percent energy savings. This means less energy and the pollutants and green house gases associated with producing that electricity. In fact, the life span of a 27-watt compact fluorescent bulb will save more than 1000 pounds of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere when compared with the 100 watt bulb. Moreover, the conventional incandescent bulb lasts for 750 hours, while the fluorescent one lives to the ripe old age of 10,000 hours.
On the Morningside campus, lighting controls include timers in most academic spaces. These devices prevent lights from being left on overnight and are usually programmed for 10-to-12 hour control settings. Recent technology improvements have made occupancy sensors much more reliable than they have been in the past in determining whether a space is truly vacant and switching off lights accordingly. The University will move to this newer, more-sophisticated type of lighting control on new construction projects.
Geothermal Energy
Renovations at Knox Hall, located at Columbia affiliate Union Theological Seminary on 122nd Street and Broadway, will utilize four 2,000-foot deep geothermal wells. 
The geothermal wells, each eight inches in diameter, will provide heating and cooling by drawing ground water from the earth. The wells eliminate the less efficient chillers associated with more traditional systems. By coupling the building's mechanical systems with earth's natural resources, the geothermal wells will allow for the installation of a sustainable system design which will benefit not only the University but the community as a whole. By using this "greener" system, the University is projecting an energy savings of 50% - 60%. Additionally, since the wells do not require any unsightly mechanical equipment on Knox's roof or façade, the University will be able to respect the building's historical nature and existing architecture.
Heating and Cooling Management Systems
Today, on the Morningside academic campus, a third generation of computer-based controls operates the HVAC - the heating, ventilation and air conditioning - work that used to be done pneumatically and depended heavily on users' remembering to turn off the switches. To read more click here.
