Energy and Sustainability Update
To the Campus Community:
Farmingdale State College continues our steady progress toward becoming a more sustainable
campus. Recently, the Office for Sustainability implemented several new initiatives
that will have an immediate and lasting impact on our campus. In accordance with SUNY’s
Policy 5201: Elimination of Single Use Plastics and Preference for Durable and Reusable
Alternatives, we have created a plan for the phased elimination of single-use plastic items. More
information, including a link to the plan, can be found at FSC’s Plastics Elimination webpage.
In an effort to become more energy efficient, FSC has replaced a failed 200-ton air
cooled chiller at Nathan Hale Hall with a 210-ton modular heat pump. This new heat
pump, installed as part of our campus Energy Master Plan, will provide more sustainable,
reliable, and efficient air conditioning during the summer months as well as heating
during the winter. Heat pumps are a critical part of FSC’s decarbonization strategy
and will aid us in our transition to renewable energy.
In addition, FSC was recently named a recipient of ReWild Long Island’s 2025 Community Garden Program. As a recipient, FSC will receive professional garden design and installation consulting
support, a wide array of native plants, irrigation infrastructure, maintenance advice,
as well as support for increasing campus involvement. As a result, we will convert
a small area of grass adjacent to the Campus Center into a native plant garden. Doing
so will not only beautify the campus, but will also help attract pollinators.
The following are a few general sustainability reminders for our campus community:
- Hydration stations are available throughout the campus and offer chilled, filtered
water to refill reusable water bottles.
- Printer settings should be configured to automatically print double-sided to reduce
paper usage.
- The idling of personal vehicles in campus parking lots should be avoided to reduce
unnecessary emissions.
- Electric vehicle charging stations are available for the campus community near Lupton Hall.
- Office and classroom windows should be shut whenever possible to help maximize building
energy efficiency.
We thank the campus community for your continued efforts to make FSC a more sustainable
place.
Dorothy M. Hughes
Assistant Vice President for Administration
