Green Schools | News

New School Recieves STARS Silver Rating

• By Joshua Bolkan
• 08/29/11

New York's New School has earned a Silver rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education's (AASHE) Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating system (STARS).

The university has made a commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent within 10 years and to become carbon neutral by 2040. Recent upgrades designed to help achieve that goal include:

• Lighting upgrades;
• Improved air conditioning systems;
• Installation of energy-efficient white roofs on all university-owned buildings; and
• Construction of a university center, scheduled to open in 2013, with a projected LEED Gold rating.

The university also "offers several environmentally focused, interdisciplinary learning opportunities, including the masters program in Environmental Policy and Sustainability Management, and the Tishman Center for Environment and Design, which facilitates sustainability-related research, curriculum development, and public programming across the university," according to information released by the university.

AASHE's STARS, focused on nine categories such as student involvement and green building, is a self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure sustainability efforts, to share information and create benchmarks for future efforts.

"Public engagement and civic action have distinguished The New School since our founding. In that spirit, we've made a focus on sustainability and environmental justice a central part of our mission," said Gwen Kilvert, assistant director for sustainability and energy management, who led The New School's STARS effort. "That's why we're thrilled to be a part of STARS--and to receive our STARS Silver rating."

More information about the New School's sustainability efforts is available at newshool.edu. Further information about AASHE can be found at aashe.org.