Campus Features

CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES AND PRACTICES

Operational Plans

Academics

  • Sustainability Certificate - Over 45 courses with a sustainability focus
  • Service Learning projects with a sustainability focus (various)
  • Agricultural & Life Sciences Institute
  • GROW Monroe

Awards

  • Green Business Award sponsored by the Brighton Chamber of Commerce and Green Brighton Task Force (2011)
  • The Rochester Business Journal’s Environmental Leadership Award for 2010 recognizing our long term commitment to sustainability

Programs & Events

  • Campus Sustainability Day (yearly – multiple events)
  • Earth Day and Week, (yearly – multiple events)
  • Campus Crunch
  • Ride and Drive Event (test drive an electric vehicle)

Bike-Friendly University

  • Received designation as a Bike-Friendly University from the League of American Bicyclists, 11/2016
  • Safe Bicycle Commuting: A Bicyclist’s Guide to Surviving in Traffic
  • Spring & Fall Bike Rides
  • Fix a Flat Event
  • Bicycle Club

Leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED) Buildings

  • Downtown Campus (LEED Gold)

    • The Genesee Valley Branch of the American Public Works Association, Project of the Year Award in the “Structures Projects Greater than $75M” category.
    • Project of the Year, NYS Chapter of the American Public Works Association
    • Honorable Mention, Architectural Award Showcase of Learning by Design Magazine
    • LaBella Associates, project architect won the AIA (American Institute of 

      Architects) Rochester Design Excellence Award

  • Wolk Center for Excellence in Nursing (LEED Silver)
  • PAC Center (LEED Gold)

    • The American Council of Engineering Companies recognized our project with the silver award.
    • The PAC building went on to win the local chapter’s large project of the year award from the Association of Public Works Administrators. After winning this award, we went on to win again at the state level.
    • American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) award in the Indoor Multi-Purpose category

  • Renovation of the Gleason Hall of Science and Technology building (LEED Gold)
  • Addition and renovation of Facilities & Public Safety building (LEED Gold)

Memberships

  • Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education

    • Participated in STARS Pilot Program

  • New York Coalition for Sustainability in Higher Education

    • Valarie Avalone, Director of Institutional Planning, Effectiveness, and Accountability, elected to 3 yr. term of Steering Committee
    • Avalone appointed Regional Rep Coordinator

  • High Falls Eco District

    • Avalone served on Critical Team (attended Eco District trainings in Portland and Denver)
    • Avalone served on Steering Committee
    • Avalone served on committee to write plan for High Falls EcoDistrict
    • Avalone continues to serve on various committees as requested

Operations

  • Recycling program
  • Purchasing Action Plan
  • Food Service Initiatives

    • Sodexo’s Better Tomorrow Plan
    • Sodexo’s Sustainable Seafood Commitment & Strategy
    • Sodexo’s Mug Program

  • REV Campus Challenge

Student Activities

  • Residence Hall Sustainability Fair
  • Phi Theta Kappa worked with Sodexo for more organic options
  • Sponsored awareness tables on sustainability topics
  • Light bulb exchange
  • Nursing students focused on recycling program

Facilities

  • Site Lighting Project - All parking lot/perimeter road lighting changed to LED
  • NYSERDA supported hallway occupancy sensors – Sensors control hallway lighting
  • Demand Control Ventilation – Gymnasium HVAC system upgraded to monitor and control airflow
  • Installation of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations at Brighton and ATC campuses
  • Energy Master Plan – Upcoming project to create a plan to reduce energy use and save money,  will be funded by NYSERDA up to 75%
  • To reduce the use of bottled water on campus, there are bottle-refill stations in buildings 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, and 21 at the Brighton campus as well as on each floor of the Downtown campus

Other

  • Valarie Avalone is serving on the planning committee for the 2019 NYS Sustainability Conference to be held 11/13/19 -11/15/19 in Rochester (primary host RIT)
  • Sustainability @ MCC website
  • MCC is a non-smoking campus
  • MCC purchases only recycled content paper for use in copiers and printers
  • Butterfly Garden
  • Greenhouse
  • Living Wall in building 9