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Patch featured Pace University in "Department of Energy Praises Pace for Sustainable Practices"
The U.S. Department of Energy has praised Pace University 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, Pace was 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, Pace has 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 Pace to share their sustainable energy strategies and practices, thus providing a blueprint for others to follow.
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, Pace has pledged to a 20% energy reduction campus-wide by 2023 and is well on its way to achieving that goal.
