TU commits to climate-neutral campus

Photo of Center for the Arts by Kanji Takeno

President adds TU to list of U.S. colleges and universities battling climate change

President Robert L. Caret is one of 398 American college and university presidents who have enlisted their campuses in the fight against global warming in the 21st century.

As a signatory to the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, Caret committed TU to reducing its global-warming emissions.

The university is now part of a high-visibility institutional effort to neutralize greenhouse gas emissions and to accelerate the research and educational efforts of higher education to equip society to re-stabilize the earth’s climate. 

The initiative was inspired by the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, the U.S. Climate Action Partnership and other collective efforts by states and businesses. 

“Global warming is the defining challenge of our time,” says Caret. “Human activities are the problem, and by working together humans have the capacity to solve the problem. This means taking serious action to stop adding global warming pollution to the atmosphere.”

The commitment calls for TU to develop a comprehensive institutional action plan to move toward climate neutrality. 

James Sheehan, vice president for Administration and Finance, says TU joins four other University System of Maryland institutions—University of Maryland, College Park; University of Maryland, Baltimore; UMBC and Frostburg—in signing the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment.

“Towson had been ‘greening’ its campus for several years before affiliating with this organization,” Sheehan says. “For example, all new construction or renovation projects install energy-management systems that conserve an enormous amount of gas and electricity.

“The new University Child Care Center features a hot water radiant floor system and passive solar heating, and the renovated Center for the Arts relies on natural daylight to reduce electricity costs.”

Sheehan says Facilities Management works with green materials whenever possible. For example, the exterior walls of 7800 York Road use an innovative terra cotta tile that lasts longer and provides better insulation and moisture- and mold-prevention than brick.

Sheehan says the university has been testing electric cars with an eye toward replacing TU’s Facilities Management fleet with more environmentally friendly vehicles. “There are a number of factors that have to be taken into consideration,” he says. “We need to find vehicles that can handle the work load and the terrain."

Administration and Finance staff will help create the action plan and do whatever possible to comply with mandates stipulated by the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment.

Sheehan says TU will seek additional funding from the USM to implement some of the called-for actions. “Reducing global-warming emissions often requires additional resources,” he adds. “We’re hoping we can get some help as we strive to address these challenges.”    

Stuart Zang contributed to this story.                                 

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