When I think of University at Buffalo, I sometimes think about all of the missed opportunities, and how the city would be so drastically different if the North Campus had been built in an urban environment. While it’s too late to go back and reverse the hands of time, it is not too late to start strategically divesting and investing where it counts the most.

Of course it is refreshing to see so many investments made into the city of Buffalo as of late. There are great advancements taking place around the Medical Campus, and at South Campus. Many of the advancements that we are seeing have a green component to them, whether it’s renewable resources or simply utilizing less resources to do more.

Recently an honor was bestowed upon UB by The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). UB is an honoree of one of the 2014 “Best of Green Schools” (see why). The honor came about due to key partnerships that UB has forged, along with a number of green initiatives that it has embarked upon on its campuses.

“Selecting the Best of Green Schools honorees is an exciting and challenging process, as there are so many fantastic examples of efforts being made in communities large and small,” said Rachel Gutter, Director, Center for Green Schools. “Some of the honorees go about their work quietly; others are in public positions and have the attention of a national audience. Every one of the honorees is a leader, taking risks, setting an example for others, innovating and diligently pursuing a world in which every student attends a green school within the next generation. The students and faculty of SUNY-Buffalo are bringing people together in new and exciting ways to address some of the greatest challenges to green building in their region.”

As the city continues to grow, hopefully bringing with it more and more investments from UB, maybe it’s time to start reconsidering the role of the North Campus as a “Green Campus”. We all are aware that one of the ultimate form of being green is the act of reuse – especially when it come to buildings. UB should continue to move its schools into the city and turn its North Campus into an internationally acclaimed campus dedicated to the environment and green learning. The campus was built on swampland that was most likely pristine, undeveloped land before the university bought it up.

Now that Governor Cuomo has put a ban on fracking, and there is a movement to recreate Buffalo as a leader in alternative energy (solar, wind, water), the North Campus could be transformed into a self sustaining, carbon neutral site, with a bent on renewable resources, smart growth, etc. The more students and professors living and working in the city of Buffalo the better. There’s no reason to be building new structures at the North Campus. It’s exciting to hear that UB has been recognized for its green initiatives. Now it’s time to take it even further. Take a hard look at the big picture – the Metro Rail and the buildings that bound it. Take measures in connecting the South Campus and the Medical Campus. Rethink what the North Campus is and bring students downtown, where they should have been from the start. It’s never to late to learn from out mistakes, and this was one of the biggest blunders to date, green and otherwise.

Photo: Buffalo.edu