Energy and Climate

The Solar Carport / Charging Station is a major component of the $24 million Long Island Smart Energy Corridor funded by $12 million from the U.S. Department of Energy, with institutional commitments matching that amount. The carport / charging station is located in a main student parking lot near Lupton Hall. It accommodates 20 electric-charged vehicles at a time, draws its power from 290 solar panels on the roof, and produces approximately 100 kilowatts of electricity. From late May 2013 to late August 2013 (twelve weeks), 35,015 kWh were generated by the solar carport, resulting in a savings to the college of over $6,500. The facility - the first of its kind within SUNY - is the result of collaboration with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), the U.S. Department of Energy, and Stony Brook University.

This 2,000 square foot smart energy house has been equipped with smart appliances controlled by a smart meter, so that owners of such homes can monitor the house's energy use at any time, both in and out of the home.  It is powered by solar PV and solar thermal (to supply hot water). There are even plans to install a renewable-energy treadmill in one of the bedrooms.

All new buildings on campus are designed to qualify for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental design) Certification. The School of Business building (LEED Silver) incorporates high efficiency heating, cooling, and lighting systems as well as occupancy sensors. Even the classroom equipment saves money and energy - TVs are installed in the classrooms instead of energy-intense projectors. The building's energy efficiency performance exceeds New York State's requirements by 30%.

The campus owns three Hybrid and EV cars that faculty and staff have access to for state-related business travel. These vehicles include a 2013 Nissan Leaf, a 2013 Toyota Prius, and a 2013 Chevy Volt. Our goal is to decarbonize the remainder of our fleet by the year 2035.

FSC is developing a Clean Energy Master Plan (CEMP) which will act as a roadmap for campus infrastructure energy efficiency upgrades to meet Climate Act targets. As part of the CEMP, Farmingdale’s campus is receiving ASHRAE Level 2 Energy Audits to identify opportunities for improvements in efficiency.

FSC is continuing to upgrade building and site lighting to energy efficient LED fixtures. Occupancy sensors are used to make sure non-essential lighting is only provided where people are using it, and daylight sensors are used to reduce lighting where needs can be met with natural sunlight instead.

FSC is improving building envelope systems via window replacements, insulation upgrades and sealing air leaks. A tighter building envelope helps to reduce heat transfer to/from the environment, which reduces the energy required by the building mechanical equipment to heat or cool air.

FSC has implemented numerous heating, ventilation and air conditioning system improvements. Equipment retrofits allow equipment to run efficiently at partial load conditions. The Building Management System (BMS) helps monitor systems and improve operating efficiency, allowing power conservation in unoccupied spaces overnight. The campus is also investing in improvements to the steam heating system, and switching equipment from natural gas to electric where feasible. Retrocommissioning buildings will help to ensure all systems are operating efficiently as they were designed.

A new, robust submetering program is being implemented which will monitor and track energy use for each building. This will allow operators to quickly identify the source of any abnormal conditions or issues on campus. It will also allow to the campus to see how individual energy efficiency projects impact building energy usage, and verify systems are working as intended.

Renewable energy feasibility studies are being conducted on campus to supplement power from the grid. Geothermal energy can be used in conjunction with ground source heat pumps to heat and cool buildings without the use of fossil fuels. Farmingdale is also evaluating the feasibility of providing additional solar panel arrays in underutilized areas of campus.