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Paul Smith’s College awarded sustainable energy grant

PAUL SMITHS — As Paul Smith’s College updates its Climate Action Plan, the institution has been awarded a grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development to help fund sustainable energy initiatives.

The $56,000 REV Campus Challenge Technical Assistance for Roadmaps grant will be used to hire third-party energy consultants and conduct an evaluation of energy needs on campus. Additionally, $4,000 in bonus funding will support sustainability fellowship positions for students working on Sustainability Tracking and Rating Systems projects.

Kate Glenn, sustainability coordinator and faculty member at Paul Smith’s, worked with students in her Alternative Energy class to draft the grant proposal. In addition to NYSERDA funds, a $27,000 grant from the college was written by student members of the Smitty Sustainability Committee and approved by the student body.

“PSC has a long history of experiential education, and this is just another example of the type of project-based learning opportunities we provide students,” Glenn said in a press release.

For the next eight months, Saratoga-based L&S Energy Services will assist the college with its carbon-neutral goals through three phases. The first will focus on collecting and examining data, followed by an assessment of campus infrastructure and energy use.

The third and final phase of the project will be the development of an Energy Master Plan and updated Climate Action Plan, as well as a standard operating procedure for STARS reporting. Students will work directly with the consultants throughout.

“We are a leader in the Adirondacks and work collaboratively with area nonprofits and local renewable energy companies to support and promote energy efficiency and renewable energy in our region,” Glenn said. “In this time of great turmoil, we recognize the importance of continuing to support a more local and therefore more resilient energy economy.”

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