Skidmore College

Profile

Founded in 1903, Skidmore College is a small, private liberal arts college located in Saratoga Springs, New York. The campus serves approximately 2,200 students and 203 faculty members. Skidmore is an active partner of Clean Air - Cool Planet, and, in September of 2002, hosted “A Meeting of Northeast Campuses for Climate Action” in conjunction with Clean Air - Cool Planet and the Greenhouse Network. Skidmore’s environmental concerns are well established, and organizations like the Environmental Action Committee represent student commitment to collaborate with faculty and other institutions to address climate change and other environmental issues. Visit the EAC at for more details. Skidmore also has a Campus Environment Committee that addresses, among other things, energy use of campus buildings in context of the corresponding greenhouse gas emissions and global warming.

Past Initiatives

Skidmore Facilities Services have taken steps to optimize campus utilities, giving the dining hall its own heater, upgrading heating-plant motors and other components and replacing indoor and outdoor lights with high-efficiency versions. Last year, they upgraded a second boiler that provides hot water to sinks and showers across campus; now the boiler plant can provide hot water much more cost-efficiently than before.

The CEC has compiled year-end reports for the last three years that describe their functions as a committee, their monitored results and proposed initiatives.

Current Initiatives

The architects who are planning Skidmore's new residence-life complex and new music building are discussing ways to earn LEEDS certifications for energy conservation and sustainability (The certification program -- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design -- is run by the U.S Green Buildings Council; visit http://www.usgbc.org/).

Future Initiatives

Skidmore Facilities Services is exploring future energy efficient possibilities, including replacing outdated electric transformers with more efficient models, reducing the number of chemical-storage fume hoods, whose exhaust fans run 24 hours a day and putting the soda- and snack-vending machines on timers, to save on lighting and cooling costs.

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