After Superstorm Sandy, when most of lower Manhattan was dark, NYU stayed warm and lighted from its cogeneration plant. We learned then the value of building resilience. Combining sustainability with resiliency brings in many more benefits. Insulating and air sealing buildings keeps them warm longer if a power outage occurs in freezing weather. Energy efficient lighting and appliances extend the runtime of generators’ fuel tanks. And reducing our carbon footprint helps mitigate global climate change that makes natural disasters more common to begin with.

 

No matter how good an idea is, to make change on our campus, we have to find the money to pay for it. That’s why I was thrilled that the Office of Sustainability could host Urban Green Council’s 2018 conference, Weathering the Storm: The Intersection of Finance and Resilience. It was a wakeup call that the cost of inaction exceeds the cost the doing something in advance – and that every dollar spent on preparation saves six dollars in future savings.

 

Many members of the NYU community attended the conference, but if you couldn’t be there, read Urban Green’s recap: “Making Money Moves: Finance & Resilience,” by Rebecca Elzinga.