Sustainability and Environmental Technology

RIT is a campus that is vastly experienced in the sustainability and environmental technologies. Several projects in the Xerox WOW! Center highlight projects and approaches students and faculty members are taking to create a healthier, on-campus environment.

The Golisano Institute for Sustainability advocates reusing and remanufacturing, developing products and research methods that enable one to reuse materials, produce cleaner technologies, find alternative sources of energy and develop products that help with these procedures. Students and faculty members are in the process of purchasing three Hydrogen-based Ford Escapes. The cars will be used to research the use of alternative fuels. The hope is to work with Hydrogen, Ethanol, Bio-diesel and ultimately use alternatively-fueled cars on campus.

RIT’s Office of University Publications recently switched to using recycled paper in all of its projects. The office’s staff is trying to find safer alternative sources whether creating web-based productions or using recycled fiber paper. They are encouraging all of their costumers to join them on the path toward sustaining the environment. So far, it has been estimated, they have saved more than 800 trees.

Several Mechanical and Electrical Engineering students have researched and developed “net zero” energy homes which use zero energy. They have created a 3BR, 2BA house that is 1,650 sq. feet in size and actually produces more power, or energy, than it uses. How? By combing different, renewable energy sources.

The students are hoping to show others that through alternative energy sources, one can build an environmentally safe house. So, while concerns about the environment face us everywhere we go, students and faculty at RIT have taken real steps which can help us all embrace new, alternative energy sources and live in a safer environment.