sustainability
Pace University Unveils ‘Solar Tree’ Funded by Con Edison Grant
PLEASANTVILLE, NY – Bringing together imagination, technology, and sustainability, Pace University recently unveiled a “Solar Tree” on its Pleasantville, NY, campus with the support of Consolidated Edison Company of New York.
The modern-art-style e-tree, located on the lawn between Elm and Alumni Halls and the Kessel Student Center, was unveiled at a ribbon cutting ceremony on November 22 with local officials and representatives of Con Edison.
“Pace University is committed to environmental stewardship, just as we’re committed to providing a welcoming campus where students, faculty, and staff can convene and collaborate,” says Pace President Marvin Krislov. “We are grateful to Con Edison for making the Solar Tree project a reality, and for providing a focal point where our community can relax, recharge, and learn about renewable energy.”
The e-tree will provide a shaded resting area with benches that can seat six, WiFi, six USB ports, an interactive LCD display screen, night lighting, and a panic button feature. The tree is nearly 15 feet tall and weighs 2,755 pounds. Seven insulated solar panels that can provide 1,400 watts of energy are suspended from its branches.
“The Solar Tree is a smart, novel, and self-sustaining source of clean energy as well as a symbol of Pace University’s long partnership with Con Edison,” says Jane Solnick, Con Edison’s director of Westchester Regional and Community Affairs. “It’s also a learning tree where students, faculty, and the public may benefit from all the university has to offer. Renewable energy is the fastest growing source of the country’s supply of electricity and Con Edison, through our Clean Energy Businesses, is North America’s second-largest solar producer.”
Con Edison has solar and wind assets in 17 states, with a total renewable portfolio of 2,600 megawatts.
Pace University has for decades been a leader in environmental stewardship. The university offers a number of undergraduate and graduate degrees in environment studies, environmental science and environmental policy, as well as a professional certification in ecology. Additionally, The Elisabeth Haub School of Law (Pace Law) in 2019 was also ranked No. 1 in the country for environmental law, a signature program at the school, by the latest U.S. News & World Report.
The Solar Tree is the latest addition to Pace’s Pleasantville campus, which has gone through a multimillion-dollar transformation that consolidated its Briarcliff and Pleasantville campuses and added new residence halls as well as renovated playing fields. In 2015, Pace also unveiled its Environmental Center Complex that includes classrooms and a replica of the former farmhouse building which serves as a key facility for faculty and students.
An informal poll of 152 students, faculty, and staff at Pace University showed support for adding a solar tree to the quad. Students, faculty, and staff chose the e-tree design from among three design concepts.
About Pace University
Pace University has a proud history of preparing its diverse student body for a lifetime of professional success as a result of its unique program that combines rigorous academics and real-world experiences. Pace is ranked the #1 private, four-year college in the nation for upward economic mobility by Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights, evidence of the transformative education the university provides. From its beginnings as an accounting school in 1906, Pace has grown to three campuses, enrolling 13,000 students in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in more than 150 majors and programs, across a range of disciplines: arts, sciences, business, health care, technology, law, education, and more. The university also has one of the most competitive performing arts programs in the country. Pace University has a signature, newly renovated campus in New York City, located in the heart of vibrant Lower Manhattan, next to Wall Street and City Hall, and two campuses in Westchester County, NY: a 200-acre picturesque Pleasantville Campus and a Law School in White Plains.