Sustainability

Steps Toward Sustainability with Snell Library’s Solar Panels

Dean of the Library Dan Cohen poses next to a solar panel on the Snell Library Quad
Dean of the Library Dan Cohen flips the switch to solar electricity in a ceremony on April 2, 2024.

Northeastern University’s commitment to sustainability was evident at Snell Library on April 2, as the university held a ceremony to unveil the new solar panels installed on the library’s roof as part of the building’s ongoing renovations.

“Libraries have long been associated with light, as places that light up our world. Today, the Northeastern University Library continues this tradition by holding resources and expert staff members that shine light on learning and research,” Dean of the Library Dan Cohen said at the event. “So it’s nice that today we are able to make this association between the library and light literal in addition to metaphorical. We’re thrilled that Snell Library can capture and distribute light in a different way, and that this light will help our campus and our environment.”

The panels will be providing 157.8kWp DC of power to Snell Library and will save around 13,600 kilowatt hours of electricity annually.

The project was led by Northeastern’s Planning, Real Estate, and Facilities (PREF) Division, and the panels’ installation was completed by Ameresco, a leading renewable energy integrator. The undertaking also involved efforts by the Climate Justice and Sustainability Hub, NU Trades, and more.

Infographic with statistics on the sustainability of Snell Library's solar panels

Installing rooftop solar panels on an urban campus is a complicated process with multiple considerations to manage. Limited space and logistical complications meant that the project took nearly a year to plan and execute. But Snell Library proved the perfect location for the panels, with its height, flat roof, and minimal shading, and the ongoing renovations to help ensure a seamless integration to the campus’ electrical grid.

Four workers in construction gear pose with a solar panel on the roof of Snell Library
Some of the team of workers installing solar panels on Snell Library’s roof.

“My hope going forward is that all new buildings are going to be designed to hold solar panels so that they’re maximizing as they go,” said Jacob Glickel, Director of Sustainability Operations for PREF.

The Northeastern University Library is excited to play such an important role in Northeastern’s progression toward sustainability.

For more information about the project, visit the PREF website.

Interested in Green Design? Check out BuildingGreen Suite!

To support Northeastern University’s emphasis on sustainability and green design, the library subscribes to BuildingGreen Suite, a collection of authoritative media and information resources relating to these topics. The three main features of its collection are:
  • Articles from Environmental Building News
  • A searchable directory of green products
  • Case studies on individual buildings from their High Performance Buildings database.
The Environmental Building News articles include longer feature articles that deal with topics in depth, product reviews, and shorter topic overviews called “BackPage Primers.” These can be very helpful if you’re not that familiar with subject matter required for your project or assignment. For example, you could brush up on induction lighting, OLEDs, and other lighting technologies, or on acoustics and managing sound and noise within a building. The green products directory allows you to search by the name of a specific product, or by categories of products such as Plumbing, Concrete, or Wood and Plastics. You can find out details about what a product is made of or contains, when it might be used, and why it might not be right to use in certain situations. The case studies allow you to search for a specific building, or by location of the project or the type of building. For example, you can search for K-12 schools, or retail stores. Or you can look for projects in Massachusetts. The buildings featured in this section “may be certified green projects, or simply projects that have one or more notable environmental features.” Be sure to check out BuildingGreen Suite if you are working on any project with a focus on green design or sustainable building practices!

2012 Media Showcase: Call for Submissions

The Digital Media Design Studio is once again calling for the submission of media projects highlighting this year’s theme, which is “Going Green” (Sustainability). Here is the link to the flyer with contact information and submission requirements: DMDS media showcase flyer (PDF) We look forward to seeing everyone’s work.

Help keep the busiest bathrooms on campus clean

Not to brag, but I think the Library tops the charts in terms of traffic in our restrooms making our bathrooms the busiest on campus! We try our best so that you can’t tell. To keep up with the number of bathroom visitors this Fall, NU House and Grounds have stepped up their efforts to keep the facilities clean with more frequent service (and a record of when it’s been provided), paper-free hand driers designed to be both green and mess eliminators, and the installation of locks on bathroom doors to ensure a really thorough cleaning. That being said, cleanliness is a joint effort amongst all library users – students, faculty, staff, etc. While bathroom etiquette seems like a no-brainer there have been some interesting messes in the past. Here are some tips on how to make sure the restrooms stay user friendly 🙂 1. Do not dispose of food in the toilets or anything besides what is intended of being disposed in a toilet. 2. Avoid pressing the ‘flush’ button with your foot. This damages the flushing mechanism. Here’s a tip! Use a piece of toilet paper to press the button so you avoid touching it with your hand. 3. Paper, paper, paper. Please, be green and take only what you need. Do not leave paper on the floor, use the trash can. 4. Shut off the water when you are done using the sink. If you spill, pick up after yourself. 5. And finally, if you see a problem, report it. Call x2754 (NU Work Control) or submit a request online at www.workreq.neu.edu.

On This Day: December 2nd

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). On December 2nd, 1970 (40 years ago!) the EPA began daily operations under Richard Nixon (one of few things he got right). This organization is responsible for researching and educating the public on environmental issues, as well as setting and enforcing environment-related legislation. Key programs you may be familiar with are vehicle emission standards, Clean Water Acts, and the Endangered Species Acts. As a part of NU Libraries’ Federal Depository program, we have government-issued reports available in print and online that explore various EPA related topics in detail. You can take out a print article from our government stacks on the oversight of recent EPA decisions, or you can read an online article on the EPA lifecycle analysis of greenhouse gas emissions. There is much to choose from, so celebrate 40 years by taking a look at these resources. To view the library’s entire EPA collection, keyword search “EPA” in NUCat.