April 16, 2025
St. John’s University is continues its pledge to environmental stewardship ahead of Earth Day on April 22 by committing to green energy initiatives throughout its Queens, NY, campus.
The University is utilizing solar panels to help power the new St. Vincent Health Sciences Center, which opened in September 2024, providing optimal learning resources for students enrolled in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences’ Nursing, Radiologic Sciences, and Physician Assistant programs.
The University previously applied for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification for energy efficiency and sustainability. It is now applying for LEED Gold certification to elevate the center’s credibility in environmentally responsible design, construction, and operation.
The development of the cost-effective and waste-reducing features of the building underpins the University’s commitment to equitable and environmentally conscious practices. The energy-efficient building also features geothermal heating and high-performance, bird-safe windows designed to reduce thermal loss.
Brian Baumer, Associate Vice President of Campus Facilities and Services, said these efforts demonstrate the University’s environmental stewardship and Vincentian mission of social responsibility, inspired by St. Vincent de Paul’s compassion and zeal for service.
“We recognize that sustainability is not just an environmental goal, but a moral imperative—one that ensures future generations, particularly those facing economic, physical, or social disadvantages, have access to a healthier and more sustainable world,” Mr. Baumer said. “Campus Facilities’ practices and values reaffirm the community’s responsibility to safeguard the environment, embodying the Vincentian call to respect and care for all creation.”
Mr. Baumer also said developers are partnering with Campus Facilities and Services to design the first electric vehicle charging stations on campus, a significant infrastructure, and an environmental milestone at St. John’s.
The St. Vincent Health Sciences Center is not the only building on campus that uses green energy technology in accordance with the New York City’s Climate Mobilization Act’s call to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The University installed high-efficiency electric chillers atop Montgoris Dining Hall to replace outdated, steam-driven chillers. Montgoris’ chillers also provide cooling to the Residence Village, while similar new chillers in the School of Law power St. John Hall.
In addition to sustainable initiatives led by staff and administrators, students undertake eco-friendly service efforts, such as maintaining the organic garden near the Residence Village and Red Storm Softball Field.
Currently supported by the St. John’s Green Team, the garden was initially started to serve St. John’s Bread & Life, a nonprofit food pantry in Brooklyn, NY. The garden is a hub of education and discussion while serving as an interactive lab for classes and a place for students to gain experience in the natural world.
McKenzie Crissman, pursuing a master’s degree in Environmental Sustainability and Decision Making at St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, has been a member of the St. John’s Green Team since May 2024. She said the gardening team provides a sense of personal fulfillment and unique knowledge that will underpin her career in environmental protection.
“Being in New York City, an urban jungle, it is difficult to find jobs grounded in nature that are not labor intensive or high-risk,” McKenzie said. “It was incredible to find that the garden focused on exactly what I want to pursue in my career: environmental protection and food sustainability.”
McKenzie said these eco-friendly initiatives, and composting systems at Montgoris Dining Hall allow her to engage in Vincentian stewardship. She sees firsthand the fruits of her labor when she donates the food she grew in the garden to those in need.
St. John’s Green Team has achieved “Silver” status from The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, a self-reporting tool measured by The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ for outstanding performance in promoting environmentally sustainable initiatives in a higher education. The garden invites St. John’s students, faculty, administrators, and staff to participate in the Vincentian values of environmental and communal stewardship by volunteering in planting and maintaining produce.