Zero Carbon Mobility

• Phase I (2020) 
  • Establish a university-wide task force to determine viable carbon zero carbon mobility frameworks, models and options
• Phase II (2021-2022)
  • Increase electric vehicle charging infrastructure by 15x current levels for faculty, staff, student and community commuters
• Phase III (2022-23)
  • Asses current fleet and identify acute opportunities to replace ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles with EV’s as a pilot system
• Phase IV (2023-2024)
  • Design and construct phase I of UB’s first large scale fleet EV charging lot based in the Service Complex on UB’s North Campus and assess other remote potential EV Fleet charging lots on campus
  • Introduce electric bus capacity through new mobility service provider contract
• Phase V (2024) Develop UB policy on decarbonizing fleet mobility which will:
  • Require no new ICE vehicle purchases (waivers may be granted for lack of availability or excessive price point)
  • Assess potential of creating new university fleet pool for campus community to leverage
  • Clarify how EV fleet will be maintained
  • Evaluate whether centralized funding is needed to cover potential gap between EV and ICE vehicle purchase
  • Leverage GPS technologies in all vehicles
• Phase VI (2024-25)
  • Move forward with purchasing EV mini shuttle busses owned and operated by UB  

Internal University policies will be developed and adopted to accelerate the procurement of electric fleet vehicle use across all campuses. 

Phasing out non-electric vehicles (EVs) is now a university practice. All departments purchasing new vehicles should be looking to replace them with non-internal combustible engines (ICE) or electric vehicles and many of our departments are already doing this! Facilities, IT and Campus Mail all currently have electric vehicles in their fleets.  In addition, the University is developing its Zero Emission Vehicle Conversion plan as part of Executive Order 22.

To power all of these vehicles, the university is currently in the design phase for UB’s first fleet EV charging lot. The facility will have ample capacity and “future proofing” to install more chargers as needed for university-owned vehicles to easily power up.  In addition, other fleet EV charging lots are being investigated across campus. 

The committee established 16 new electric vehicle (EV) charging stations on North and South Campus. They are looking into potential means of mobility such as E-bikes and electric scooters. The committee held meetings with the National Grid and has explored options of funding and cost savings for the procurement of an EV fleet for the university. They are currently gathering reports and data from the university’s police and fleet department to determine the degree of expansion. In the next year, the committee will be creating a framework to inform future EV purchases which will include an analysis of EV capital and current operating costs.

• Captain: Chris Austin, Director of Parking and Transportation.
• Chris Bartolomei, Chief of Police.
• Sean Brodfuehrer, Architectural Planner, Campus Planning.
• R. Lorraine Collins, Professor, Community Health & Health Professions.
• Daniel Hess, Professor and Chair, Urban and Regional Planning.
• Nancy Kobielski, Staff Assistant, Parking and Transportation.
• Cory Nealon, Associate Director, Office of University Communications.
• Thomas Tiberi, Director, Campus Living.