Richard Stockton College of New Jersey - Green Initiatives

Green Initiatives

The College is an environmentally friendly campus featuring a geothermal heat pump, fuel cells, and photovoltaic panels.

In 2002, The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey installed a 200 kW fuel cell at an initial cost of $1.3 million dollars. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities provided a grant to cover most of the cost of the unit, with the college paying only $305,000. South Jersey Industries (SJI) also provided a rebate of $710,000 for the unit. The fuel cell provides just under 10% of the total energy for the campus, maintaining Stockton’s status as the college with the lowest energy cost per student in New Jersey.

Stockton achieved LEED certification for its new sustainable design. In 2006, the F-Wing expansion, including classrooms, offices and an atrium received the prestigious LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Stockton’s commitment to environmentally responsible design is echoed in the many green initiatives that have both saved energy and decreased greenhouse gas emissions. These include the installation of solar panels on its buildings and the development on campus of one of the largest geothermal heating and cooling systems in the world.

The geothermal systems incorporate Seasonal thermal energy storage (STES) so that waste heat or winter cold can be obtained during the seasons they are available and be used in the opposing seasons. A borehole thermal energy storage system (BTES) was installed in the 1990s and is used for heating the older half of campus, with waste heat collected from air conditioning equipment there. An aquifer thermal energy storage system (ATES), the first of its kind in the United States, began operation in 2008. The ATES system reduces the amount of energy used to cool Stockton’s newer buildings by storing the chill of winter air in the water and rock of an underground aquifer, and drawing it back out in the summer for cooling. (Because building insulation standards have changed over time, the older buildings have a higher heating than cooling need, and the opposite is true for the newer buildings.)

In 2008, Stockton approved an agreement with Marina Energy LLC for the installation of solar panels on The Big Blue athletic center roof to provide electricity to the college. Marina Energy is a subsidiary of South Jersey Industries. The college will pay nothing for the equipment but will sign a 10-year agreement to buy the generated power. In 2009 the job was completed.

Later in the year, Housing V was built to accommodate the rising demand for student housing. It incorporates geothermal heating and cooling using closed loop technology for a total of 450 tons cooling capacity. To eliminate the possibility of groundwater contamination in the event of a leak, freeze protection is provided in the circulating fluid. The design accommodates future solar thermal heating systems. Upper story deciduous trees were planted along the south facing facades of the residence halls to provide shade during the summer months, but allow the warmth of the sun to wash the buildings during the winter. This design received the "Green Project of Distinction" award from Education Design Showcase.

Stockton College’s next green project will be the largest single building project in Stockton’s history and shall be built in keeping with the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Gold Standard in sustainable design. The new Campus Center will provide 153,000 square feet (14,200 m2) of space for dining, bookstore, pool, theater, lounges and offices but will use 25% less energy than standard construction, 40% less water usage and low emitting adhesives, sealants, paints and coatings. Additional "green" features of the building include a storm water collection system to irrigate an on-site "rain garden" of indigenous and adapted plant species, and a sophisticated energy management system for heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting.