University President Jehuda Reinharz revealed plans to install 1,383 individual solar panels on the roof of the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center that will help avoid 122 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year at the Great Green Ideas for Brandeis and Beyond event last Wednesday.The announcement coincided with the introduction of the Brandeis University Climate Action Plan. The plan was released and submitted to the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment Sept. 15.

The Climate Action Plan was compiled by the Brandeis Environmental Sustainability Team, the advisory committee of the Campus Sustainability Initiative, which consists of members of the Brandeis faculty, staff and student body. Highlights from the plan include a goal to reduce carbon emissions by 15 percent by 2015 and to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions on campus completely by 2050. Other components of the Climate Action Plan stress the University's goal to promote energy efficiency on campus.

The University will work with the renewable energy company Alteris Renewables to build the 277-kilowatt solar panel array and will begin installation in November 2009. After its completion, the solar panel array will be one of the largest in Massachusetts. The University has signed a contract with EOS Ventures, a renewable energy company that will finance the up-front cost of the installation. The University will then buy the electricity produced by the solar panels and use it as an alternative source of energy.

"The system didn't cost us anything," said Sustainability Coordinator Janna Cohen-Rosenthal '03. "We are using a power purchase agreement, where another company owns the system. We just pay for the power. I believe that the solar panels could cost $1.5 to $2.5 million dollars."

"This development is highly worthwhile both for its energy production and for its educational value," Reinharz said at the presentation.

Reinharz also stressed individual action and student education in his speech. "We are committed to educating Brandeis students to be sustainability leaders," he said.

Prof. Sabine von Mering (GRALL), who also spoke at the event, introduced the new Web site affiliated with the Brandeis Forum on Environmental Crisis.

"The number-one goal of the site is very simple: We want to better educate the campus and each other about climate change, including the basic issues, the threats to biodiversity and to clean food and water," von Mering said.

Student Union President Andy Hogan '11 reviewed past campus involvement in promoting environmental sustainability at the event.

He discussed the new course "Greening the Ivory Tower: Improving Environmental Sustainability of Brandeis and Community," which helps initiate student-led sustainability projects on campus.

Under the Climate Action Plan, students will be able to receive a "Green Room Certification" from the Eco-Rep in their quad by following a list of eco-friendly guidelines, Hogan said. The Eco-Rep program seeks to encourage environmental education in residence halls and has been adopted by over 30 colleges and universities, according to the Office of Facilities Services.

"We as a community are committed to this green movement, and I know that through our cooperation with each facet of the Brandeis community, we can move mountains," Hogan said.

"I am proud of the success that we have achieved so far, but I also readily acknowledge that there is much more that can be done [to promote environmental sustainability on campus]," Reinharz said.

He added, "It is through such efforts that we maintain our university's proud traditions of social consciousness and responsibility."

"I thought the event was really exciting," Ellen Abramowitz '11 told the Justice after the event. "I thought there was a really good turnout. If everything goes well, Brandeis will be ahead of the curve [in promoting environmental sustainability projects]," she said.

"I think the thing that really stood out to me was the Web site. I think it's a great way to get students involved." Yale Spector '11 told the Justice.