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CSU wins “green” biz award

By Jeremy Bader

Student, staff and faculty’s commitment to creating a sustainable campus has earned the university a distinct honor.

This year Cleveland State is the winner of the Crain’s Business Magazine Emerald Award.

Vice President for Business Affairs and Finance Jack Boyle accepted the award on behalf of both the workers and students of the university.

Boyle cites three major reasons for the universities commitment to sustainability.“It’s the right thing to do environmentally, the students are going to demand it and it’s going to save us money,” Boyle said.

Rooftop garden co-founder LeeAnn Westfall states that, “This award shows that students are capable of receiving national recognition for themselves and the university.”

Crain’s Cleveland Business Magazine Emerald Award is awarded to businesses or institutions that create a cost savings or increase cash flow by implementing sustainable practices.

The university, partnering with The Brewer-Garrett Company, FirstMetrix Corporation and URS, is in the midst of implementing a $42.8 million environmental sustainability and energy saving plan that will save the university more than $62 million over ten years. This partnership spawned innovative concepts that brought CSU to the attention of Crain’s Business Magazine.