You have such a robust background in sustainability in the UAE, could you share your experience of working in this field along with what drew you to NYUAD?
It has been an amazing journey working in the field of sustainability in the UAE. I have been living and working in Abu Dhabi since 2010 and the transformation has been phenomenal. The leadership of the UAE is really pushing ahead with numerous initiatives on energy efficiency, water security, and environmental conservation, among many others. I have worked in both the private and government sectors in Abu Dhabi, where I was involved with the Estidama and Ghadan21 programs which made an impact in the city of Abu Dhabi. Working for NYU Abu Dhabi is an incredible honor. I was always intrigued to work for an academic institution and NYU Abu Dhabi is unique as it’s in and of Abu Dhabi, New York, and the world. This is emblematic of how we must address the climate crisis: within the community, locally and globally. This role gives me the opportunity to promote sustainability efforts across the campus and amplify the incredible research and community efforts underway that are focused on finding global solutions to the climate crisis.
As the Director of Sustainability and Stewardship, what will be some of NYUAD’s goals and priorities to achieve a more environmentally conscious campus?
It has been an important focus of mine in the past 6 months to set a robust foundation: work with various stakeholders across campus, establish our current baseline and define clear targets and actions moving forward. The main priority is to develop a Climate Action plan. In alignment with NYU’s broader vision of a university-wide commitment, NYUAD is also committed to achieving reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and in this regard will develop its own Climate Action Plan that will set clear emission reduction strategies and targets moving forward. The Climate Action plan will play a pivotal role in realizing the vision of our Vice Chancellor in transforming NYUAD into one of the most sustainable campuses in the world.
What does a sustainable NYUAD look like? What needs to be done beyond reducing our footprint?
Besides the Climate Action plan and the various sustainability policies that we are working on, my target is to work across the university and in coordination with colleagues at the NYU campus in New York, to support outreach strategies essential to advancing NYUAD’s sustainability goals. This involves working closely with students, shining a bright light on relevant faculty and student research, and supporting faculty and staff in pursuing sustainability in their academic and operational endeavors.
I will also be working towards developing resources within the library and in promoting educational opportunities on sustainability for our community members, ensuring that all of our students have exposure to literature on sustainability and stewardship. A key role of a liberal arts education is to help foster global citizenship, and I can’t imagine a more urgent need for action than the climate crisis. Ultimately, we are envisioning the creation of a sustainability culture through engagement with our community and by raising awareness on how we can make better choices in our everyday lives, both individually and institutionally.
We aim to contribute solutions to the climate crisis through engagement, research, and academic excellence in the field of sustainability and minimize NYUAD’s impact on the environment through a comprehensive road map on carbon, energy, water, construction, waste, and transportation.
How does your vision of NYUAD fit into the wider sustainability and climate commitments of NYUs Global Network University?
The Office of Sustainability and Stewardship at NYU Abu Dhabi was created based on our Vice Chancellor’s vision to transform our institution into one of the world’s leading campuses in sustainability by partnering in the University-wide effort to build a healthier and more sustainable future. We aim to contribute solutions to the climate crisis through engagement, research, and academic excellence in the field of sustainability and minimize NYUAD’s impact on the environment through a comprehensive road map on carbon, energy, water, construction, waste, and transportation. To this end, and in alignment with NYU’s aspirations, we are working very closely with the Office of Sustainability in New York to standardize, adopt and tailor strategies, targets, and initiatives that will enable NYUAD to realize this vision in the years to come.
Antonios Vouloudis. Civil Engineer with comprehensive experience in sustainable design of the built environment and public realm, energy efficiency and renewable energy systems. Antonios is currently working as Director of Sustainability and Stewardship at New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD).