Barbara Buffaloe is the City of Columbia’s first Sustainability Manager. Barbara is responsible for integrating short and long term sustainable comprehensive action plans, resource conservation, and related sustainability programs and operations to advance a more sustainable, vital and well-planned future for Columbia, Missouri. Buffaloe earned her Bachelor’s degree and MS in Environment & Behavior from the Department. She has presented on Columbia’s sustainability efforts at national conferences, such as the DOE-sponsored Better Buildings Summit, the Institute for Sustainable Communities’ Leadership Academy, and multiple local and regional meetings. Buffaloe also serves on the planning committee for the Urban Sustainability Directors Network, a peer-to-peer network of local government professionals from over 135 cities across the United States and Canada dedicated to creating a healthier environment, economic prosperity, and increased social equity.
What helped you from MU’s Architectural Studies?
Barbara Buffaloe
Sustainability Manager, City of Columbia
“I knew from a young age I wanted to be an architect. I grew up in Springfield, Illinois and a lot of people asked why I chose the University of Missouri over the University of Illinois – which was known for their architecture program. The MU’s relationship with the town of Columbia and the department’s emphasis on environmental design made me feel that my education and the lessons I would learn would be much more personalized and impactful than if I had attended U of I. Most importantly, MU was where I learned the concept of sustainable design. The seeds were planted in Studio 2 with my teacher Michael Goldschmidt and this has grown into my current career. I now integrate sustainability into multiple aspects of local government and, hopefully, this will enrich the lives of our citizens and inspire the next generation of residents.”