Collaboration of the design team and SUNY-ESF administration and faculty have made it possible for the remarkable renewable energy systems at the Gateway Center to play a key role in educating students and the general public about sustainable energy sources and uses. All system components are visible, identifiable, explained and celebrated. As a result, the Gateway Center’s entire combined heat and power plant is a teaching tool and a key resource for various course curricula, including the new Sustainable Energy Management program. In addition, the Gateway Center serves as a prominent teaching tool for SUNY-ESF's outreach programs which are open to the public and focused on increasing awareness about energy impacts and choices.