Home Climate Change Building Standards Communication Land Management Green Purchasing Campus Highlights Sustainability Metrics Sustainability Resources Steering Committee Forum Contact Us	Climate Change Allegheny College Bates College Bowdoin College Brown University Columbia University Connecticut College Cornell University Harvard University Johns Hopkins University Keene State College Massachusetts Institute of Technology Princeton University Skidmore College Tufts University University of Connecticut University of New Hampshire University of Vermont Yale University Allegheny College Allegheny has committed to sourcing 15% of its energy from wind power, which has qualified it as a Green Power Partner by the Environmental Protection Agency. The Commonwealth Community Energy Project, a Pennsylvania Environmental Council project offers programs promoting energy efficiency, renewable resources, and economic revitalization. It has helped with various initiatives on the Allegheny campus to improve energy efficiency. In addition, this energy project conducts community programs for homeowners, schools and congregations in coordination with Allegheny. Bates College Bates has committed to climate neutrality, by signing the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment. To begin working toward this goal, Bates has created a student, staff and faculty Committee on Environmental responsibility and are updating their Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions inventory, which calculates emissions by sector. It is currently pursuing a Zipcar program, CFL handouts and forming a Bike Coop to work toward this goal. Bowdoin College Bowdoin has also committed to the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment to achieve carbon neutrality for all energy purchases. It is currently keeping a GHG campus inventory and investing in energy-saving appliances, energy efficient vehicles and green buildings. Bowdoin has already transitioned several buildings to being heated and cooled with natural gas and bio-fuels. Brown University Brown has committed to reducing its GHG emissions to 42% below 2007 levels, or 15% below 1990 levels by 2020 for existing buildings. It has also committed to reducing GHG emissions for newly acquired facilities by 15-30%. Brown's new capital projects generally use less than 30% less energy than the minimum energy code would require. Its energy efficiency investments on new and existing buildings have accumulated over $5 million in reduced energy costs. Brown has also been annually updating a carbon emissions inventory since 1998. Columbia University Columbia plans to reduce GHG emissions by 30% by 2017, which accelerates the PlaNYC goal of this same reduction by 2030. Connecticut College In 1999, Connecticut College became the first United States institution of higher education to offset its carbon emissions by joining the Klinki Program, which was organized by a local non-profit. As part of this program, Connecticut College agreed to partner with farmers in Costa Rica who agreed to plant sufficient fast-growing trees to offset the college's emissions. In 2001, the college agreed to source 22% of its energy from renewable sources, and students agreed to pay $25 per year to fund this initiative. By 2005, purchase of renewable energy credits offset 50% of energy use. Cornell University In 2007 Cornell supported the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, and is beginning to develop a plan for climate neutrality. Cornell has pioneered a number of methods for reducing energy consumption including lake source cooling, which has allowed the university to reduce electricity use for central cooling by 86% and has eliminated 10% of the campus' electricity use. It also sources 2% of its energy from a nearby hydroelectric plant and 14% from a steam/electricity cogeneration plant. The university is also planning a Combined Heat and Power central heating plant. Harvard University While Harvard has not yet set an emissions reduction target, the Harvard Green Campus Initiative monitor's the University’s GHG emissions with an annual inventory begun in 1990. It tracks energy use for each school and covers GHG emissions from steam and chilled water production, in addition to purchased electricity. The Harvard Green Campus Initiative encourages green power purchases, and Harvard is currently purchasing offsets for 7% of the electricity consumption, and has trained staff and upgraded buildings to achieve energy use reductions of up to 30%. In addition, it is investing $100,000 per year in renewable energy research. Johns Hopkins University The University is currently undertaking a carbon emissions inventory and is upgrading equipment, lighting, and appliances for energy efficiency benefits, reducing overall lighting loads by more than 50% in some portions of the campus. The University is developing a plan to install solar thermal panels on the roof of the recreation center in order to provide renewable heating and hot water needs. The University also received a grant from the USDA Forest Service to conduct a feasibility study on converting specific heating systems from oil to wood biomass. Off campus, the University has taken steps to work with wind power developers to secure a percentage of green electricity, and is working with a local dairy farm to convert food and farm wastes into green electricity through anaerobic digestion. In the transportation sector, the University owns a fleet of small electric vehicles that are used for operations, parking services, and for student and visitor mobility. Keene State College Keene has established an energy use baseline and has implemented an energy metering system. In addition to replacing inefficient light fixtures and bulbs, it is installing energy efficient lighting in major renovation projects and reducing energy use in vending machines. Keene is working toward an energy master plan that features diversification of fuel sources and is currently renovating the heat plant and adding new co-generation capabilities. KSC became a member of the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment in May 2007 and an Energy Star partner in December 2007. Since 2002, B100 has been used in all diesel equipment during summer months and B20 in winter months. The campus uses electric vehicles for athletics, residential life and for all campus deliveries done by vehicles and two hybrids for Campus Safety and the President. A free bike program, Green Bikes, offers bikes and helmets rentals to anyone holding a Keene State or City of Keene Library card. Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT makes up a large part of the city of Cambridge, and has supported the city's commitment to respond to climate change. Princeton University Princeton joined last year with the other 55 colleges and universities in New Jersey in pledging to reduce its emission of GHGs to 3.5 percent below 1990 levels. Its cogeneration plant, which began operating in 1996, provides both steam and electricity to the campus and is responsible for the majority of GHG reductions Princeton has made so far. The cogeneration plant burns natural gas and a cleaner grade of oil to make steam as well as nearly all the electricity used on campus. While energy use has decreased, the square footage of heated and cooled space grew by nearly 10 percent and the campus population grew by 3 percent. Skidmore College Skidmore has focused on promoting energy saving projects around campus, including motion-sensor lights, waterless urinals, upgraded heating-plant motors, high-efficiency lighting, vending machines timers, updated electric transformers, and more. Tufts University Tufts University has committed to reducing emissions 7% below 1990 levels and 10% by 2020, which is a 30% reduction below business as usual emissions. It is focusing on four key areas: carbon dioxide reductions, research and monitoring, education, and outreach and events to help other institutions reduce their emissions. University of Connecticut The University of Connecticut is a signatory of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment and has committed to carbon neutrality. The University of Connecticut has conducted annual GHG inventories since 2004 under the Clean Air Cool Planet rules. The University of Connecticut began operating a highly efficient steam/electricity co-generation facility in 2006 and is currently assessing opportunities for other GHG reductions, including biodiesel in its buses, and energy efficiency upgrades. University of New Hampshire UNH was one of the first institutions to develop a greenhouse gas emissions inventory tool, which it developed in partnership with Clean Air - Cool Planet. This standard is now being used by over 700 other institutions. In 2007 UNH was the first New England land-grand university to support the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, and is beginning to develop a plan for climate neutrality. Its climate action plan, WildCAP, involves several innovative mechanisms for reducing energy use, such as offering discounts on ENERGY STAR and energy efficient light bulbs. It will be the first university in the United States to use gas from landfills as its primary energy source, and it currently uses a cogeneration plant. This cogeneration plant led to a 21% reduction in GHGs in 2006 compared to 2005 and has an anticipated payback within 20 years. UNH is considering climate change in its transportation as well. UNH is also adapting its fleet of diesel buses to the use of low sulfur B20 biodiesel, and has six compressed natural gas shuttle buses, four bi-fuel compressed natural gas-powered pickups, an all-electric non-transit utility van. It also has a bicycle sharing program. University of Vermont In 2004, the president of the university signed a pledge in support of regional GHG reductions. UVM plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions per square meter by at least 20% below 2000/2001 levels by 2010. Yale University In 2004, the Yale Energy Task Force was convened to make recommendations for the university’s GHG reductions. This taskforce has committed to reducing Yale’s GHG emissions to 10% below 1990 levels by 2020. Yale intends to meet this target through strong energy conservation, alternative energy, purchasing Renewable Energy Certificates, and implementing on-site renewable and clean energy projects. Two student groups are leading the engagement and education of students on how to participate in advancing the campus’ energy conservation, and have distributed over 1400 compact fluorescent light bulbs to students. Yale installed a 250 kW fuel cell and has also introduced a number of sustainable transportation options, including Zipcar, which makes 6 fuel-efficient cars available for 24 hour use.
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