Energy
Introduction
For most institutions, energy consumption is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, which cause global climate change. Implementing conservation measures and switching to renewable sources of energy can help institutions save money and protect them from utility rate volatility. Renewable energy may be generated locally and allow campuses to support local economic development. Furthermore, institutions can help shape markets by creating demand for cleaner, renewable sources of energy.
Featured Resources
Latest News from AASHE Bulletin
New Resources
Internal stakeholders' perspective on lean energy and environmental sustainability: the case of Notre Dame University - Louaize
- Notre Dame University - Louaize
This study will contribute to the understanding of the relationship between Energy and Environmental Sustainability (EES) Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours in order to recommend actions to be undertaken by the …
- Posted Feb. 9, 2021
- Publications
- View more
Maximizing the Financial and Environmental Benefits of Distributed Energy Resources
- New Jersey Higher Education Partnership for Sustainability (NJ)
- GridMarket (NY)
AASHE member, GridMarket, partnered with the New Jersey Higher Education Partnership for Sustainability for a "lunch and learn" in December 2020. The webinar summarized current opportunities for higher education campuses …
- Posted Feb. 2, 2021
- Videos & Webinars
- View more
1 MW Solar Power at NUST
- National University of Sciences and Technology (Federal)
In a major step towards achieving this objective, NUST’s Islamabad campus has reduced its dependence on the local grid by shifting part of its electricity needs to self-generated solar power. …
- Posted Jan. 19, 2021
- Green Power Projects
- View more
Funding community sustainable development using zero energy buildings
- Millersville University (PA)
This paper aims at bridging the gap between theoretical frameworks for community sustainable development and descriptive-only case studies by using a case study to demonstrate a conceptual model or framework …
- Posted Jan. 12, 2021
- Publications
- View more
Green FSC: Creating a Sustainable Campus
- Florida Southern College (FL)
Colleges and universities account for more than 1.5% of US total annual emissions: understanding how individual institutions can become more sustainable is critical in tackling the existential threat of global …
- Posted Jan. 12, 2021
- Publications
- View more
AASHE Award Winnner Ceremony 2020
- Lehigh University (PA)
- Lafayette College (PA)
- Smith College (MA)
- University of Central Florida (FL)
- University of Coimbra
- Dickinson College (PA)
- Georgia Institute of Technology (GA)
- Muhlenberg College (PA)
- Southwestern University (TX)
- University of Strathclyde
- Carlos III University of Madrid
- Palo Alto College (TX)
- University of Dayton (OH)
- University of Sydney (NSW)
The AASHE Sustainability Awards provide global recognition to the individuals and organizations leading the higher education sustainability movement. On Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020 a virtual ceremony honored the 11 winners …
- Posted Jan. 12, 2021
- Videos & Webinars
- View more
Energy Engineering Minor
- University of Massachusetts Lowell (MA)
In the Energy Engineering minor, students develop a foundation in the engineering and policy behind energy. Energy engineers are leading the way to a cleaner, safer future across the globe. …
- Posted Dec. 17, 2020
- Academic Programs
- View more
Energy Conversion Graduate Certificate
- University of Massachusetts Lowell (MA)
Energy conversion is a discipline that spans across three departments: Electrical, Mechanical and Chemical & Nuclear Engineering. Interest is rising for practical applications in the housing industry to supply houses …
- Posted Dec. 17, 2020
- Academic Programs
- View more
Sustainable Energy Systems Engineering Minor
- Clarkson University (NY)
This minor emphasizes that all engineering disciplines are necessary to develop and assess technologies to both increase the efficiency of our energy use and advance renewable and alternative energy sources. …
- Posted Dec. 17, 2020
- Academic Programs
- View more
Business of Energy Certificate
- Clarkson University (NY)
The energy industry needs a new generation of business leaders and innovators to help meet the growing need for clean, reliable energy. Clarkson's Business of Energy, Advanced Certificate program equips …
- Posted Dec. 17, 2020
- Academic Programs
- View more
Sustainable and Renewable Energy (BS)
- Illinois State University (IL)
The Sustainable & Renewable Energy major addresses real-world social, economic, and technical sustainability issues. These issues are often encountered across a wide-range of careers.
- Posted Dec. 17, 2020
- Academic Programs
- View more
Sustainable Energy Minor
- San Jose State University (CA)
The minor in Sustainble Energy is offered by the Department of Environmental Studies. The minor requires a minimum of 23 units across courses in physics, energy policy, and solar energy.
- Posted Dec. 17, 2020
- Academic Programs
- View more
Energy and Environmental Management (MS)
- University of Connecticut (CT)
The Master of Energy and Environmental Management (MEEM) is a revolutionary online graduate program that empowers you with the knowledge to produce immediate social benefits through direct real-world action. UConn's …
- Posted Dec. 17, 2020
- Academic Programs
- View more
A Novel Approach For Evaluating The Impact Of Fixed Variables On Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Installations Using Enhanced Meta Data Analysis Among Higher Education Institutions In The United States
- University of Texas at El Paso (TX)
The global demand for electric energy has continuously increased over the last few decades. Some mature, alternative generation methods are wind, power, photovoltaic panels, biogas and fuel cells. In order …
- Posted Oct. 23, 2020
- Publications
- View more
Better Buildings Challenge Learnings: 3 Ways to Reduce Energy Use on Campus
- Evolution Energy Partners (PA)
Universities across the country are committing to reduce their energy usage to save money, create jobs, and avoid significant emissions of CO2. By joining the Better Buildings Challenge, universities commit …
- Posted Oct. 23, 2020
- Publications
- View more
Methods and Effects of Mechanical Ventilation, Ultraviolet Light and Bipolar Ionization on Airborne and Surface Borne Pathogens
- Evolution Energy Partners (PA)
The advent of SARS-CoV-2, the strain of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, has changed the way building owners and operators must look at treating the air in their buildings. In …
- Posted Oct. 23, 2020
- Publications
- View more
Ontario Tech University - Solar Panels
- Ontario Tech University (ON)
Ontario Tech University’s long-established reputation as a post-secondary leader in conservation and green community-building has achieved a Gold rating from AASHE’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) in 2019, …
- Posted Oct. 19, 2020
- Photographs
- View more
Central New Mexico Community College, Main Campus Detention Basin
- Central New Mexico Community College (NM)
Photos # 1 & 2 Description: This detention basin slows and filters stormwater that drains from a large parking lot located at CNM Main Campus, near University Avenue. It also …
- Posted Oct. 19, 2020
- Photographs
- View more
Central New Mexico Community College Westside Campus Solar Array & Energy Storage System
- Central New Mexico Community College (NM)
Contractors commission the tracking equipment at the Westside Campus Solar Array & Energy Storage System. Students in the CNM Electrical Trades Photovoltaic Concentration Program stand by to learn. It was …
- Posted Oct. 19, 2020
- Photographs
- View more
UMass Amherst Clean Energy Corps
- University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)
Clean Energy Extension students review and photograph architectural plans for an elementary school they are assessing, as well as present their findings.
- Posted Oct. 15, 2020
- Photographs
- View more
Washington and Lee University Individualized Energy Dashboard for Students
- Washington and Lee University (VA)
2020 Sustainable Campus Index submission - Washington and Lee
Individualized energy dashboards for students - Following the installation of Lucid Energy Dashboards and submeters on upper division housing, Washington & …
- Posted Oct. 15, 2020
- Photographs
- View more
University of Alabama at Birmingham Solar Community and Microgrid
- University of Alabama at Birmingham (AL)
In 2019, the University of Alabama at Birmingham opened its Solar House and Sustainable Neighborhood, featuring the Urban Multisource Microgrid and the the UAB Surviv(AL) house, built for the 2017 …
- Posted Oct. 14, 2020
- Photographs
- View more
Colorado State University SCI 2020 Pictures
- Colorado State University (CO)
Several photos are attached that highlight sustainability initiatives at Colorado State University for the 2020 CSI including food recovery, student engagement, solar arrays, and a living wall.
- Posted Oct. 14, 2020
- Photographs
- View more
Humber College - Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation
- Humber College (ON)
The 93,000 sq. ft. Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation was opened. It is built to achieve LEED-Platinum certification (currently under review) and is a net-zero energy building, offset by solar …
- Posted Oct. 14, 2020
- Photographs
- View more
Humber College - 700 KW solar array
- Humber College (ON)
Select photos of highlighting Humber College's Sustainability program, in relation to our STARS 2019 report, and for inclusion in 2020 SCI publication.
Opened in 2019, a new Commuter Hub (100 …
- Posted Oct. 14, 2020
- Photographs
- View more
American University Solar Installation
- American University (DC)
Photo Submission for the 2020 Sustainable Campus Index.
In this image, contractors install solar panels on the School of International Service at American University in Washington, DC. American University uses …
- Posted Oct. 14, 2020
- Photographs
- View more
Arizona State University Solar
- Arizona State University (AZ)
The solar program at Arizona State University has over 50 MWdc equivalent of combined solar generating capacity from both on-site and off-site installations. More than half of total capacity is …
- Posted Oct. 14, 2020
- Photographs
- View more
Ball State University Geothermal Energy System
- Ball State University (IN)
Ball State University’s geothermal conversion project replaced the university's now decommissioned coal-fired boilers and chilled water equipment with the nation's largest ground-source geothermal district energy system. This system simultaneously produces …
- Posted Oct. 14, 2020
- Photographs
- View more
Humber College - Deep energy retrofit
- Humber College (ON)
- Morrison Hershfield (ON)
NX building retrofit project - Building NX at Humber College underwent a major retrofit to become one of the most energy efficient buildings in North America, while also claiming the …
- Posted Oct. 13, 2020
- Photographs
- View more
Central Community College - Hastings Wind Turbine for SCI 2020
- Central Community College (NE)
SCI Overall Top Performer, Associates Institutions
The long- and near-term Central Community College action plan is to provide students and the community with a campus-wide living learning laboratory for resiliency …
- Posted Oct. 13, 2020
- Photographs
- View more
Appalachian State University Campus
- Appalachian State University (NC)
Appalachian State's wind turbine overlooks the Boone, NC campus.
- Posted Oct. 8, 2020
- Photographs
- View more
The American College of Greece - A sustainable campus!
- The American College of Greece (Aghia Paraskevi)
A selection of photos from The American College of Greece main campus, depicting the campus sustainable grounds, interaction of students with green technology as well as wellness areas!
- Posted Oct. 8, 2020
- Photographs
- View more
Cal Poly SLO Gold Tree Solar Farm
- California Polytechnic State University (CA)
Large-scale solar farm and laboratory - The recently completed 4.5 megawatt Gold Tree Solar Farm at California Polytechnic State University is currently the largest solar array in the CSU system, …
- Posted Sept. 29, 2020
- Photographs
- View more
University of Wisconsin-Madison - Charter Street Heating & Cooling Plant
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
Image of UW-Madison's Charter Street Heating & Cooling Plant
- Posted Sept. 29, 2020
- Photographs
- View more
ASHRAE Guidelines & Solutions for University Energy Programs Going Forward
- Weber State University (UT)
- AASHE (MA)
- DLR Group (WA)
The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing university energy and sustainability teams to overcome new challenges in managing energy costs and reaching reduction goals. All three course delivery formats, in-person, remote, and …
- Posted Sept. 24, 2020
- Videos & Webinars
- View more
Concordia Institute for Water, Energy and Sustainable Systems
- Concordia University (QC)
The Concordia Institute for Water, Energy and Sustainable Systems (CIWESS) trains students to be at the forefront of sustainable development practices. It promotes research into new systems, technologies and solutions …
- Posted Sept. 22, 2020
- Research Centers & Institutes
- View more
8.2 kW Ground mount array: ARDEC South - Ag Research Project
- Colorado State University (CO)
8.2 kW Ground mount array: Agricultural Research, Development and Education Center (ARDEC) / ADREC South, previously known as Portner Farm. This is an Ag Research Project - agrivoltaics. PV Panel …
- Posted Sept. 22, 2020
- Green Power Projects
- View more
4.2 kW Canopy Array: Bike Shelter - Facilities Services North
- Colorado State University (CO)
4.2 kW Canopy Array: Bike Shelter - Facilities Services North. PV Panel Type: (12) Solaria 350 watt. Inverter Type: (12) Enphase .3 kW.
- Posted Sept. 22, 2020
- Green Power Projects
- View more
14.8 kW Rooftop Array: Western Colorado Research Center - Orchard Mesa - Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
- Colorado State University (CO)
14.8 kW Rooftop Array: Western Colorado Research Center - Orchard Mesa - Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. PV Panel Type: (34) SunPower 435 watt. Inverter Type: (1) Solar Edge 20 kW.
- Posted Sept. 22, 2020
- Green Power Projects
- View more
14.8 kW Rooftop Array: Western Colorado Research Center - Orchard Mesa - Classroom Office Building
- Colorado State University (CO)
14.8 kW solar PV array at the Western Colorado Research Center - Orchard Mesa - Classroom Office Building. PV Panel Type: (34) SunPower 435 watt. Inverter Type: (1) Solar Edge …
- Posted Sept. 22, 2020
- Green Power Projects
- View more
12 kW Rooftop array: Arkansas Valley Research Center - Rocky Ford, CO
- Colorado State University (CO)
Roof mount solar PV array. Arkansas Valley Research Center - Rocky Ford, CO. 12 kW array. PV Panel Type: (41) Mission Solar 305 watt. Inverter Type: (1) Solar Edge 14.4 …
- Posted Sept. 22, 2020
- Green Power Projects
- View more
1.7 kW Pole mount: Student Recreation Center
- Colorado State University (CO)
Solar Curve, pole mount solar PV array outside the Student Recreation Center. PV Panel Type: (6) Lumos 285 watt panels. Inverter Type: (1) Fronius 1.5 kW.
- Posted Sept. 22, 2020
- Green Power Projects
- View more
The House at Cornell Tech
- Cornell University (NY)
The House at Cornell Tech is the largest Passive House residential building to date, integrated within an 800,000 square foot campus designed to push the boundaries of sustainable city living. …
- Posted Sept. 11, 2020
- Case Studies
- View more
Cost Savings and Carbon Reduction through DERs -- GridMarket Facilitated Project at Paul Quinn College
- Paul Quinn College (TX)
- GridMarket (NY)
GridMarket worked with Paul Quinn College to help them identify and maximize their unique DER opportunities.
GridMarket -- an energy consumer advocate and distributed energy resources project facilitation platform -- …
- Posted Sept. 11, 2020
- Case Studies
- View more
Sustainability Education in the Food-Energy-Water-Nexus
- University of Nebraska - Lincoln (NE)
- AASHE (MA)
- Sustainability Curriculum Consortium (MD)
Worldwide, there has been growing interest in research, education, and discourse around the FEW-Nexus, which serves as a framework to describe and aid in addressing complex coupled human-natural systems and …
- Posted Aug. 27, 2020
- Videos & Webinars
- View more
Achieving Carbon Neutrality at Arizona State University
- Arizona State University (AZ)
In 2019, Arizona State University achieved carbon neutrality for scope 1 and 2 emissions. Through this accomplishment, ASU seeks to inspire immediate action to address the climate emergency. Despite reaching …
- Posted July 9, 2020
- Case Studies
- View more
Energy Justice and Solving Climate by 2030
- Bard College (NY)
Join the Security and Sustainability Forum and Bard College in a sixty-minute session about how innovative city and state policy will be critical to ensure justice in the economic transformation …
- Posted June 12, 2020
- Videos & Webinars
- View more
How to Solve Climate By 2030
- Bard College (NY)
Eban Goodstein, Director of the Center for Environmental Policy at Bard College, discusses how to solve climate change by 2030.
- Posted June 12, 2020
- Videos & Webinars
- View more
Clean Disruption of Energy and Transportation
- Bard College (NY)
'Rethinking the Future - Clean Disruption of Energy and Transportation' is Tony Seba's opening keynote at the 70th annual Conference on World Affairs in Boulder, Colorado, April 9th, 2018.
The …
- Posted June 12, 2020
- Videos & Webinars
- View more
Master of Science in Energy and Environment
- City University of Hong Kong
The Master of Science in Energy and Environment (P63) is a 1-year full-time or 2-year part-time program at the City University of Hong Kong. The aim of the program is …
- Posted May 28, 2020
- Academic Programs
- View more
This tab provides access to data collected through AASHE’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS). STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS enables meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions using a common set of measurements developed with broad participation from the campus sustainability community.
All responses reference content from reports under the latest version of STARS, version 2.2. AASHE membership and log-in is required.
OP 5: Building Energy Efficiency
- Total performance year site energy consumption per unit of floor area
- Total performance year source energy consumption per unit of floor area
- Percent reduction in total source energy consumption per unit of floor area from baseline
- Description of initiatives to shift individual attitudes and practices in regard to energy efficiency
- Description of energy use standards and controls employed by the institution
- Description of LED lighting and other energy-efficient lighting strategies
- Description of passive solar heating, geothermal systems, and related strategies
- Description of co-generation employed by the institution
- Description of initiatives to replace energy-consuming equipment with high efficiency alternatives
- Website URL - Energy conservation and efficiency program
OP 6: Clean and Renewable Energy
- Percent of total energy consumption from clean and renewable sources
- Website URL - Clean and renewable energy programs
- Percent of electricity from coal
- Percent of electricity from geothermal
- Percent of electricity from hydro
- Percent of electricity from natural gas
- Percent of electricity from nuclear energy
- Percent of electricity from solar photovoltaic
- Percent of electricity from wind
- Percent of electricity from wind
Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.