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
New Resources
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 ...
- 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 supplies ...
- 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 & Lee University ...
- 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 ...
- 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 ...
- 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 ...
- 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 ...
- 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 title ...
- 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 Type ...
- 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 20 ...
- 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 ...
- 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 -- conducted a ...
- 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
Solve Climate by 2030: Solar Dominance + Civic Action
- Bard College (NY)
A nationwide series of campus and community Power Dialogs will educate students about Power as clean energy, but also about Power as engaged citizen action. Dialogs will spotlight how transforming ...
- Posted May 28, 2020
- Videos & Webinars
- View more
Energy efficiency actions at a Brazilian university and their contribution to sustainable development Goal 7
- University of Passo Fundo
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse recent actions of energy efficiency implemented by University of Passo Fundo, a higher education institution located in the south of Brazil ...
- Posted May 18, 2020
- Publications
- View more
Framework proposal for the environmental impact assessment of universities in the context of Green IT
- Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG) (GO)
The concept of Green IT refers to sustainable technologies and information systems as well as environmentally friendly IT practices. Universities, which hold responsibility for propagating and applying knowledge, play an ...
- Posted May 18, 2020
- Publications
- View more
Application of international energy efficiency standards for energy auditing in a University buildings
- Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design
- National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine (Kyiv)
This study seeks to provide insights on understanding the contemporary problems of energy efficiency in Ukrainian universities by developing a comprehensive energy efficiency management framework that encompasses its participating subjects ...
- Posted May 18, 2020
- Publications
- View more
Office of Sustainability Living Lab Case Study
- Gonzaga University (WA)
The Gonzaga University Office of Sustainability is the living lab for testing renewable energy technologies on Gonzaga’s campus. The purpose of this student initiative is to push for renewable ...
- Posted May 18, 2020
- Case Studies
- View more
Multi-Campus Collaboration Kickstarts Solar Project to Cut 100% of GHG Emissions from Electricity
- Dickinson College (PA)
- Lafayette College (PA)
- Lehigh University (PA)
- Muhlenberg College (PA)
- Coho Climate Advisors (MD)
Four independent colleges and universities in Pennsylvania collaborated to explore renewable energy solutions, develop a strategy, and implement a combination of onsite and large-scale offsite projects that will result in ...
- Posted May 18, 2020
- Case Studies
- View more
First Net Zero Carbon Building certification for a retrofit in Canada: Humber College NX building
- Humber College (ON)
Located in the center of Humber’s North Campus in Toronto, Building NX has transformed from one of the campus’ most inefficient buildings, to an industry-leading example of zero carbon ...
- Posted May 18, 2020
- Case Studies
- View more
Brown University's Thermal Efficiency Project-1
- Brown University (RI)
- Ecosystem Energy Services (MA)
Brown University is a 6.5 million sq. ft. research university campus founded in 1764 in Providence, Rhode Island. Its annual energy bill is $20 million.
The campus undertook the ...
- Posted May 18, 2020
- Case Studies
- View more
A Machine Learning Based Tool for the Assessment of Energy Consumption in K-12 Schools
- Florida Institute of Technology (FL)
Energy costs are the second highest operational expense for K-12 schools in the United States. Improving energy efficiency and moving towards sustainable school buildings not only result in substantial cost ...
- Posted May 15, 2020
- Publications
- View more
Solar Microgrid Investment in the US: Financial Modelling Challenges for a University Based Project
- California State University, San Marcos (CA)
Unlike economies that are still experiencing growth, established markets like the United States have a difficult time generating returns with large upside potential for investors. If an exceptional return is ...
- Posted May 15, 2020
- Publications
- View more
Converting Miami University’s Goggin Ice Center from Steam to Heating Hot Water & HP Chiller: Reduced Energy Use, Carbon Emissions and Utility Costs
- Miami University (OH)
We recognize that this innovative large scale project is replicable only at other universities that have ice arenas. Ice arenas tend to be very energy intensive. We show that converting ...
- Posted May 15, 2020
- Case Studies
- View more
Loyola University Chicago's Student-run Biodiesel Lab
- Loyola University Chicago (IL)
The Searle Biodiesel Lab is a student-run initiative within Loyola University Chicago’s Institute for Environmental Sustainability (IES). Since 2007, the lab has produced biodiesel and BioSoap(Loyola’s all-natural ...
- Posted May 15, 2020
- Case Studies
- View more
ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN K-12 SCHOOLS: A CASE STUDY IN FLORIDA
- Florida Institute of Technology (FL)
Buildings are one of the largest energy consumers in the United States. K-12 schools are responsible for nearly 8% of energy consumption by commercial buildings which is equivalent to 1 ...
- Posted May 15, 2020
- Case Studies
- View more
BCIT Wood-Waste-to-Energy Project
- British Columbia Institute of Technology (BC)
In pursuit of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, showcasing environmentally-sustainable projects for widespread use, and incorporating sustainability more broadly in curriculum, British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) has created a closed-loop ...
- Posted May 15, 2020
- Case Studies
- View more
Gold Tree Solar Farm - Innovatively Advancing the Academic Mission
- California Polytechnic State University (CA)
Cal Poly's 4.5 MW Gold Tree Solar Farm demonstrates how collaboration between Facilities and academics can transform campus buildings and infrastructure into more impactful academic assets. In addition ...
- Posted May 15, 2020
- Case Studies
- View more
Energy Waste Reduction Program
- Suffolk County Community College (NY)
Since its inception in August of 2014, Suffolk County Community College’s Energy Waste Reduction Program has saved over 4.9 million dollars in unnecessary utility expenditure. We would like ...
- Posted May 15, 2020
- Case Studies
- 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.