Harvard U Expands Green Revolving Fund from $12 to $37M
The new $37 million green revolving fund (GRF) priorities are to 1) accelerate additional energy efficiency, especially heat/energy recovery and load reduction, in all buildings; 2) replace fossil fuel equipment with electric technology at end-of-life, whenever possible; and 3) when renovating space or changing HVAC systems or equipment, design the equipment to use low temperature hot water for future flexibility. The GRF allows schools and units at Harvard to apply for a zero-interest loan and pay back the principal over up to 10 years.
U Michigan Publishes DEI 2.0 Plan
The recently launched Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) 2.0 Plan includes strategy by the central administration and by the 51 university units throughout the university that will engage in DEI activities for the next five years through 2028.
Duke U Reaches Carbon Neutrality
Having reduced its greenhouse gas emissions 31 percent since 2007, the university reached carbon neutrality through a combination of energy savings, investments in renewable energy and retiring 232,000 offset credits amassed from multiple projects.
Princeton Review Publishes 2025 Guide to Green Colleges
The newest Guide to Green Colleges profiles 511 higher education institutions that foster a culture of environmental responsibility. Collectively of the institutions in the guide, 28 percent obtain energy from renewable sources, 46 percent of waste is diverted from landfills and incinerators, 98 percent offer a sustainability-focused undergraduate major or degree, and 100 percent have a sustainability officer.
Johns Hopkins Publishes Climate Action & Sustainability Plan
The newly minted Climate Action and Sustainability Plan, developed over the past two years with input from thousands of students, faculty, staff, alumni and Baltimore residents, commits to achieving net-zero emissions by 2040; purchasing all electricity from renewable sources by 2030; deploying a fully electric vehicle fleet by 2026; ensuring that all light-duty and passenger vehicles purchased by the university are all-electric by 2030; increasing the diversion of all waste to 50 percent; and expanding the impact of research and teaching to develop global solutions and train future leaders.
