EPA recognizes Northwestern as leader in sustainability for third consecutive year
Daily file photo by Ava Mandoli
Deering Library. Northwestern received a prestigious award for its sustainability efforts from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy for its third consecutive year.
May 5, 2022
Northwestern received the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year — Sustained Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy Thursday, marking the University’s third consecutive year receiving the award.
Run by the EPA and the DOE to promote energy efficiency, the program awards the Sustained Excellence Award, the highest honor given by the program, to organizations displaying continued leadership and commitment to climate action and energy efficiency.
“Northwestern is proud to have our energy efficiency efforts recognized again by the EPA,” Executive Vice President Craig Johnson said in a news release.
NY’s sustainability commitments include developing a new long-term partnership with clean energy integrator Ameresco, reducing energy-use intensity in buildings by 20% since 2010 and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 15% since 2012.
The University also added a sustainability training module to its employee orientation and launched a print management program, which replaced desktop printers and copiers with ENERGY STAR-certified multifunction units.
“Our strategic partnerships and engagement across campus have fostered a community-wide effort to reduce our carbon footprint and environmental impact,” Johnson said in the release.
SustainNU leads the University’s sustainability initiatives and is currently finalizing the University’s next Strategic Sustainability Plan.
NU became the first university to receive the Sustained Excellence Award in 2020. The University was also the first to receive the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Award consecutively in 2018 and 2019.
“We know it’s going to take all of us working together to tackle the climate crisis, and the 2022 ENERGY STAR Award-winning partners are demonstrating what it takes to build a more sustainable future,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in the release.
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