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Tracking Progress

51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ’s sustainability progress is measured in a variety of ways that we invite you to explore on this page. AU's longstanding commitment to sustainability is evident across the campus and we continue to evaluate progress and seek new opportunities.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The Office ofÌýSustainability conducts an annual inventory of all greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere as a result of 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's operations. These emissions, including carbon dioxide and methane,Ìýcontribute to global climate change.

´¡²Ô²Ô³Ü²¹±ôÌýÌýare submitted publicly to Second Nature.

On the graph below, you'll notice that 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ reachedÌýnet zero greenhouse gas emissions in 2018, achievingÌýcarbon neutralityÌýtwo years ahead of schedule. Reaching net zero emissions was theÌýproduct of manyÌýprograms including energy efficiency initiatives, renewable energy, green buildings, sustainable transportation programs, and zero waste efforts.

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Greenhouse Gas Emissions are measured in three categories:

On-site emissions from natural gas and the university fleet.

Purchased electricity for campus use.

All other emissions including commuting, study abroad travel, athletics travel, travel for conferences and meetings, emissions from waste that goes to landfill, and other small sources of emissions.

Sustainability Metrics

Key metrics are tracked to measure sustainability progress across campus.

Click here to learn more about metrics.

Milestones

51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏhas a long history of sustainability accomplishments.Ìý

Learn more about the milestones here.

STARS Reporting

Greenhouse gas emissions reductions are only part of AU's sustainability efforts. To measure progress in the environmental, social, and economic aspects of sustainability, 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏuses the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Reporting SystemÌý().

STARS was created by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher EducationÌý()Ìýto help colleges and universities track progress and set goals.

51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏwasÌýaÌýÌýin STARS and has completed sevenÌýÌýsince 2010.Ìý51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏcompleted its seventh STARS submission in the summer of 2024, earningÌýaÌý.

How 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏReached Carbon Neutrality

51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ achieved the important milestone of carbon neutrality with a three step approach:

  1. Decrease emissions through efficiency and behavior change.
  2. Use renewable energy.
  3. Use offsets for the emissions we are still reducing.

Details about the approach by each scope are shared below.

51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏuses a number of energy saving technologies and water saving features to decrease the amount of natural gas used for heating and hot water. Solar thermal panels also allow us to use energy from the sun to create hot water and further decrease reliance on fossil fuels. AU’s campus also recently transitioned from a centralized steam plant to a decentralized low temperature hot water system which will decrease natural gas and electricity use substantially.

For natural gas that 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏstill uses, offsets are purchased.

51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏdecreased electricity use per square foot by more than 20% from 2005 to 2017. This reduction was achieved through individual actions, like turning off lights and unplugging chargers, efficiency upgrades like using LED bulbs on campus, and by using a building automation system that allows Facilities management to monitor buildings for unusual activity. Scope 2 emissions are further decreased with on-campus solar and electricity from our solar farms in North Carolina. 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏalso purchases Green-e certified renewable energy credits to match the remaining electricity used on campus.

Reduction is the first priority for all emissions. Decreasing waste and offering alternative transportation options have helped reduce emissions in scope 3. For the remaining emissions 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏpurchases offsets.

Offset Projects

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