News

Representatives from Columbia’s schools and departments across all campuses join collaborative initiative  

Finding convenient and affordable commute options from places like northern New Jersey and Westchester County to Columbia’s campuses can be tough. That’s why the Office of Sustainability is offering a handful of new resources to help you discover your best and most sustainable commute.

Columbia will act as anchor tenant for the new project, which will harness the power of both solar energy and battery storage to reduce emissions and promote a cleaner environment.

Columbia joins the list of Best Workplaces for CommutersSM– an honor achieved through its robust range of environmentally friendly commute options that support sustainability initiatives and offer resources to benefit employees.

Learn how the District Energy Systems team, a division of Facilities and Operations, uses data to reduce emissions in the short-term while working to upgrade the Central Energy Plant to meet rigorous new standards.

Columbia Dining and the Office of Sustainability partnered with the Climate School’s Undergraduate Program in Sustainable Development to offer a capstone project this fall semester as part of the program's senior Workshop in Sustainable Development course. The project explored ways of cutting Columbia's food-related emissions and led to Columbia’s participation in the New York City Plant-Powered Carbon Challenge. 

As the University’s food service operator, Columbia Dining is the first signatory to the Mayor’s challenge.

Leaders from New York City private and public sectors gathered on Columbia University’s campus to reaffirm their commitment to addressing climate change and to the ambitious goals set as part of the NYC Carbon Challenge.  

October is Campus Sustainability Month, and we are proud to share with you the work being done across the University to contribute to a more sustainable future. Click here to read the full newsletter for October, 2023.

Jessica Prata, Assistant Vice President for the Office of Sustainability, has started holding Office Hours every week on Tuesdays.

The Office of Sustainability participated in the Great Broadway Sweep during Climate Week NYC. The event rallied students, faculty, staff, Morningside Heights and West Harlem community partners, and neighbors to collect trash along New York City’s most iconic street. 

As part of Climate Week 2023, the Office of Sustainability hosted a virtual panel about Plan 2030 and the University's pathway to campus electrification. In case you missed it, the full recording is available below!

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Continuing its 2018 commitment to achieve 100% net zero emissions electricity, Columbia University has again taken action to mitigate emissions associated with its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from purchased electricity.

Columbia University Facilities and Operations purchased five new second-generation electric Vantage Vehicle mini-trucks for its grounds operations at Morningside campus. The department plans to phase out its existing fleet of first-generation Vantage Vehicles as they reach their end of life.