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Harvard Office for Sustainability

Accelerating Action for a sustainable future

Our Goals

Fossil Fuel-Free by 2050, Fossil Fuel-Neutral by 2026

Learn more about Harvard’s Fossil Fuel-Free by 2050 Goal (Goal Zero).

Harvard’s Fossil Fuel Goals

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The Harvard Healthier Building Academy

The University is taking steps to eliminate harmful chemicals on campus

We are enhancing the health, productivity, and quality of life of our students, faculty, and staff by making smart, informed decisions about the design and maintenance of our built environment.

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Facts and Figures

How we’re modeling sustainability

Yellow illustration that looks like an outline of a power plant with a leaf coming out the top.

40% decrease in carbon emissions per sq. ft., 2006-2023

Net emissions reduced by 30% from 2006 to 2023, inclusive of 16% square footage growth at the University.
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150 LEED, 2 PHIUS, 1 LBC building certifications

As of 2024, Harvard has 150 LEED-certified buildings on campus; two historically significant buildings that meet PHIUS (Passive House Institute US) certification standards; and 1 Living Building Challenge Petal certification for Harvard's Science and Engineering Complex, the first wet laboratory building to achieve the certification from International Living Future Institute.
Icon of solar panels on a roof.

3 Megawatts of Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Capacity

Harvard has installed 3 megawatts of solar panel capacity on campus, the equivalent of 600 home installations, as well as 0.5 MW of installed storage.
Icon of blue and white water droplets.

2M gallons of water saved

thanks to FAS with water conservation at Laboratory for Integrated Science and Engineering (LISE). The Center for Nanoscale Systems at FAS is retrofitting their systems with projected savings of 2,036,945 gallons per year, equal to ~3 Olympic-size swimming pools.
Icon of plant-based meal

18.5% decrease in food-related carbon impacts

The shift toward plant-based foods as part of the Coolfood Pledge reduced GHG emissions per plate by 18.5% since 2019. Harvard remains on track to meet the Coolfood 2030 goal of a 38% reduction in per-plate emissions.
Icon of an electric bus and emblem that shows decreasing carbon dioxide.

~220K lbs. CO2 emissions averted due to EV buses

Harvard’s electric shuttle buses are averting GHG emissions of ~220,500 pounds of CO2 annually. Since the electric shuttles came online in 2021, Harvard has purchased 10+ new EVs, including mail trucks, box trucks, vans, parking vehicles, and utility vehicles.

Annual Sustainability Report

We are using data to uncover new insights and drive continual improvements in how we operate our campus.

View the 2023-2024 ReportOpens new window

Harvard Annual Sustainability Report graphic with icons showing wind turbines, blueprints, a gear, and arrows pointing right.

Sustainability at Harvard

Connect with OFS

Whether you are a student, staff member, alum, or simply interested in learning more about sustainability at Harvard, there are many opportunities to get involved and take action.

Connect with the Office for Sustainability

Students pose for a photo near the river holding trash removal tools during the 2022 Charles River Clean-Up event.

Community Engagement

Upcoming Events

November

12

Tuesday
12:00 pm-1:00 pm GMT+0000

From Moose to Cattle? Exercising Indigenous Sovereignty in Climate Adaptation Projects

In my new book project, “Contested Icescapes, Land, Politics, and Change on an Arctic Agricultural Frontier,” I explore how marginal Arctic land is being imagined as a new frontier for agriculture under climate change, and what the implications are for rural and Indigenous lands, livelihoods, and governance. In this talk, I will discuss a chapter of the book that examines the political history of agriculture in the Northwest Territories, Canada, and its development alongside recent climate crises in the territory. Drawing on ethnographic research between 2021-3, I will discuss how Sambaa K’e First Nation and Ka’a’gee Tu First Nation are transforming agriculture from a settler-colonial tool of assimilation into an exercise of Indigenous sovereignty. How do these Dehcho First Nations communities make meaning of and assert authority over colonial projects? And what are the possibilities of climate adaptation more broadly, if we recognize Indigenous sovereignty in syncretic land use practices?

November

14

Thursday
6:00 pm-7:00 pm GMT+0000

Climate and Mental Health

HACE kicks off its Climate and Health series with Climate and Mental Health, co-sponsored by Harvard Alumni for Mental Health (HAMH). This hybrid event will be followed by networking both online as well as in-person. Panelists will present on climate change, impacts on mental health, and how to manage eco-anxiety and protect mental health from climate threats.

November

16

Saturday
All-day

The Endangered Species Act: The Next 50 Years

Please join us for a convening on the Endangered Species Act that will explore the Act’s successes and challenges over the past 50 years and its future directions. This unique event will bring together scholars, policymakers, and conservationists to assess lessons learned and propose innovative strategies for the next 50 years.

Registration is now open. Please register soon because space is limited.

November

16

Saturday
2:00 pm-2:30 pm GMT+0000

Smithsonian Trees of North America

Smithsonian Trees of North America is a new, beautifully illustrated guide to more than 325 common trees on this continent. Join author John Kress for a book talk on this indispensable new guide, complete with hundreds of range maps illustrating where the trees can be found; thousands of photographs of the trees’ leaves, bark, flowers, and fruit; in-depth studies of the trees’ biology, ecology, and evolution; and fascinating discussions of the trees’ future in a world of rapid environmental change. And keep an eye out for several photos taken by our very own Ned Friedman!

November

18

Monday
4:30 pm-6:00 pm GMT+0000

Open to Harvard Community

Eco Gusto! Harvesting a Healthy & Sustainable Holiday

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
HSPH

Harvard community members can register for this free appetizer and mocktail demonstration and reception featuring Chef Mario Marini, ALMA, The School of Italian Culinary Arts.