Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is at the forefront of research addressing the most pressing global health and environmental issues facing us today. Based on the latest findings, the School’s community strives to advance climate action, equity, and health through its campus operations.
The Harvard Chan Operations Office collaborates with the Harvard Office for Sustainability, the Harvard Longwood Campus Green Team (EcoOpportunity), Harvard Chan faculty members, and other groups from across the University and beyond to provide a healthier, more inclusive, and sustainable campus where everyone can thrive.
HSPH Sustainability Initiatives
- Working toward Harvard’s Goal Zero (Fossil Fuel-Free by 2050): Harvard Chan Operations personnel strives to manage the School’s building systems portfolio in an energy-efficient manner with careful consideration of the indoor environmental quality of the School’s built environment. These initiatives include the standardization on high-efficiency lighting fixtures at the School, including the Building 1 LED retrofit that resulted in an estimated annual kWh reduction of 57%, enhancements to buildings operations systems, and the installation of energy-efficient equipment, such as an Automated Biorepository, which uses approximately 50% less power annually, considering its full capacity, compared to Chest and Upright freezers.
- Reducing the exposure to toxic chemicals for building occupants and communities throughout the supply chain: For the renovations of Shattuck International House, the Harvard Chan School Operations team in purchased furniture without harmful classes of chemicals. Apartments as well as common areas were equipped with chairs, desks, tables, and other pieces of furniture in compliance with the Healthier Hospitals Initiative.
- Accelerating a zero-waste future: Harvard Chan School’s waste reduction strategy focuses first on reuse, and next on recycling and composting. The School houses the EcoOpportunity Reuse Room, which accepts office supplies and lab equipment that can be reused by students, faculty, and staff. Students and staff also host Freecycle events throughout the year. The Harvard Chan School employs single-stream recycling campus-wide and collects special items, including e-waste, textiles*, and pipette tip boxes, to be recycled. Sebastian’s Café, the School’s cafeteria, offers a post-consumer program for compostables, which diverts food scraps and compostable plates, cups, cutlery, and to-go containers available at the Café from landfills.
* Program available for Shattuck International House residents. - Leading the way: Harvard Chan School is home to Harvard’s first LEED-certified project and the first Harvard location to be Green Restaurant Certified.
HSPH Academic Sustainability Initiatives
- Healthy Buildings Program
- Harvard Chan Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment (C-CHANGE)
- Nutrition Source