BU is taking swift action to reduce emissions and lead toward a clean energy future. In 2022, to address the University’s direct emissions, we have:

  • Opened the new Center for Computing & Data Sciences. The largest fossil fuel-free, carbon-neutral building in Boston uses the thermal capacity of the earth for heating and cooling rather than natural gas. This building adds zero emissions to our carbon footprint while transforming a parking lot into a 345,000-square-foot vertical campus filled with collaborative space designed to bring faculty across the University together.
  • The BU Wind Project in South Dakota matches 100% of the University’s electricity consumption and is the single largest step in achieving our climate neutrality goal.
  • BU is continuing to grow its fleet of electric vehicles, with three more EVs hitting the road in 2022.

Electric Vehicle Fleet Deployment

Zero-Emissions Vehicles are an important element in BU’s commitment to sustainability. As part of these efforts, University departments are transitioning to electric vehicles. As departments request replacement or new vehicles, electric models are given priority. With its first fleet EV in 2021, the University has continued to adopt EVs in 2022 with three more vehicles.

Energy Efficiency

To reduce energy usage, Boston University is upgrading to LED lighting. LEDs are far more efficient than fluorescents and last longer, allowing for better light levels and lower maintenance costs for the University. For any building not already using them, the University worked to upgrade whole buildings to LEDs. In 2022, a focus was placed on Cummington Mall buildings, and these upgrades resulted in savings of 1.5 million kWh/year.

The Climate Action Plan identified strategies to reduce emissions through energy efficiency 31% by 2032. From 2017 to 2022, BU’s energy consumption was reduced by 2.3%. While this is less than anticipated, the pandemic necessarily shifted our focus to ensuring our buildings were healthy places to teach, learn, live, and work. Now that the University has returned to near-pre-pandemic operations, our focus can return to improving energy efficiency in our buildings.

BU Wind

With the completion of BU Wind in December 2020, Boston University reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 53% through a power purchase agreement (PPA) designed to match 100% of the University’s electricity consumption of 205,000,000 kWh/year. Located in South Dakota, this project reduces greenhouse gas emissions in one of the nation’s dirtiest grids leveraging BU’s investment to displace more emissions than if the project had been located in the greener New England grid.