Sustainability at Feinberg
Join us in our efforts to create an environmentally sustainable campus.
Northwestern University is committed to creating an environmentally sustainable campus by reducing waste, conserving water and energy, and incorporating sustainability into our purchasing and operating practices. Our sustainability program, sustainNU, engages students, faculty and staff to minimize the environmental impacts associated with their behavior and our campus operations and we are continuously looking for ways to reduce our footprint.
Feinberg Sustainability Highlights
2012 Energy Use Audit
In 2012, Feinberg conducted the school’s first energy use audit and began large-scale conservation efforts, including significant improvements to building ventilation and heating/cooling systems.
ENERGY STAR Battle of the Buildings
In 2016, we entered the Tarry Building into the in the ENERGY STAR Battle of the Buildings, a national competition that engages building managers in a 90-day challenge to see how much energy they can save. Tarry was the top performer among the university's competing buildings. Over the course of the competition, the building saved more than 228,000 kWh of electricity. This is equivalent to the total annual energy usage of 17 average homes.
Mayor's Leadership Circle Award
In 2018, the medical school won the Mayor's Leadership Circle Award from the Retrofit Chicago Energy Challenge for energy reductions in the Robert H. Lurie Medical Research Center, where energy use was reduced 31 percent between 2012 and 2018.
Simpson Querrey Biomedical Research Center
The Simpson Querrey Biomedical Research Center opened in 2019. It was designed to incorporate energy-saving systems that resulted in one-third lower energy use per square foot than in our most energy efficient existing buildings. In 2020, the building achieved LEED Gold certification.University-Wide Strategic Sustainability Plan
Northwestern University's Strategic Sustainability Plan was released in 2017 and developed with input from faculty, staff, students and vendors. It addresses the five key program areas below. Since its implementation, our university-wide efforts have been recognized at the local, state and national level, including:
U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR
Partner of the Year
(2018 and 2019)
ENERGY STAR
Sustained Excellence Award
(2020 and 2021)
Simpson Querrey
Biomedical Research Center
LEED Gold Certification
Ranked No. 2 Best Green Colleges
in the U.S. by The College Consensus
(2019)
Illinois Sustainability
Award
(2018)
U.S. EPA Green Power
Leadership Award
(2015)
| Program | Noteworthy Public Commitments | Example Accomplishments |
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 Built Environment |
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 Transportation |
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 Resource Conservation |
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 Communications & Engagement |
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 Experiental Learning |
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