We aim to transition our campus to 100 percent renewable energy.
This large-scale effort will position UMass Amherst as a leader in carbon mitigation and give our students a chance to be part of the solution.
Our Carbon-Zero Future
With support from the UMass community, our carbon-zero project will transition the campus to 100 percent renewable energy as we build new and renovate existing infrastructure to operate a campus energy system with net-zero carbon emissions for generations to come.
A Major Transition
How can UMass Amherst achieve carbon zero, given the challenges posed by our large, historic campus and our cold climate? The highest-impact component of our transition will be the large-scale conversion of our campus energy infrastructure. We plan to transition from a fossil fuel-based steam system to a modern energy system that leverages low-temperature hot water distribution, air- and ground-source heat exchange, and thermal energy storage using electric power from solar and the rapidly greening electrical grid.
Our Carbon Zero Feasibility Assessment
We formed a consulting team composed of engineers and other experts; received input from hundreds of staff, faculty, and students; and made a rigorous assessment of the work needed. The conclusion? Carbon zero is indeed technologically achievable. We're on a path to reach carbon neutrality ahead of the 2050 target set by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to decarbonize statewide energy systems.
Carbon Mitigation in Action
Our goals are ambitious and are reflected in the 2024–2034 Strategic Plan as we continue to build a sustainable campus infrastructure for a sustainable future.
Director, Clean Energy Extension; Extension Professor, Environmental Conservation
Dwayne became the director of the UMass Clean Energy Extension in 2015 after 13 years as the director of the Renewable and Alternative Energy Division at the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER).
Campus Sustainability Manager
Ezra has been the sustainability manager at UMass Amherst since 2011; he is the chair of the Chancellor’s Sustainability Advisory Committee (CSAC), which is the body responsible for advancing overall sustainable efforts at the university.