Facts & Figures
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52%
Green House Gas Reduction, 2006-17
34%Reduction in Energy Use, 2006-17
- 200
Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs)
15LEED Certified Buildings/Projects
- 60%
reduction in waste per capita, 2006-2017
7Green Roofs, 4 beehives
Our Commitment
HBS strives to be a leader in sustainability and has set school specific sustainability goals and practices in our HBS Sustainability Framework that meet or exceed the goals and commitments in the Harvard Sustainability Plan, adopted in October 2014. The plan’s core topics are: emissions and energy, campus operations, nature and ecosystems, health and wellbeing, culture and learning. HBS engages across the community to make progress against these goals, with support from Operations, student leadership (Student Sustainability Associates Program), faculty and research (Business & Environment Initiative), employee engagement (Green Team and Green Office Program), and Executive Education outreach .
FY17 Sustainability Impact
The Harvard Sustainability plan includes four key goals (baseline year 2006): a 30% reduction in greenhouse (GHG) gas emissions by 2016, 30% reduction in water usage, 50% reduction in waste per person, and 75% organic landscaping by 2020 (definition under development). A new University-wide climate action goal to become fossil fuel-free by 2050 and fossil fuel-neutral by 2026, was announced in 2018 (click here for the University update).
HBS has made significant progress against a number of sustainability goals:
- GHG emissions: 52% Reduction, exceeding the University’s 2016 goal, and equivalent to taking 2900 cars off the road
- Energy use: 34% Reduction, enough energy to power 740 homes
- Waste Disposed: 60% Reduction
- Water Usage: 17% Reduction
- Renewables: Eight PV solar roof installations, generating ~500,000 kwh/yr, equivalent to the electricity it would take to power ~43 homes annually. One solar thermal installation, reducing the annual GHG emissions equivalent to the carbon sequestered by ~24 acres of US forests in one year.
- Energy Efficiency: 200+ Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs)
- Construction: 15 LEED Certified Buildings/Projects
- Stormwater Management & Ecosystems: 7 Green Roofs, 4 beehives
- Engagement: In FY2017, the HBS sustainability team planned over 10 events or activities with nearly 1,000 instances of participation, engaging students, staff and faculty.