A Commitment to Sustainability

We are addressing the challenges and opportunities of sustainability leadership through campus operations and community engagement.
Green Roof, McCollum Center
53%
Reduction in waste, CY 2023
54%
Reduction in GHG emissions, CY 2023
20
LEED certified buildings, CY 2023

Our Commitment

Harvard Business School (HBS) is committed to Harvard’s Sustainability Action Plan and the University’s mission to accelerate the adoption of systems and practices that protect the climate and environment, advance a more equitable society, and promote the wellbeing of people at Harvard and beyond. HBS promotes sustainability across our community with support from Operations, the Student Sustainability Associates program, the Business & Environment Initiative, the employee Green Team, and Executive Education.

Questions?

Contact sustainability@hbs.edu.

Two HBS beekeepers tend to one of the honeybee hives on campus.

The HBS beekeepers tend to one of the honeybee hives on campus.

Tata hall exterior building view with lights on

Tata Hall is one of several, high performance, LEED certified buildings on campus.

Woman harvests Daikon radishes on one of the many green roofs on campus with Charles river and Cambridge in the background

Daikon radishes and other produce are harvested from one of the many green roofs on campus.

Sustainability Impact

HBS has made strong progress to date, exceeding the University’s initial greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goal of 30 percent by 2016 while saving the school millions of dollars. As of 2023, HBS has achieved a 54 percent reduction in GHG emissions, along with a 32 percent reduction in energy consumption (inclusive of campus growth, with a 2006 baseline). HBS also made a 53 percent reduction in waste and a 5 percent reduction in water use.

Sustainability

CY2023CY2022CY2021CY2020CY2019
GHG Emissions (metric tons of CO2 equivalent) 10,354 10,011 9,098 9,103 11,562
Energy (kBtu) 138,056,976 140,590,670 121,948,442 122,569,467 150,713,824
Water (100 cubic feet) 48,372 48,244 32,735 40,754 51,025
Municipal Solid Waste (tons)400357 204 196 394

GHG Emissions is calculated using location-based reporting methodology. Harvard University follows The Climate Registry’s General Reporting Protocol for the Voluntary Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reporting Program. The GHG inventory consists of direct emissions from onsite fuel combustion (Scope 1) and indirect emissions from purchased electricity (Scope 2) sources.

In addition to the reduced occupancy impacting the % reduction, it was also impacted by the increased ventilation to help reduce disease transmission (which increases GHG emissions).

Harvard University calculates its GHG emissions factor, but there is a delay in getting current grid data to feed into that calculation.

Energy includes steam and electricity from Harvard’s Blackstone Steam Plant, electricity from the grid, electricity from our solar panels (solar renewable energy credits [SRECs], which represent the environmental benefit, are sold to the Harvard Utility to meet its state renewable energy requirements), natural gas used in boilers, cogeneration units and kitchens, along with diesel used in backup generators.• In addition to the reduced occupancy impacting the % reduction, it was also impacted by the increased ventilation to help reduce risk of disease transmission (which increases energy use).

Water represents the total water withdrawal from our water utility for irrigation, domestic, kitchen and chilled water plant cooling tower needs.

In addition to the reduced occupancy impacting the % reduction, irrigation needs were significantly lowered by the unusually high level of rainfall received in CY2021. We had nearly double the amount of rainfall we typically see across the irrigating season.

Municipal Solid Waste is the trash hauled from buildings from typical campus operations. It does not include construction waste, recycling, electronic waste, waste disposed of as part of contracted services, or anaerobic digestion for organics streams.

Business & Environment

Learn how the Business & Environment Initiative works across all departments of the School, and connects with students, alumni, and faculty to shape curriculum and research agendas, to educate, connect, and mobilize business leaders to address climate change and other environmental challenges.

MBA students make their way from class to the student center, Spangler Center.