Climate Action

Climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions from human activity is the greatest environmental and socioeconomic challenge of our time. To address it, Stanford is developing global solutions and putting them into practice on campus.

Stanford researchers are seeking solutions through participation on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and work on numerous initiatives, such as the Global Climate and Energy Project, Woods Institute for the Environment, Precourt Institute and the Program on Energy and Sustainable Development.

At the same time, Stanford operations leaders are collaborating with faculty to craft options for reducing campus greenhouse gas emissions. We have already driven down our emissions through ongoing energy and transportation initiatives and are pursuing strategies to achieve even greater reductions.

Accounting for Our Emissions

In December 2006, Stanford joined the nonprofit California Climate Action Registry. Members voluntarily commit to measuring, monitoring and publicly reporting their greenhouse gas emissions with third-party verification.

Stanford’s initial inventory of our 2007 core greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide) from the main campus totaled 180,000 metric tons. (Download the report.) Stanford also maintains an expanded inventory that includes emissions from commuter traffic, business travel and providing steam and chilled water to the Stanford Hospital and Clinics from our central energy facility, the Cardinal Cogen plant, which cogenerates electricity and steam from natural gas.

Taking Action

In 2007, staff and faculty came together to develop optimal strategies for reducing the campus emissions footprint. This initial evaluation yielded more than 20 options; key strategies include reducing energy use in existing buildings, designing new buildings to require less energy, promoting travel alternatives and switching to more efficient, less carbon-intensive energy sources for campus operations. Initiatives in many of these areas are in progress. (See Energy, Buildings and Transportation.)

University leaders received the evaluation in spring 2008 and convened a presidential task force to examine in greater detail key strategic issues, including the viability of renewable energy credits, carbon offsets and fossil fuel–powered cogeneration in a long-term emissions reduction strategy. The task force, composed of senior campus operations staff and expert faculty, is expected to complete its analysis by early 2009.

“If we are to leave our children a better world, we must take steps now to create a sustainable environment. So it is critical that we model sustainable citizenship on our own campus.”
— John Etchemendy
Provost, Stanford University
The Energy Retrofit Program has delivered an estimated cumulative savings of over 240 million kilowatt-hours of electricity since it began in 1993—and prevented 72,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.
Stanford is developing global solutions to climate change and putting them into practice on campus.
New buildings must use 30 percent less energy and 25 percent less potable water than similar traditional buildings.
Systems retrofits to the most energy-intensive buildings on campus are expected to save $4.2 million a year and cut energy use by 28 percent.
About 40 percent of Stanford Dining produce is organic or regionally grown; some is even grown on campus.
About 60 percent of Stanford’s total contiguous land remains undeveloped.
Recycled paper is less expensive than virgin paper under the campus-wide office supply contract.
From 2002 to 2008, the percentage of Stanford employees driving alone to campus dropped from 72 to 51 percent.
Stanford diverted 64 percent of its solid waste from landfills in 2008—more than 14,500 tons.
Stanford completed 50 major water efficiency retrofit projects from 2001 through 2008, pushing down average domestic use from 2.7 million gallons per day (mgd) in 2000-01 to less than 2.3 mgd in 2007-08, despite campus growth.
The goal of Sustainable IT is to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions generated by our IT infrastructure.
The goal of Sustainable IT is to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions generated by our IT infrastructure.
Stanford invests IN sustainability through a broad range of initiatives in research, education, efficiency improvement, conservation systems, new technology, student-led projects and more.
New buildings must use 30 percent less energy and 25 percent less potable water than similar traditional buildings.
New buildings must use 30 percent less energy and 25 percent less potable water than similar traditional buildings.
Systems retrofits to the most energy-intensive buildings on campus are expected to save $4.2 million a year and cut energy use by 28 percent.
About 40 percent of Stanford Dining produce is organic or regionally grown; some is even grown on campus.
From 2002 to 2008, the percentage of Stanford employees driving alone to campus dropped from 72 to 51 percent.
Stanford diverted 64 percent of its solid waste from landfills in 2008—more than 14,500 tons.
Stanford diverted 64 percent of its solid waste from landfills in 2008—more than 14,500 tons.
The Energy Retrofit Program has delivered an estimated cumulative savings of over 240 million kilowatt-hours of electricity since it began in 1993—and prevented 72,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.
Stanford completed 50 major water efficiency retrofit projects from 2001 through 2008, pushing down average domestic use from 2.7 million gallons per day (mgd) in 2000-01 to less than 2.3 mgd in 2007-08, despite campus growth.
New buildings must use 30 percent less energy and 25 percent less potable water than similar traditional buildings.