UB Sustainability

UB reduced its carbon footprint by 33% each of the last three years by transitioning to renewable energy sources through a host of initiatives and leveraging innovative power purchase agreements to assist with its goal of achieving 100% renewable energy. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has named UB one of its Top 10 College and University Green Power Partners.

UB is No. 10 on the Environment America list, which was compiled by gathering data from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) and ranking 180 qualifying colleges using their Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) scores from the past three years.

UB has been recognized as one of the top universities in the world — and a Top 25 university in the U.S. — for environmental and social impact. That’s according to the 2025 edition of the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability, released by higher education analyst QS Quacquarelli Symonds.

The University at Buffalo led its conference rivals by using over 219 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power, representing 100 percent of its annual electricity needs—enough to power nearly 21,000 average American homes. UB also ranked second in total kilowatt-hours consumed.

The University at Buffalo has demonstrated a strong commitment to sustainability, earning recognition from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) as a STARS gold university. This achievement places UB among the top 1.6 percent of colleges and universities in North America.

The University at Buffalo has been recognized as one of the 50 most environmentally friendly universities in the United States by Online Schools Center, a website dedicated to higher education news. UB ranked #34 and was noted for its various eco-friendly initiatives, which include the Sustainability Academy, the Solar Strand, and waste reduction programs.

UB ranks first on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership list of the largest college and university green power users. UB fulfills 100% of its energy needs, an annual 213 million kilowatt hours (kWh), with zero-emission, clean energy.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized UB's commitment to solving pressing environmental issues, educating students about these challenges, and operating eco-friendly campuses with the Environmental Champion Award. The EPA also named UB the Mid-American Conference (MAC) champion for renewable energy usage. 

UB came in at No. 22 on College Consensus’ 25 Best Green Colleges list, highlighting the nation’s leading institutions in sustainability. UB was recognized for its ability to generate its green power thanks to the Solar Strand, SteelWinds, and other efforts and its leadership in Localizing Buffalo’s Renewable Energy Future. 

UB was named to The Princeton Review’s 2022 Green College Honor Roll for earning the highest possible score in the publication’s Green Rating. For the 2022 ratings, The Princeton Review tallied Green Rating scores for 835 colleges. The Green Rating, which ranges from 6o to a maximum of 99, provides a comprehensive measure of a school's performance as an environmentally aware and prepared institution.

UB developed a world-class climate action plan with one-, three- and five-year goals for six committees that span the university’s sustainability spectrum.