UB Sustainability

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.

According to the 2021 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, the University at Buffalo is a global leader in climate action in higher education. UB ranks first for addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on climate action and second globally for SDG 7, which emphasizes affordable and clean energy.

UB moved up five spots on Sierra Club magazine’s “Cool Schools” ranking for 2017. The university landed at No. 52, up from 57 last fall, on the environmental group’s annual list of schools ahead of the sustainability curve.

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.

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.

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.

The University at Buffalo received the 2016 Green Power Leadership Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and was one of only three organizations chosen as a Green Power Partner of the Year, recognizing its leadership and impact on the green power market.

UB tops the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in green power usage for the second straight year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2018-19 College and University Green Power Challenge. Of the 36 conference winners this year, UB ranks No. 2 in green power 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. 

The Sierra Club ranked UB 52 out of 227 "cool schools" in 2017. The Sierra Club's rankings are based on sustainability (AASHE) ratings.

The U.S. Green Building Council Center for Green Schools named UB one of the 2014 “Best of Green Schools” recipients. The awards recognize 10 individuals, institutions, projects and events representing national leaders and innovators in school sustainability. 

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. 

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

UB has committed to sustainable buildings. Greiner Hall debuted in August 2011 and represented the first LEED gold-designed student residence hall in the State University of New York System. It was also designed using Universal Design principles.

UB is among the 50 most environmentally responsible colleges in the nation, according to The Princeton Review’s Guide to 361 Green Colleges. This guide profiles colleges with the highest commitment to sustainability based on their academic offerings, student career preparation, campus policies, initiatives, and activities.

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.

An article in The Wall Street Journal titled "The Best Architecture of 2014" features UB’s Solar Strand, describing the 3,200-panel ground-mounted photovoltaic array as a “small but significant model of landscape architecture at its most innovative.”

UB was highlighted in the 2016 Sustainable Campus Index in the Public Engagement section (AASHE) for its efforts in advancing sustainability in higher education. UB was specifically mentioned for its partnership with Erie County and area business leaders to form the Western New York Sustainable Business Roundtable.

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 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.