About Us

U-M Campus Sustainability

With more than 76,000 students, faculty, and staff, the University of Michigan’s Ann Arbor campus boasts a population greater than many U.S. cities. Encompassing 3,071 acres, it includes more than 480 major buildings.

As the campus and student body continue to grow, so do the challenges of sustainability. But the University of Michigan is committed to meeting the needs of today while maintaining and improving the university environment for future generations.

How is it doing this?

The University is implementing new technologies and practices that conserve energy and resources and reduce or recycle waste. These undertakings build on energy-saving activities that began decades ago, long before the term “sustainability” was in vogue.

For example, the University began sponsoring vanpools for commuting employees in 1970. It established “Building Performance Teams” in the 1980s to evaluate on-campus energy consumption. And it launched a campus-wide recycling program in 1989.

In the 1990s, the University was an early supporter of the federal government’s Energy Star program. A $10 million, one-time investment in energy-saving building upgrades led to a $9 million annual reduction of utility costs and an award from the Environmental Protection Agency.

In 2000, the U-M installed ethanol pumps for its campus vehicles, fueling one of the country's largest alternative-energy fleets.

Clearly, environmental sustainability is not a new concept or practice for the University of Michigan. And the drive to conserve energy and to be a responsible steward of resources continues at the University today.

This new Campus Sustainability Web site highlights some of the University of Michigan's sustainability practices. It also serves as a centralized community resource for students, staff, and faculty.

Together, we can make the Michigan Difference.