Boston University was listed among the most sustainable universities in the country in a report conducted by SaveOnEnergy, a company that collaborates with schools and businesses to help them become more sustainable.
BU was ranked 25th on the list of the top “green” universities according to the report. SaveOnEnergy’s report graded and ranked universities that were included on the 2017 U.S. News and World Report Top 100 Universities list, assessing them on factors such as walkability, proximity to parks, sustainability and renewable energy sources.
Lisa Tornatore, assistant director of sustainability at BU, said in an email that the university is currently working on a Climate Action Plan to improve its eco-friendliness.
“The plan will include operations, research, education, finance and community engagement, all targeted at making BU a more sustainable university,” Tornatore wrote.
Tornatore said BU is a leader in sustainability in several areas where it has committed to reducing its carbon footprint.
“Energy efficiency is one; through the Sustainability Revolving Loan Fund, the university has committed over $2 million which funds energy efficiency and fuel switching projects,” Tornatore wrote.
She added that since 2006, BU has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent through energy efficiency and by switching from oil to natural gas.
Tornatore said the university will be holding a public forum to give the community a chance to weigh in on the new Climate Action Plan. The forum will take place in the Metcalf Trustee Center from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 31.
Eric Wooster, spokesperson for SaveOnEnergy, said in an email that BU actively encourages its students to be environmentally conscious through its Earth House Living Learning Community program, which he praised.
“Earth House [is] a ‘living-learning community’ that enables 18 students to become fully immersed in a strict eco-friendly lifestyle for one academic year,” Wooster wrote in an email. “The purpose of this program is to educate students of the importance — and ease — of conserving resources through real-life experience.”
Wooster also said he believes that universities everywhere should always be trying to reduce their carbon footprint.
“It’s important for universities to not only employ sustainable initiatives as a whole, but also encourage individuals to practice eco-friendly behavior in their day-to-day lives,” Wooster wrote.
BU spokesperson Colin Riley said the university is always improving its sustainability, even as it rapidly constructs new buildings.
“It’s amazing how quickly we were able to achieve our goals for reduction of carbon, water and energy use, so even as our facilities increase, the facilities we’re adding are quality buildings that focus on energy use and other efforts for sustainability,” Riley said.
Several students weighed in on BU’s ranking in the SaveOnEnergy report and the school’s sustainability in general.
Alicia Ireland, a sophomore in the College of General Studies, said she believes the eco-friendly ranking is a feat for a school of this size.
“It’s an accomplishment that we can also be green while being such a big university with so many buildings that need things like electricity and printers to run,” Ireland said.
Alex Silver, a sophomore in CGS, said while the ranking is a great step toward sustainability, more could be done to reduce BU’s carbon footprint.
“I feel like a lot more could be posted on Blackboard instead of the professors printing out assignments for each student because that wastes a lot of paper,” Silver said.
Gabby Florio, a freshman in the Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, said BU’s emphasis on sustainability was something that drew her to the school when she was applying to college.
“It made me happy that my school cared about the environment enough to do something about it,” Florio said. “BU is doing a lot to be environmentally friendly that other schools don’t necessarily do, and that is definitely something to be proud of.”
