Northwestern Recognized by EPA as a Leader in Sustainability

For the second year in a row, Northwestern University has earned the ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year—Sustained Excellence Award, from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE).

The Sustained Excellence award is the highest honor bestowed by the ENERGY STAR program. The designation honors organizations making long-term commitments to climate action and energy efficiency. In 2020, Northwestern became the first University to receive the Sustained Excellence Award.

“The Sustained Excellence Award is a tribute to our continued energy management strategy and campus engagement efforts, which have driven significant improvements in energy efficiency in recent years,” said Craig Johnson, Northwestern’s Senior Vice President for Business and Finance, “It is an honor to be recognized by the EPA for Northwestern’s leadership and commitment to reducing our carbon footprint.”

Northwestern’s notable sustainability accomplishments include:
• 25% reduction in energy use intensity in buildings since 2010
• LEED certification for 22 buildings across our Evanston and Chicago campuses
• 15% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since 2012
• 15‐yr commitment supporting the development and construction of 16 community solar projects across seven Illinois counties, bringing clean energy and green jobs to the state.

“ENERGY STAR award-winning partners are showing the world that delivering real climate solutions makes good business sense and promotes job growth,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Many of them have been doing it for years, inspiring all of us who are committed to tackling the climate crisis and leading the way to a clean energy economy.”

Winners are selected from a network of thousands of ENERGY STAR partners. For a complete list of 2021 winners and more information about ENERGY STAR’s awards program, visit ENERGY STAR.