Human-induced climate change is here, and it’s here to stay. Rising temperatures and sea levels coupled with ozone degradation form our reality. While all of us play a role, larger corporations and entities have the capacity to truly make a difference in saving our environment.
Over the last century, the University of Miami has made significant progress toward achieving its environmental goals and mitigating its carbon footprint, and these changes have laid the foundation for UM to continue improving for the next 100 years.
UM is currently tackling its “Sustainable Operations Plan 2035” to achieve net zero emissions over the next decade. The plan has five main focus areas to achieve its objectives: carbon neutrality, energy efficiency, green buildings, alternative mobility and waste diversion.
While net zero emissions may seem to be an unattainable goal, the U’s years of hard work and commitment to keeping our campus green have brought it within reach.
Green U, an initiative to integrate environmental consciousness throughout the university, was launched in 2000. Initiatives focus on nature, green buildings, water, and food and well-being. The webpage also outlines specific programs UM has put in place and ways for students to get involved.
In fact, many students are already actively working towards environmental improvements without knowing it. Anyone living in Lakeside Village does so under green roofs and rain gardens.
“Since 2007, the University embraced a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) initiative for its building and construction projects,” said UM Sustainability Director Teddy Lhoutellier, in a statement to TMH.
“Today, 22 buildings have been certified, most notably the LEED Gold certification of the Lakeside Village Housing units, featuring the first green roofs on residential student housing in our region, rain gardens to manage stormwater, HVAC heat recovery systems and stilt structures to address climate resilience.”
Additionally, UM partnered with Adidas and Parley for the Oceans in 2018 and the ’Canes became the first college football team to wear jerseys made from recycled ocean materials. So, all of our football players are automatically contributing to eco-friendly initiatives.
In addition to those improvements, the University became an active member of The American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment in 2007 and subsequently designed a climate action plan in 2009.
Per this plan, UM also abides by an energy-efficient appliance policy and only purchases ENERGY STAR-certified appliances. These appliances, found primarily in Lakeside and University Village, have to adhere to energy efficiency standards established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, making this policy yet another way that on-campus residents are unknowingly contributing to climate-friendly goals. Even the auto-shut-off lights prevent energy from being wasted and reduce our campus’s environmental footprint and the cost of utilities.
While these minor adjustments may not seem like they make that much of a difference, when they are multiplied across the 1,115 students living in Lakeside and everyone in University Village, the impact is huge.
For example, ENERGY STAR refrigerators are about 15% more energy efficient than the federal standard. Dishwashers are 10% more energy efficient and 20% more water efficient; laundry machines save users about half on energy bills and one-third on water bills. Each individual’s environmental savings makes a huge difference, and this positive change is even greater when applied across all of the people living in the two villages.
UM reached another important milestone in 2017 when it began following the Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS). STARS is a self-reported system that colleges and universities use to measure sustainability progress by creating a baseline for progress. Since then, UM has reduced its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 89% and Scope 3 emissions by 43%. These emissions are all greenhouse gases that come from any part of an organization. Scope 1 emissions come directly from that organization. Scope 2 emissions come from the energy it purchases, and Scope 3 covers any emissions not otherwise accounted for.
More recently in 2021, UM joined the Florida Power and Light Solar Together program, allowing the university to get 100% of its 2020 electricity consumption through off-site solar energy. This program also plays a crucial role in helping UM achieve its goal of carbon neutrality.
By publicly sharing these benchmarks and taking the time to perform carbon accounting, UM earned the honor of a STARS Gold Rating in 2022. This rating is just one of many that UM has the honor of holding.
“In 2023, the University ranked No. 8 on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Top 30 list of higher education green power users,” Lhoutellier added. “The EPA selected the University of Miami as a member of its ‘Green Power Partnership’ in recognition of the University’s continued commitment to utilizing clean energy.”
“In addition, in January 2025, the University’s ranking in the Princeton Review Top 50 Green Colleges went up from No. 26 to No. 13. And in 2024, the Coral Gables Campus was awarded the Tree Campus USA recognition for the tenth consecutive time since 2014 by the Arbor Day Foundation.”
Although UM is still a few years away from achieving its primary goal of net zero emissions, the university has undoubtedly made a huge impact in improving the environment. They have taken necessary steps in raising awareness about how each individual can make a positive impact on the world around us.
UM sets a high standard for other universities and is a role model for sustainability. Nature is an integral part of our campus and UM has done a great job preserving and valuing our environment. It is the thriving environment that makes our campus special. So, with the improvements UM continues to make, this beauty will remain for years to come.