Columbia University

The University's committment to sustainability guides our efforts to manage the life cycles of new and old buildings, reduce waste, increase recycling and conserve resources. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, green roofs, hybrid vehicles, bike-friendly environments and historic preservation are just some of the initiatives we are working on every day to make the University greener.   

Columbia has also accepted the PlaNYC University Challenge posed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg to set the course for New York to lead the way in sustainability. Columbia, along with other New York City universities, is embracing the goal of reducing greenhouse gases and decreasing its total carbon footprint 30 percent by 2017 on its Morningside campus.