Sustainability Reports
Transparently reporting progress is an imperative part of communicating University-wide efforts, goals, and achievements. The University of Pittsburgh regularly produces a number of publications related to campus-wide sustainability, greenhouse gas inventories, LEED building certifications, and more. Additionally, Pitt participates in a number of external sustainability programs, most notably AASHE STARS and the Pittsburgh 2030 District.
The University of Pittsburgh Sustainability Reports are created to fully outline the institution’s sustainability efforts on campus and in the greater community. This publication includes information related to sustainable campus operations, education and research, and community outreach and leadership. These reports also inspired the development of the University Sustainability Committee and the ongoing efforts for a university-wide sustainability plan.
Established in 2003, the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation is the oldest and largest sustainability research, teaching, and outreach center at Pitt, collaborating with all of 16 of Pitt’s sustainability-related centers
Established in 2018, the Pitt Sustainability Plan identifies over 60 sustainability goals and key performance indicators for tracking Pitt’s progress over time. This plan established the Office of Sustainability at Pitt.
In 2022, the first Pitt Climate Action Plan for the University of Pittsburgh’s Pittsburgh campus was released detailing Pitt’s strategy and pathway to reaching carbon neutrality by 2037.
The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS) is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance created by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). The University of Pittsburgh has long-used AASHE STARS as a tracking mechanism, but first achieved certification in 2018. Pitt’s AASHE STARS documentation is public online and the university must re-certify every 3 years.
- University of Pittsburgh’s 2024 AASHE STARS Gold Documentation (Underway!)
- University of Pittsburgh’s 2021 AASHE STARS Gold Documentation
- University of Pittsburgh’s 2018 AASHE STARS Silver Documentation
Pitt is actively working towards carbon neutrality by 2037, with an incremental goal of 50% fewer greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than 2008 by 2030.
Our Pittsburgh campus fiscal year (FY) 2022 inventory indicates we’ve already reduced GHGs ~36.7% .
Dig into the details below about how Pitt has been tracking and reducing our GHG impact over time through inventories published since 2008 or check out the GHG dashboard.
- FY 2022 GHG Inventory, Pittsburgh Campus
- FY 2021 GHG Inventory, Pittsburgh Campus
- FY 2020 GHG Inventory, Pittsburgh Campus
- FY 2019 GHG Inventory, Pittsburgh Campus
- FY 2017 GHG Inventory, Pittsburgh Campus
- FY 2014 GHG Inventory, Pittsburgh Campus
- FY 2011 GHG Inventory, Pittsburgh Campus
- FY 2008 GHG Inventory, Pittsburgh Campus
The University of Pittsburgh’s Bradford campus completed its fiscal year 2019 and 2022 GHG inventories in 2024. Dig into the details below:
- Benedum Hall – Phase I Renovations (Gold, 2011)
- Benedum Hall – Phase 2a Renovation (Silver, 2016)
- Biomedical Science Tower – 12th Floor Renovation (Gold, 2013)
- Chevron Science Center Annex (Gold, 2013)
- Clapp Hall (Silver, 2020)
- Graduate School of Public Health Addition (Certified, 2018)
- Graduate School of Public Health Renovations (Silver, 2021)
- Mark A. Nordenberg Hall (Silver, 2014)
- Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation (Gold, 2012)
- McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine (Gold, 2005)
- Mid-Campus Research Complex – Nuclear Physics Laboratory Renovation (Silver, 2014)
- Salk Hall Pavilion (Silver, 2016)
- Salk Hall Renovation (Platinum, 2023)
- University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, Livingston Alexander House (Silver, 2020)
- University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, Cassell Hall (Gold, 2014)
- University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, Nursing and Health Sciences Building (Gold, 2015)
In FY19, Pitt started running a Nitrogen inventory alongside its annual GHG inventories for the Pittsburgh campus.
To better understand how Pitt can serve vulnerable students, Pitt’s Campus Basic Needs Committee, deployed the #RealCollege survey for the first time in Fall 2020. Created in 2015 by the Hope Center for College, Community and Justice at Temple University, the #RealCollege survey reveals the lived experiences of today’s students outside of classroom instruction and is now the nation’s largest and most well-established annual assessment of students’ basic needs.
In 2014, the University of Pittsburgh was a Founding Property Partner of the Pittsburgh 2030 District‘s Oakland boundary. Since then, Pitt has worked closely with Green Building Alliance and other Pittsburgh 2030 District Partners towards achieving 50% reductions in energy use, water use, and transportation emissions (below baselines) by the year 2030. In 2018, Pitt embraced the 2030 Challenge goals University-wide, contributing towards short- and long-term successes improved indoor and air quality, increased returns on investment, and growing campus and regional success.
