Sustainability is fundamentally rooted in the social and cultural fabric of our society - it's our guiding belief.
We’ve spent 25 years dedicated to building deep and lasting collaborations, across campus, and beyond to advance sustainability.
UNH Sustainability Dashboard
Guided by UNH's Sustainability Task Force, for over a decade we’ve been assessing our progress and conducting inventories in the performance categories below, celebrating achievements and identifying opportunities for growth. We report this information through the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) – a comprehensive rating system for colleges and universities that addresses the broad dimensions of sustainability, spanning academics, engagement, planning and administration, and operations. UNH is one of a handful of higher education institutions in the nation to earn a STARS Platinum rating!
This dashboard highlights our key achievements and performance in the campus operations categories. You’ll find our STARS rating and more information about our practices in each category below. This provides an opportunity for our sustainable learning community (students, faculty, staff, alumni and the broader community) to see and find their place in the collective effort to exceed our sustainability goals.
Climate & Emissions
Emitting 2/3 less carbon pollution than the average campus that reports their carbon footprint. Learn how we do it.
Buildings
One of the 1st U.S. campuses to receive US EPA's ENERGY STAR rating for residence halls. Explore how we run and construct buildings.
Energy
We self-generate 100% of our energy use. See how we’ve moved the needle on efficiency.
Food & Dining
Fair Trade Certified since '21 and the state's only 4-star Certified Green Restaurants® (we have two!). Check out all of our initiatives.
Grounds & Landscape Management
4,800 tons of carbon are sequestered annually by UNH forestlands. See how we manage healthy and resilient landscapes on campus and beyond.
Procurement
Laptops and computers provided under the latest contract have an EPEAT Bronze registration or higher. From your favorite UNH tee to our cleaning supplies, find out how we purchase responsibly.
Transportation
Since 2008, all new transit vehicle purchases have been CARB certified B20 diesel or CNG low-floor buses with bike racks. Discover our holistic approach to travel.
Waste
Trash 2 Treasure has successfully diverted over 170 tons of waste from landfills and saved students over $.5M in back-to-school expenses. See how we tackle waste through minimization.
Water
Since 2006, annual individual usage of water on campus has decreased 679 gallons through initiatives like "Shorten Your Shower". Get to know how we protect and cherish our water resources.
