The National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) has awarded the University of Pittsburgh the 2024 Excellence in Sustainability Award, distinguishing Pitt as the sole university honored this year. Aurora Sharrard, assistant vice chancellor for sustainability, accepted the award at the NACUBO Annual Meeting in Chicago on July 21. 

The award is based on the first Pitt Climate Action Plan and its progress toward achieving carbon neutrality for the University by 2037. This unique, comprehensive roadmap outlines annual and 2037 targets for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across 15 sources and three scopes that connect the goal of carbon neutrality with the University’s academic mission, further its commitment to equitable outcomes and economic resilience, and support a culture of sustainability that actively involves students, faculty and staff.

Significant strides include the Pitt Sustainability Challenge, an open competition for innovative GHG reduction solutions, and a partnership with Vesper Energy on Southwestern Pennsylvania’s largest solar farm, supplying 18% of campus electricity (more than 35,700 megawatt-hours annually). 

The University also has 1.4 million square feet of LEED-certified space across 18 buildings, with more planned, and a new chilled water plant that offers efficient district energy infrastructure and a campuswide rainwater capture and reuse system. 

Learn more about these efforts on the Pitt Sustainability website.

— Laura Jellum, photography courtesy of NACUBO