Trends in Sustainability Performance

Proper assessment of Stanford’s success in achieving a culture of sustainability depends heavily on tracking performance metrics and reporting them both internally and externally. A commitment to transparency and accountability …

Stanford Energy System Innovations (SESI)

Stanford is addressing climate change, the greatest environmental and socioeconomic challenge of our time, head on by raising the bar in efficiency and ingenuity in developing global solutions and implementing …

Oct 14

Stanford Students Create Interactive Tool to Showcase Story of Global Climate Change

As part of a biology course on understanding the geographic impacts of climate change, Stanford students have created an interactive online map that helps people visualize how global change can …

Oct 14

Stanford Roundtable Encourages Climate Action

Global leaders in climate change science, industry, and the political sector came together to compel discourse and solutions on climate change …

Nov 14

Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment Symposium Marks Decade of Solutions

For a decade now, the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment has served as an interdisciplinary hub for environmental research, dialogue, leadership, and education at Stanford. Founded in 2004 in …

Nov 14

Stanford Earth Sciences Partners with Student Group to Host Panel on Public Perceptions of Climate Change

To more effectively influence public opinion, politics, and policies around climate change…

Jan 15

Lecturer’s Environmental Documentary Receives Oscar Nomination

Stanford lecturer J. Christian Jensen, MFA ’13, received an Oscar nomination in the documentary short category for his film White Earth. The film served as Jensen’s Documentary Film Program thesis. …

Feb 15

Save Money, Save the World: New Project Pursues the Next Level of Energy Efficiency

A new California law has set goals to use energy in buildings 50% more efficiently and to get 50% of California’s electricity from renewable sources by 2030. With regard to …

Feb 15

Students Urge Obama to Veto Keystone XL Pipeline During Campus Visit

In a climate of increased activism on campus, Fossil Free Stanford organized a protest during President Obama’s visit to campus in February, demanding that he veto the Keystone XL pipeline …

Mar 15

Stanford Hosts University Sustainability Leaders for AASHE Board Meeting

Leaders from 14 universities converged at Stanford this spring to discuss opportunities for the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) to continue to provide valuable leadership …

Apr 15

President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology Among Tour Groups at New Central Energy Facility

In the spirit of leadership by example and best-practice sharing, Stanford offers public tours of its new Central Energy Facility, which opened on April 1. Offered weekly and by special …

Apr 15

Stanford Invests in 78.5 MW of Solar Power

On April 16, Stanford entered into an agreement with SunPower to build an off-site solar photovoltaic (PV) plant generating 73 MW of electricity—enough to power approximately 20,000 homes—that will supply …

May 15

Inaugural “Business of Sustainability” Summit Held

The Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment hosted its inaugural Business of Sustainability Summit, engaging a diverse cohort of 54 CEOs, chief sustainability officers, and business unit heads from 47 …

May 15

Stanford Expands Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

In May 2015, Stanford more than doubled its number of electric vehicle charging stations on campus. Parking & Transportation Services replaced 6 charging stations with 14 new stations located in …

Jun 15

Stanford Launches Comprehensive Research Initiative on Natural Gas

In the transition to a low-carbon energy system, how can society use increasing supplies of natural gas to minimize greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, boost economies, and strengthen energy …

Jun 15

Stanford Engineers Develop State-by-State Plan to Convert United States to 100% Clean, Renewable Energy by 2050

One potential way to combat climate change, eliminate air pollution mortality, create jobs, and stabilize energy prices involves converting the world’s energy infrastructure to run on renewable energy. Mark Z. …

Jun 15

Stanford Researchers Stretch a Thin Crystal to Get Better Solar Cells

Electronics are based on crystals known as semiconductors, most famously silicon. To make semiconductors useful, engineers must tweak their crystalline lattice to start and stop the flow of electrons. Semiconductor …

Jul 15

Stanford Researcher Supports Fuel Cell Development for Hydrogen-Powered Cars

Hydrogen fuel cells promise clean cars that emit only water. Several major car manufacturers have recently announced investments to increase the availability of fueling stations, while others are rolling out …

Aug 15

Stanford Maintains Leadership in Third-Party Evaluations

For the third year in a row, Stanford is on the Princeton Review’s Green Honor Roll, which lists universities that achieve the highest score—99—in the review’s annual green rating of …

Aug 15

Stanford Updates Its Energy and Climate Plan

In October 2009 Stanford released a comprehensive and long-range Energy and Climate Plan aimed at raising the bar for energy efficiency and the use of innovative, clean, and renewable energy …