-51%
Utility-based carbon emissions reduction (2008-2024)
Miami University is committed to sustainability in our academic programs, physical campus and operations, and university mission by promoting environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic viability for current and future generations. This commitment is a collaborative effort that involves students, faculty, staff and external partners.
-51%
Utility-based carbon emissions reduction (2008-2024)
-63%
Utility-based carbon emissions reduction per building gross square foot (2008-2024)
-13%
Total Greenhouse Gas (MTCO2e) reduction (PCLC baseline 2019-2023)
The Miami 2040 Plan strategy to decarbonize our energy-based emissions is to further reduce energy consumption; complete the transition of building heating and cooling systems off steam; produce zero-emissions energy on-site; procure purchased electricity from renewable sources; and offset the remainder.
View our progress toward decarbonization on the Dashboard.
A $5 million principal gift from longtime Miami and sustainability supporters Sharon Janosik Mitchell ’73 and Graham Mitchell ’73, M.En. ’76 will create a Sustainability Park and enable Miami to start producing electricity from solar power. Two solar fields — Western Geothermal and the Thompson site — are expected to produce 2,260 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity annually.
The North Chiller Plant Geothermal Conversion project broke ground in June 2024 with the drilling of the first of 520 geothermal wells. This project — expected to be completed by summer 2026 — is Miami's next big step toward reducing carbon emissions. It will eliminate more than 5,810 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents in emissions (MTCO2e) annually.
Miami achieved its second AASHE STARS Gold rating in spring 2022 in recognition of sustainability achievements. Our next STARS submission will be in spring 2025.
Miami's 36 LEED Silver and Gold-certified buildings account for 36% of the gross square footage of buildings on the Oxford campus (August 2024).
Miami makes it easy to recycle: Single stream recycling allows plastics, cardboard, paper, metal, and glass to all be recycled together in one bin.
More than 60 % of Miami's academic departments offer sustainability-focused or sustainability-inclusive courses.
Promoting sustainability and climate action across the Oxford and Miami communities
The city of Oxford adopted a Climate Action Plan in September 2023. This plan acts as a road map for the Oxford community to achieve carbon neutrality and to ensure Oxford remains thriving despite the changing climate.
Join a student organization, explore the Miami University Natural Areas, take part in research.
Did you know nearly half of our 2,000 acre campus is designated as forest? With nearly 1,000 acres and 17 miles of trails in our backyard, the Miami University Natural Areas are an invaluable resource for recreation, teaching, and research.
Miami University's first Sustainability Commitments & Goals (SCAG) were developed in 2010 with broad stakeholder input. The Sustainability Committee established an updated SCAG in 2016. In 2021, the SCAG, having been met or exceeded, were replaced by a set of three Sustainability Pillars.