Campus Progress

Know our history, shape our future
2005
President John Hitt establishes the Office of Sustainability and Energy Management (SEM)
2007
UCF becomes a pioneer signatory to the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment

The commitment paves the way for over $30 million in avoided operating expenses, a reduction in energy use intensity of 41%, and cutting edge green building standards

2009
The university adopts the first Climate Action Plan

Learn more and download the plan here

UCF establishes the organic community garden at the Arboretum
UCF begins its journey with high performance buildings, earning a Gold certification for Physical Science I from U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED® green building program.
Landscaping begins irrigating with approximately 200 million gallons of reclaimed water each year, reducing the demand for potable water and saving $560,000 annually (2021)
"There is no debate. Climate change is happening now, and it’s affecting everyone. But at UCF, we believe in hope. Hope in our students. Hope in our community. And hope in our future . . . The future is in our hands. We must ask ourselves, 'what do we want our legacy to be?'" -  John C. Hitt
To date, nearly 1000 volunteers work in the garden each year, bringing fresh produce to their kitchens and the Knights Helping Knight Pantry
In addition to student projects, the Greenhouse supports the propagation and growth of plants for bi-weekly plant sales. The Arboretum uses the revenue generated from the over 500 plants sold each semester to purchase equipment and materials for the program.
LEED is the preeminent program for the design, construction, maintenance and operations of high-performance green buildings. Physical Science I has an average energy and water savings of 43% and 38% respectively
The Burnett Honors College Meditation Garden
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2011
The National Arbor Day Foundation certifies the university under its Tree Campus USA program
UCF installs a 107kW Ground Mount Solar Project at Garage B
The university reaches the 500,000 square feet milestone for LEED-certified space
2013
The university successfully builds the 5.5MW Combined Heat Power (CHP) plant
2014
The Faculty Cluster Initiative launches, spurring an increase in sustainability research
2015
SEM transforms into two departments: Sustainability Initiatives (SI) and Utilities and Energy Services (UES)

The change paves the way for the strategic incorporation of sustainability in operations, education and research to address the economic, environmental, and social justice facets

UCF establishes the Sustainability Advisory Committee, and later, the Sustainability Working Advisory Teams (SWATs) and Student Sustainability Advisory Committee (SSAC)

Together, the committees investigate and support sustainable solutions such as micro-mobility programs and the use of reclaimed water for evaporative cooling

UCF mandates a minimum LEED Gold rating for all new construction and renovation and surpasses 1 million square feet of LEED-certified space
UCF’s tree canopy covers approximately 58.82% of the total campus area and sequesters an estimated 4,955 metric tons carbon emissions
The project produces up to 157,000 kWh, avoiding up to $17,000 per year in electricity costs
The CHP is designed to provide $1.8-$2.2 million annually in savings, increased plant efficiency with waste heat recapture, less line loss by producing power on site and provides a hands on research platform to the UCF curriculum
Among the clusters, Sustainable Coastal Systems, Resilient, Intelligent and Sustainable Energy Systems (RISES), and Renewable Energy and Chemical Transformation (REACT) are conducting cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research and education to make positive impacts across the globe and to promote UCF excellence
Green Building Construction and Renovation Requirements incorporate 28 credits with emphasis on energy, atmosphere, and water efficiency
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2017
The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) awards UCF a Silver rating under its Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS)
The League of American Bicyclists designates UCF a Bicycle Friendly University at the Bronze level
A Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies joins the list of available sustainability-related degrees
UCF receives two USGBC LEEDership Awards, with UCF Global recognized as Most Outstanding Project, and Utilities and Energy Services as Outstanding Green Business - Public Organization
2018
The university adds two guiding university sustainability goals to its neutrality commitment

UCF’s sustainability goals are:

  1.  Reaching carbon neutrality by 2050
  2. Achieving ‘Zero Waste’
  3. Integrating sustainability across all disciplines
UCF opens District Energy Plant IV, UCF’s first LEED Gold Industrial facility, providing highly efficient centralized cooling and heating to university buildings
The university establishes the Center for Global Economic and Environmental Opportunity (GEEO) to advance UCF’s role and enhancing UCF’s reputation on global economic and environmental issues
The universities earns Bee Campus USA certification for its work to conserve native pollinators by increasing the abundance of native plants, providing nest sites, and reducing the use of pesticides
The Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) honors UCF with the Institutional Energy Management Award - Region II
USGBC certifies the FAIRWINDS Alumni Center, UCF's first LEED O+M building
UCF receives the USGBC LEEDership Award, with the FAIRWINDS Alumni Center recognized as Most Outstanding Project, LEED for Existing Buildings
The Sustainable Training Series (STS) launches for faculty and staff
2019
The Green Chamber of Commerce awards UCF a grant to update waste and recycling signage to national standards
2020
UCF converts District Energy Plant IV (DEP IV) to use reclaimed makeup water for its evaporative cooling process

Using reclaimed water reduces 25-30 million gallons of water pulled from the aquifer per year and avoids $75,000 in operating expenses

The university adds it's 28th LEED building to the high performance building portfolio, totaling 1,569,869 square feet of certified space

Check out UCF's LEED portfolio with scorecards here 

UCF receives four awards from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office, totaling $9.64 million – $7 million from the DOE and $2.64 million in matches from UCF for projects ranging from securing our nation’s power grids to optimizing solar energy
The STARS report benchmarks colleges and universities sustainability efforts across academics, operations, engagement, and planning
UCF actively addresses the plight of pollinators through operations, educational programs, and community engagement
The UCF FAIRWINDS Alumni Center Case Study demonstrates the viability of certifying existing buildings under the LEED rating system
Faculty and staff can pursue the STS certificate or select individual sessions on food, transportation, energy, and more
DEP IV is the International District Energy (IDEA) magazine's Winter 2021 cover story
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2021
The university is recertified by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) as a Silver-rated institution under its Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS)

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