Harvard Office for Sustainability

Today is #GlobalRecyclingDay! Harvard is taking a systemic approach to sustainably manage all waste streams—including plastics, electronics, recyclables, and organics, as well as construction, demolition, and hazardous waste—while prioritizing waste prevention and reduction. Together, we are piloting solutions on campus and developing resources to create a #ZeroWaste future. Not sure how to properly dispose of different waste items? Learn how to recycle or dispose of your waste using Harvard's Waste Wizard tool: https://lnkd.in/eBy9iqpY

Two historically significant Harvard residential properties were renovated to target ambitious sustainable building certifications. The 19th-century buildings at 5 Sacramento Street and 13 Kirkland Place were gut-renovated to be all-electric and meet PHIUS (Passive House Institute US) standards and target the Living Building Challenge (LBC) Core certification. Learn more about how the project team chose to preserve the original buildings while realizing significant reductions in embodied carbon through the reuse of existing materials: https://loom.ly/JZj_84s #SustainableHarvard #SustainableBuilding #HowWeBuild #PHIUS #LBC #PassiveHouse

Last month, the Salata Institute and the Harvard Office for Sustainability presented to 22 student leaders at the Climate Action Camp. This transformative five-day experience focused on enhancing community climate awareness, and teaching the skills and structure needed to turn classroom discussions into impactful residential initiatives. Are you a Harvard student interested in climate and sustainability? Stay up-to-date on opportunities and events by subscribing to our monthly newsletter: https://lnkd.in/eVzzgtpY .

Last month, the David Rubenstein Treehouse conference center reached an important milestone: placing the ceremonial last structural beam of the building, also known as a "Topping Out Ceremony." The celebration marked the completion of the framing of the building, as the next phase moves to enclosing the building. The Treehouse is designed to target ILFI Living Building Challenge Core Green Building and Materials Petal certifications and is Harvard's first mass timber structure, made of wood sourced from sustainably managed forests. #SustainableHarvard #SustainableBuilding #MassTimber

The Harvard Healthier Building Academy (HHBA) now targets 14 interior product categories to fulfill the academy's mission to design, build, and operate healthier buildings, including a healthier supply chain, better indoor air quality in buildings, and access to daylight and nature. Grounded in the latest science, including research done on our own campus, HHBA standards focus on removing forever chemicals and other petrochemicals from our supply chain to support occupant health on Harvard's campus and for up and downstream communities. Learn more: https://loom.ly/tIbjk6s #SustainableHarvard #HealthierBuilding #HowWeBuild #SustainableBuilding

Are you passionate about tackling climate change? Learn how to turn your aspirations into actionable solutions with "How to Create a Climate Venture," a weekly online class from Harvard Innovation Labs designed for aspiring climate entrepreneurs, including Harvard students, faculty, staff, and affiliates of partner institutions. Early bird deadline ends Thursday, January 9: https://lnkd.in/eASxkYET

In 2024, the Harvard Office for Sustainability (OFS) continued to work toward University-wide, holistic sustainable goals through the lens of climate, health, and equity. From launching the first-of-its-kind Consortium for Climate Solutions, to introducing the most significant update to our Sustainable Building Standards since 2009 and growing the Green Revolving Fund to $37 million to support campus decarbonization, we are advancing sustainability and climate action. Our vibrant student community embraced initiatives and courses focused on sustainability, and the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability continued to serve as the centerpiece of Harvard’s climate- and sustainability-focused research, teaching, and engagement. OFS looks forward to continuing this work to create a more sustainable campus and world in 2025. #SustainableHarvard #Sustainability #2024 #ClimateAction https://loom.ly/KSQKgNM

The Student Sustainability Associates (SSAs) at Harvard Business School completed a waste audit of their classrooms with the help of Dailey Brannin (Harvard Recycling) and Courtney Forrester (EH&S). As part of a campaign, the SSAs shared information about waste sorting with HBS classmates and then did an audit to see which section did the best job diverting waste from the trash stream without contaminating the compost and recycling bins in their classroom. SSAs helped inform students about how to differentiate bioplastics from recyclable petroleum-based plastics, as well as the compostable to-go items available at HBS dining halls. Not sure what goes in the compost or recycling? Explore Harvard’s Waste Wizard at https://lnkd.in/eBy9iqpY. #SustainableHarvard #ZeroWaste #Compost #Bioplastics

The Harvard Office for Sustainability is hiring a Manager of System Operations & Sustainability! This role is an integral member of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) and Office for Sustainability (OFS) teams. The position will be managed by OFS yet work as part of the FAS’s Office of Physical Resources and Planning (OPRP) team with a focus on reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in FAS buildings and supporting operational sustainability performance. This role will work across the portfolio to identify, develop and implement energy and emissions reduction programs (meaning implemented at scale across the building portfolio) as well as improve/update existing programs. To most cost-effectively implement these programs, the role will require utilizing Utility and other incentive programs as applicable. Learn more and apply now: https://lnkd.in/eeUvmxJp

The Harvard Office for Sustainability is hiring a Program Manager of Data Analytics! Building on the Office for Sustainability’s (OFS) existing data and University infrastructure, this position is responsible for measuring, tracking and reporting progress toward University-wide climate and sustainability goals, both internally and externally. This role will be part of a coordinated data management strategy across Campus Services and other parts of the University relating to sustainability data points, especially building data. Learn more and apply now: https://lnkd.in/ekYYwMZ7