GOAL: Carbon neutral by 2030.

PROGRESS: 

In 2025, the Office of Sustainability conducted focus groups with Physical Plant Department maintenance and operations staff to develop further strategies towards decarbonization and energy efficiency across campus.

In 2025, key campus partners participated in AASHE’s Decarbonization Academy to learn new strategies for reaching carbon neutrality.

In 2024, the Office of Sustainability launched a greenhouse gas inventory website, increasing transparency and making information more accessible for research and learning. 

Since 2023, three geothermal test wells were drilled to investigate the feasibility of geothermal energy on campus near the UVM Athletics Complex, on Trinity Campus, and at the Colchester Research Facility.

GOAL: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions 60% below 2007 levels by 2024.

PROGRESS: This goal has been achieved. UVM purchases Vermont carbon offsets from the Vermont Land Trust to cover our Scope 3 emissions.

GOAL: Reduce GHG emissions in major university buildings.

PROGRESS: 

In 2025, the Fleming Museum chiller replacement was completed, enhancing system reliability and saving an estimated 26,000 kWh annually. The completed Howe Library air handler project is projected to save more than 569,000 kWh annually and avoid approximately 132,333 pounds of CO₂ emissions each year through improved energy performance. 

In 2024, a boiler reprogramming project at the Main District Energy Plant was completed and is estimated to reduce building thermal emissions across campus by about 4%. Steam meters in multiple buildings have been replaced to improve data collection on individual building heating use. Multiple energy studies are underway to identify effective measures for further reducing campus emissions from high-energy use buildings. 

GOAL: Increase energy efficiency in laboratory buildings.

PROGRESS: 
In 2025, a new high-efficiency chiller at the Health Sciences Research Facility is expected to reduce campus emissions by 1,621,511 pounds annually. 

In 2024, Stafford Hall was connected to chilled water from our Main District Energy Plant, replacing inefficient refrigerant coils. This project is expected to reduce electricity use by 610,000 kWh annually, and is comparable to the annual electricity consumption of about 90 Vermont homes.

GOAL: Reduce GHG emissions associated with the UVM fleet.

PROGRESS: UVM’s fleet now includes 39 EVs, representing 18% of the total fleet. A new fleet permit fee (launched Jan 2025) encourages EV adoption, vehicle downsizing, and interdepartmental sharing. UVM leveraged incentives to expand fleet charging infrastructure to 63 fleet-specific ports.

In 2026, UVM hired a Fleet Coordinator. This new position will increase efficiencies of our fleet, oversee a shared fleet, centralize purchasing processes, and provide departmental assistance with selecting vehicles.

GOAL: Reduce conventional single-occupancy vehicle commutes from 2019 baseline.

PROGRESS: In 2023, UVM added two new covered and secured bike parking shelters accommodating over 100 bikes and since then has installed e-micromobility charging locations at Jeanne Mance and Harris Millis to support safe charging practices for these emerging mobility needs.

New housing closer to campus and updates to the proximate zone map support sustainable travel choices. In 2024, a third CarShare Vermont vehicle was added to campus. A vanpool program was launched in 2025.  

UVM ridership on GMT has surpassed pre-pandemic levels, and the 2024 CATMA survey data shows a strong increase in sustainable commuting choices. UVM worked with GMT to re-route buses to service new housing at Market Street.

GOAL: Implement the EV Charging Campus Plan.

PROGRESS: UVM completed the largest EV charging station expansion in Vermont, with a 400% increase in campus charging capacity. Recent installations include 119 new EV ports (25 in 2024 and 94 in 2025) across locations like BioResearch, Centennial, Leahy, and Wheeler House, totaling 141 charging ports on campus.

GOAL: Increase spending on Vermont-grown food to 25% by 2030.

PROGRESS: From July 2024 - June 2025, UVM Dining Services spent $2,502,139 on local food (21.4% of total spend), partnering with over 105 Vermont farmers and producers. 

In Spring 2025, Dining launched the Local Meets Global series, hosting seven pop-ups in dining halls with local entrepreneurs in conjunction with cultural heritage months. 

In Fall 2025, the Dining Team proudly onboarded Food Connects Food Hub (Brattleboro, VT) as a vendor, bringing new local food brands to campus including Sherpa Foods, True North Granola, and Against the Grain.

In 2024, UVM Dining welcomed new local partnerships with Stewarts Bakery, Burlington Bagels, and Miller Farm.

GOAL: Reduce total pounds of waste generated per campus user 10% by 2035 from FY19 baseline.

PROGRESS: In FY24, overall waste generation (trash, compost and recycling combined) decreased by more than 220 tons from the FY19 baseline, indicating progress in waste reduction efforts.  

In 2024, UVM Dining expanded reuse initiatives with the launch of ReusePass, a mobile app that improved access to the EcoWare program. Reusable cups were also introduced in four retail locations during the spring 2025. In fall 2025, these programs were used 34,324 times.

UVM was the first public university to end the sale of bottled water in 2013 and in 2025 reaffirmed that commitment in University policy. 

GOAL: Increase composting and recycling by a combined 10% or more by 2035 from FY19 baseline.

PROGRESS: UVM achieved a 50% diversion rate for the first time since COVID in FY 25. 

The successful pilot program to collecting organics from residence halls that was tested in 2024 was expanded campus-wide in 2025 and had resulted in diverting over 2,000 pounds of food scraps from the waste stream.

A comprehensive waste characterization study helped identify additional materials for diversion from the waste stream.

Two new recognized student organizations, Thrift UVM and Vermont Policy Institute were launched to tackler textile waste and hard-to-recycle items such as sneakers, food wrappers and plastic packaging. 

We now have 16 labs participating in lab recycling programs to divert nitrile gloves and pipette tip boxes. 

GOAL: Prioritize the purchase of electric grounds management equipment.

PROGRESS: In 2024, UVM Grounds purchased 2 electric mowers and 29 units of electric handheld equipment, including trimmers, blowers, saws, and shears.

In 2025, UVM Grounds purchased an electric transfer pump for their watering truck, replacing the gas-powered motor previously used to water campus gardens and trees. The new pump significantly reduces fumes and noise, improving working conditions and the campus environment. 

GOAL: Increase the square feet of sustainable and native plantings on campus.

PROGRESS: UVM completed a comprehensive mapping and evaluation of all garden beds to assess pollinator friendliness, guiding the expansion and enhancement of pollinator and naturalistic gardens across campus. In 2024, 15,000 square feet of new naturalistic gardens were added at Votey and Lafayette. 

In 2025, a new garden on central campus and enhancement of an existing pollinator meadow added 5,000 square feet of new and improved pollinator friendly gardens to campus. 

GOAL: Support the implementation of Inclusive Excellence Action Plans within departments across the University.

PROGRESS: The Office of Sustainability actively contributes to the University’s Intercultural Excellence efforts through representation on the University Intercultural Excellence Council. 

GOAL: Implement the CSP and revise the plan on a five-year basis.

PROGRESS: Annual progress report is broadly shared through UVM’s news channels, featured on the Office of Sustainability website, and promoted across social media platforms to increase visibility and campus-wide engagement.

GOAL: Increase percentage of positive sustainability investments and shareholder advocacy.

PROGRESS: In 2024, the Energy Revolving Fund's payback period criteria was extended from 7 to 15 years to enable further investment in energy efficiency upgrades to campus. UVM's investment in socially responsible funds has increased to $49M as of FY25.

GOAL: Create partnerships with other training and educational institutions to support the development and training of the green workforce in Vermont.

PROGRESS: Physical Plant launched entry-level roles with on-the-job training for high-demand trades, enabling pilot participants to advance from assistant to senior positions within a year; this successful model is now expanding to the building automation controls team. 

PACE is now offering a customizable project management class for construction companies and manufacturers in collaboration with local businesses. 

The Green Mountain Work and Learn program is a new curated gap year geared toward young adults interested in emerging technologies including clean energy, but who have yet to decide on the appropriate educational paths to careers in these fields.

GOAL: Improve purchasing practices to increase sustainable purchases across the University.

PROGRESS: The Office of Sustainability now reviews RFPs prior to publication to identify sustainability opportunities. 100% of RFPs issued in FY25 included sustainability specifications, which were given an average 10% weighting when bids were reviewed along with criteria like cost and quality.

Purchasing Services lists sustainable purchasing resources on their website and published a Supplier & Vendor Code of Conduct in 2026. 11.96% of contracted spending in FY 25 was with social impact suppliers.

GOAL: Strengthen and support transdisciplinary sustainability research across the University.

PROGRESS: UVM achieved the prestigious Carnegie R1 Designation in 2025. Much of UVM's research enterprise is related to sustainability. 93% of academic departments are engaged in sustainability research or scholarship.

GOAL: Launch Sustainable Solutions Lab (SSL) and cultivate research that uses campus as a “living lab”.

PROGRESS: The Sustainable Solutions Lab hosts ongoing graduate and undergraduate internships including carbon pricing, policy analysis, pollinators and planetary health. These opportunities have been sponsored by the Sustainable Campus Fund, Planetary Health Initiative, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources (RSENR) and Office of Sustainability.

GOAL: Educate students to have a positive impact and contribute to sustainable communities.

PROGRESS: UVM is a leader in sustainability education with one of the first environmental programs and sustainability general education requirements in the country. 86% of academic departments have sustainability course offerings. Undergraduates who have completed their sustainability requirement report being better able to assess how sustainability impacts their lives and how their actions impact sustainability.