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Higher Education

Tufts University

    Outcomes
  • Campus master planning and carbon neutral strategies
  • Reduced GHG emissions
  • Reduced operating expenses
  • Asset renewal
  • Reduced energy use intensity

Reimagining the master plan process

Tufts University hosts over 11,000 students in several campuses across Massachusetts, with its main campus on the Medford/Somerville border, its School of Medicine and MFA programs in downtown Boston, and a veterinary school in Grafton.

The university is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. To progress toward this goal, Tufts collaborated with Ecosystem, building on previous efforts, to develop a Carbon Neutrality Framework and Action Plan, a long-term pathway that supports short- and medium-term objectives. Comprehensive engagement with many stakeholders, including the Office of Sustainability, Capital Planning and Deferred Maintenance, Finance, Procurement, Operations and Facilities, and representatives from Tufts Academics, ensured that the plan was aligned with campus priorities.

For Tufts, a strategic pathway to carbon neutrality by 2050 required not only a change in utility infrastructure, but also a comprehensive set of policies, guidelines, green building standards, and procurement strategies to guide decision making. The report clarified these standards and strategies to help the campus assess upcoming asset renewal, to ensure that all projects contribute to the carbon neutrality goal.

The first projects aligned with the strategic pathway are in process, starting with a project at the Carmichael Residence and Dining Hall on the main campus.


Project Period
2021-ongoing
Methodology
Detailed study + Action plan
Sustainability Objective
Carbon neutral by 2050
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Your industry

Higher Education

A Partner for Your Decarbonization and Energy Initiatives Higher education is challenging the status quo with ambitious goals around asset renewal, GHG reduction, resiliency, and OPEX savings. To achieve these goals,  forward-looking campuses are taking action to advance the energy transition, demonstrating a resolute commitment to carbon neutrality and the…
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