Introducing Sustainability Council!

The OSU Sustainability Council is a new departmental program hosted by the Sustainability Office that serves as a hub for peer-to-peer student engagement on sustainability topics. The Council connects student clubs and organizations - and individual students - for collective action around sustainability and social justice. Winter meetings are every Wednesday from 5-6pm in MU 215. To receive Sustainability Council updates, please fill out the Interest Form!

Learn more about Sustainability Council here

Invest in New OSU Solar Projects Today! 

The OSU Sustainability Office, Corvallis Sustainability Coalition, and Oregon Clean Power Cooperative invite faculty, staff, and community members to invest in the latest Solarize Corvallis projects – rooftop solar on three OSU buildings: Beth Ray Center, Milam Hall, and Richardson Hall. The minimum investment is $1,000, with investment rate choices between 1% and 4%. A portion of the funding for these projects will come from community investors – to take advantage of this win-win opportunity, please email info@oregoncleanpower.coop! The first project at Beth Ray Center is now fully funded but we need more investors for Milam and Richardson!

OSU Recognized as a Top Performer in 2023 Sustainable Campus Index

OSU has been recognized as a Top Performer in the 2023 Sustainable Campus Index, ranking fifth for Coordination and Planning, with a score of 100%. OSU was also recognized for having one of the highest STARS data accuracy rates during the recent reporting period, with a score of 97.56%. A publication from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), the Sustainable Campus Index recognizes top-performing colleges and universities overall and in 17 impact areas, as measured by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). View the report here!

Recommissioning Campus Buildings Reduces Carbon Impact

Facilities Services and the Sustainability Office have been working together to optimize building heating and cooling systems to reduce wasted energy. Since the effort began in the summer of 2022, OSU has saved an estimated $140,000 in energy costs and moved closer to the goal of carbon neutral operations by 2025. The process is called retrocommissioning or recommissioning, which includes analyzing and improving the existing mechanical and building control systems to better meet occupant needs and increase energy efficiency. Two recent projects have included the Coast Range Building and Linus Pauling Science Center — both of which saved thousands during the first few months after recommissioning improvements. 

Learn more here!