Sustainability Action Plan: Energy & Climate

The campus strives to reach carbon neutrality.

Sustainability Action Plan
Energy & Climate Section

Objective 1: Complete administrative actions to develop the necessary foundation for achieving climate neutrality goal
Objective 2: Implement diverse and comprehensive energy conservation programs
Objective 3: Implement energy efficiency policies and upgrades
Objective 4: Utilize renewable energy

Top Accomplishments

The campus has an overall reduction of campus electricity consumption per square foot by 20% and its natural gas use per square foot by 31% since 2002. During this time there was an overall increase in the student population of 6,750 and an increase in campus square footage of 50%. (Last updated 2015)
In 2014, NAU made a 18 million dollar investment in a campus wide energy efficiency retrofit and conservation program
NAU purchases 15% of our electricity from renewable energy sources. Renewable Energy Certificates
We’ve completed a $68,883 investment in a biomass feasibility study to determine the potential for bringing a biomass plant to campus and are currently assessing next steps
Faculty and staff can become Energy Mentors and help NAU use resources more efficiently
We’ve recently installed an EnergyCap program that will monitor the energy and water use of campus buildings to help in detecting problem buildings and to help educate building occupants
NAU has installed 21 electric vehicle charging stations across campus
We have multiple sources of renewable energy on campus: four wind turbines (at the ARD building, outside the HRM, and two turbines at the Solar Shack). We also have a 163 kWh solar field on south campus, multiple installations of solar hot water heaters, and an innovative installation of solar hot air heaters.