Office of Sustainability

Our mission is to advance solutions to support long-term sustainable change in Lehigh’s operations, academics, administration, and community.

The Office of Sustainability encourages and facilitates interdisciplinary sustainability efforts of students, faculty, and staff and initiates transformative programs that contribute to a sustainable Lehigh. Through the engagement of stakeholders at all levels of the University and across the community, the Office strives to address issues of sustainability in daily life (recycling, green building, composting), while simultaneously seeking to influence the long-term sustainability of Lehigh University.

By introducing long-term planning for institutional policies and programs that integrate sustainability into work, research, and learning, the Office works to instill sustainable best practices across the university with the goal of significantly reducing Lehigh’s environmental footprint. We will meet the evolving challenges of a changing world, mitigate the effects of climate change, and develop and empower future leaders.

The Office of Sustainability has five primary operating objectives:

1. Leadership: Provide information, resources and strategic guidance to senior administrators, faculty, staff, and students working to integrate sustainability practices and policies into their programs.
2. Policy Development: Develop policies that promote environmentally sensitive behavior by campus users and environmentally as well as fiscally responsible development and stewardship of campus assets.
3. Projects & Programs: Create, implement, and manage innovative programs and events, in partnership with other campus units whenever possible, that integrate sustainability into operations, research, curriculum, co-curriculum, and engagement with the broader community.
4. Monitoring: Establish metrics and track institutional sustainability performance.
5. Outreach: Share the University’s sustainability story and encourage the campus community to contribute to its growth and success.