Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois
Partner of the Year - Sustained Excellence - Energy Management
Northwestern University is a private academic and research university. In 2020, Northwestern made continued progress toward its long-term goal of reducing the energy intensity of its buildings, including through conservation measures implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Key 2020 accomplishments include:
- Selecting an external energy service partner to establish a long-term energy management program, with significant annual energy savings anticipated by the end of the five-year project implementation period.
- Integrating sustainability training into the university’s mandatory new employee orientation process, encouraging energy and water saving best practices into workplace and daily habits.
- Increasing the number of Northwestern University buildings tracking water use in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager®.
- Formalizing a goal within its Facilities Management department to win the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year award each year.
- Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic with an eye for energy efficiency, including HVAC, lab air change, and building schedule changes in partially occupied and unoccupied spaces, and transitioning its Earth Month event to virtual.
