Sustainability

From climate science to ethical policy, Notre Dame is uncovering the factors that can lead to a more sustainable future—through research and real-world action.

David Richter stands in front of a whiteboard speaking to a few students in a classroom going over classroom material.

At Notre Dame, the call to care for our common home is rooted in mission.

We envision a future defined by the solutions we create, not the problems we avoid, where human dignity and ecological integrity flourish together.

Nate Swenson stands in a lush green forest, holding a tall yellow pole saw. He wears a green jacket, grey pants, glasses, and a baseball cap with bug netting around his neck. Mosquitoes are visible swarming on his clothing. Sunlight filters through the dense canopy of trees behind him.
  • Jason Carley

    News

    Beyond sustainable

    One alum's journey from Shark Tank to designing products from unconventional materials that minimize environmental impact.

  • World map in blue with green location pins highlighting 12 cities: Panama City, Bogotá, Rio de Janeiro, Berlin, Amman, Abuja, Kinshasa, Mogadishu, Mumbai, Beijing, Shenzhen, and Jakarta.

    News

    Measuring water security

    Notre Dame research leads to a comprehensive, scalable method for assessing a city's vulnerability to water-related climate trends.

Our common home on campus

Our commitment is evident on campus, with a holistic approach to energy, new construction, operations, and more.

  1. A solitary figure stands in a misty field at dusk, with a small stream in the foreground and a line of trees in the distance.

    Article

    Fighting for clean water

    Professor Jennifer Tank is working with the Environmental Change Initiative to restore and protect our freshwater resources.

  2. A smiling man with light hair, blue eyes, and a beard wears a green Notre Dame Residential Life Summer Housing polo shirt.

    News

    Sustainability Spotlight: Ben Wood

    Ben Wood is the Assistant Director for Residential Facilities in the Office of Residential Life. Notre Dame Sustainability sat down with Ben to learn more about him and discuss his role in shaping sustainability on campus through his work in the Office of Residential Life.  Tell us about yourself &...

  3. Two ND Landscape Services employees stand among yellow and purple wildflowers. One holds a stem of yellow flowers.

    News

    Sustainability Spotlight: Joe Rabbitt

    Joe Rabbitt (pictured, right) is the Horticulturist in Landscape Services. Notre Dame Sustainability sat down with Joe to learn more about him and discuss his role in shaping sustainability on campus through managing Notre Dame's green spaces. Tell us about yourself & your work on campus. I am the Horticulturist...

  8. Five women in a dense forest gather large green leaves. One wears a pink jacket and multi-colored headscarf, another an olive jacket, a third a beige sweater. Two women in red headscarves wear a pink patterned sweater and an orange jacket, respectively. They are smiling and working.

    News

    Nepal’s green success story has a hidden social gap, Notre Dame research shows

    Women in Nepal harvest sal leaves from a forest to make biodegradable cups and plates, part of an eco-friendly enterprise that provides a livelihood and lessens the use of plastics. Image source: Usha Thakuri, ForestAction Nepal In recent years, Nepal has been heralded as a global leader in community-based forest...

  9. A white pole with a lit star, string lights, red ornaments, and an elf figure, along with a lit weather station, stands against a twilight sky. The blue sky fades to pink above a vast white landscape dotted with distant utility poles and wires.

    News

    Shedding Light on Ice Fog in the Darkness of Polar Night

    Ice fog—a curtain of tiny ice crystals suspended above the earth's surface—reduces visibility and makes air travel treacherous.

  10. Bald man with glasses, wearing a dark suit, light blue shirt, and striped tie, speaks into a microphone at a podium. He holds up a white spiral notebook showing sponsor logos.

    News

    EARTH

    A New Way to View the Blue Sky

  11. Sunlight bursts through the vibrant green canopy of tall deciduous trees, viewed from below, creating a bright dappled effect.

    News

    How light reflects on leaves may help researchers identify dying forests

    Early detection of declining forest health is critical for the timely intervention and treatment of droughted and diseased flora, especially in areas prone to wildfires. Obtaining a reliable measure of whole-ecosystem health before it is too late, however, is an ongoing challenge for forest ecologists. Traditional sampling is too labor-intensive...

  12. Four men work outdoors on a solar energy project. A man in a green 'CLIMATE PROMISE' shirt stands with his back to the camera. Another in a neon vest smiles, holding a solar panel. A third in a green jersey looks on, and a fourth, wearing orange gloves, stands on a barrel working on a pole.

    News

    New research details fundamental shift in global climate finance

    Installing solar-powered street lighting in Senegal. Photo by UNDP Senegal. Creative Commons License 4.0. Multilateral climate funding is undergoing a major structural shift, according to new research by the University of Notre Dame. Instead of directly financing climate projects, international organizations are using public money to reduce investment risks for...

  15. A man with spiked reddish-brown hair holds a small, clear square chip with internal serpentine channels, examining it intently. He wears a dark hoodie in a lab setting.

    News

    Tackling e-waste with biodegradable electronics

    In response to the global e-waste crisis, Notre Dame computer scientist Tingyu Cheng is developing biodegradable electronic components that can dissolve and decompose safely. His team's award-winning work offers a more sustainable approach to electronic prototyping without sacrificing functionality.

  16. Two smiling men in orange safety vests stand outdoors. The man in a NOLA cap has his arm around the other. Behind them are a dirt field, houses, a church steeple, and distant wind turbines.

    News

    Luis Montestruque, Ph.D. ’04, uses smart water systems to teach old infrastructures new tricks

    In this conversation, Luis Montestruque, ND Ph.D. '04, discusses the evolution of smart water technology, the role of green infrastructure, his company's recent work in the U.K., and the forces that have shaped his engineering career.

  19. Hands in blue gloves carefully hold a rectangular piece of wet, translucent white material, possibly a hydrogel, in a lab setting.

    News

    Smarter filter uses electric charges to target pollutants and recover resources

    Notre Dame engineer William Phillip and his W.A.T.E.R. lab have developed a charge-patterned mosaic membrane (CMM) that separates substances based on their charged ions. This work offers new possibilities for treating industrial wastewater and recycling resources.

  20. Headshot of a person with long, dark blond hair, wearing rimless glasses, a light blue checked shirt, and a dark suit jacket against a gray background.

    News

    In new research, Roy Scranton explores climate change and the limits of human progress

    According to Roy Scranton, director of the University of Notre Dame’s Environmental Humanities Initiative, the biggest problem we face with climate change isn’t excessive carbon emissions or energy usage. And it isn’t the fundamental imbalance created by human activities that threatens ecosystems and has pushed the planet into instability. The...

  21. Flames in an open field

    News

    Heartland Aflame

    A Notre Dame professor unearths the mysteries and the lessons of native grasslands.

  22. A wide expanse of dark, choppy ocean water under a heavy, grey storm cloud with visible rain falling in the distance.

    News

    Monsoon mechanics: civil engineers look for answers in the Bay of Bengal

    Notre Dame researchers with the Environmental Fluid Mechanics Laboratory set sail into the Bay of Bengal for oceanographic research investigating how warm ocean waters help ignite the Indian summer monsoon.

  25. Campus in spring

    News

    University earns Tree Campus USA designation

    After a year of hard work by the Campus Tree Care Plan Committee, Notre Dame has officially been recognized as a Tree Campus USA school. Tree Campus USA helps colleges and universities establish and sustain healthy community forests. Notre Dame's tree canopy has a rich history. In 1966, the University's...

  26. An aerial view of the roof of Rockne Hall, showing a newly installed vegetative green roof. On the left side of Rockne hall there are trees in full bloom, while the right side of the building is dirt with construction taking place.

    News

    Green roofs continue to grow across campus skyline

    Alongside the striking slate roofs and stoic gargoyles that adorn the tops of campus buildings, vegetative “green” roofs have gained considerable acreage across the University’s skyline. This summer, the Rockne Memorial became the newest building to sport a green roof system. Aerial view of the newly installed green roof at...

  27. A woman stands in front of 3 landfill, recycling, and compost bins on a sunny day assisting students with sorting their waste into the different waste stream bins.

    News

    Celebratory Campus-Wide Inauguration Picnic Provides Case Study for Composting on Campus

    On September 11, 2024, Notre Dame celebrated the inauguration of its 18th president, Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., with a campus-wide picnic. This event brought the community together and marked a significant milestone in the University’s sustainability efforts: as part of the celebration, Notre Dame launched its first-ever large-scale composting...

  32. St. Joseph Farm solar panel site (Photo by Matt Cashore/University of Notre Dame)

    News

    Notre Dame joins EPA Green Power Partnership program

    The University of Notre Dame has joined the Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership program for organizations whose actions help to advance the use and development of new and existing sources of green energy. The EPA established the Green Power Partnership program in 2001 as a way to encourage organizations...

  33. ND-GAIN Country Map

    News

    Climate-prepared countries are losing ground, latest ND-GAIN index shows

    The most climate-prepared countries in the world are losing ground, according to the latest update of the University of Notre Dame’s Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN) Country Index. Updated annually, ND-GAIN’s Country Index quantifies the climate vulnerability and readiness of more than 180 countries by aggregating 45 core indicators over 20...

  34. The statue of Leon Battista Alberti in front of Walsh Family Hall of Architecture. (Photo by Barbara Johnston/University of Notre Dame)

    News

    Notre Dame receives LEED certification on five new buildings

    Five new buildings totaling 245,000 square feet at the University of Notre Dame have received LEED certifications from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Baumer Hall and Johnson Family Hall each earned Gold, and the Matthew and Joyce Walsh Family Hall of Architecture, the Irish Athletics Center and the...

  36. Construction on the St. Joseph River hydroelectric project (Photo by Matt Cashore/University of Notre Dame)

    News

    Notre Dame clean energy projects earn Partners for Clean Air Award

    The University of Notre Dame has been recognized with a Partners for Clean Air Award from the Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG) for its commitment to clean energy, including recent long-term investments in solar and hydroelectric power and geothermal heating and cooling. The award is for significant investment in...

  37. A man with grey curly hair and pink glasses types on a keyboard at a desk, looking at two monitors. The left screen shows a colorful scientific map. The right shows a dark, cloudy beach scene from Sri Lanka and text about an MJO event.

    Video

    ND :30 - Joe Fernando

    Professor Joe Fernando measures oceanic and atmospheric wave patterns to develop models that will predict monsoons up to several weeks in advance.

  38. A man in a white lab coat and black glasses intently works inside a laboratory fume hood. Orange and yellow equipment are visible within.

    Video

    ND :30 - Tengfei Luo

    Aerospace and Mechanical Engineer Tengfei Luo is working to desalinate water with an ionic liquid as a new solvent.

  39. University of Notre Dame

    News

    Notre Dame commits to carbon neutrality by 2050

    The University of Notre Dame committed to becoming a carbon neutral campus by 2050 and to a reduction in carbon dioxide of at least 65 percent from 2005 levels within the next nine years, University President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., announced today during opening remarks at the first keynote...

  42. Cultivate

    News

    Food rescue partnership reaches 100,000-pound milestone

    The University of Notre Dame has reached a milestone in its relationship with Cultivate Food Rescue: 100,000 pounds of food donated to the nonprofit to battle hunger and reduce food waste. Since 2017, the University has donated 102,622 pounds of excess food to the food rescue organization from dining, athletics...

  43. Solar Array

    News

    Notre Dame-backed solar project breaks ground in St. Joseph County

    Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) broke ground recently on a $37 million solar project that will provide clean energy credits equal to 10 percent of the University of Notre Dame’s total demand for electricity, helping the University meet its goals around clean, renewable energy. “This is the next big step for...

Discover and engage
  1. Broadly smiling woman with dark hair in a navy jacket with gold buttons, arms crossed, in front of bookshelves.

    Podcast

    What happened to the traditional American family?

    The American family has changed dramatically over the past four decades, raising urgent questions about marriage, economic stability, and child well-being.

  2. Statue of Sacred Heart of Jesus, two lit candles, surrounded by worn black and brown shoes and scattered red tokens on wood.

    Article

    A saint of our own?

    The humble piety of Notre Dame cobbler Brother Columba inspires a canonization push.

  3. Golden Dome and Basilica of the Sacred Heart silhouetted against a red and orange sunset, reflected in a Notre Dame lake.

    Photo Essay

    A model March

    Semester in full swing, snow, sun, fun, madness, and mulch.

  4. Congregation and clergy gather at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart with a purple banner and white-draped coffin.

    Photo Essay

    Remembrance and appreciation

    Lou Holtz, 1937–2026

  5. Smiling man with gray hair wearing a navy blazer, light blue dress shirt, and blue striped tie with orange accents, seated in a conference room with artwork and a monitor visible in the blurred background.

    Article

    A dignity movement

    2026 Laetare Medalist Timothy Shriver

  6. Smiling older man with short gray hair wearing a gray blazer and light blue shirt, set against a deep blue background overlaid with colorful financial candlestick chart graphics in teal, pink, and red.

    Podcast

    How do you measure success?

    Mendoza professor Joe Holt joins Jenna Liberto to talk purpose-driven goals, meaningful work, and redefining success.

  7. Students and three priests in white vestments gather for a night mass around a lit snow chapel and altar, snow-covered Sorin Hall in background.

    Photo Essay

    Between winter and spring

    The month in photos, February 2026

  8. Side-by-side black and white portraits. On the left, a man with wavy hair and a patterned blazer is shown in a grainy halftone style. On the right, Father Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C., in a clerical collar, looks thoughtfully to the left.

    Article

    The press vs. the power

    Observer founder Robert Sam Anson had a contentious yet strong relationship with ND President Father Hesburgh.

  9. A woman with short dark hair smiles slightly while looking off-camera. She wears a brown, fleece-lined winter jacket. In the background, snow rests on dried plants in front of a tan brick wall.

    Podcast

    Cold plunges and unicorns

    Anthropologist Cara Ocobock reveals what extreme cold reveals about our bodies and human resilience, and why hunting a “unicorn” is harder than it looks.