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.
  • A lighthouse and buildings are built into the side of a cliff overlooking the ocean on a foggy day.

    Article

    Clearing up predictions

    Notre Dame engineer studies coastal fog to improve weather forecasting

  • 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 disassembled laptop showing the internal components

    News

    How big is your laptop’s carbon footprint?

    Your laptop might politely sip electricity at your desk, but it has already devoured significant quantities of climate-changing carbon—through extraction, refining, shipping and assembly—before you even took it out of the box.

  5. Mohammad Farrae, a graduate of the Keough School's Master of Global Affairs program, leads Seed Global Development.

    News

    Built for impact: Notre Dame alumni tackle global development challenges

    Several alumni of Notre Dame's Master of Global Affairs program work together at Seed Global Development, a consulting firm that provides clients with innovative insights and solutions. They frequently draw on the perspectives and skills they learned at the university's Keough School of Global Affairs. 

  6. Man in glasses and an ND fleece in a lab with optical equipment showing green laser beams. He looks at the camera.

    News

    Notre Dame aims to develop novel cooling technology

    With funding from Notre Dame Nanoscience and Technology (NDnano) and Notre Dame Energy, a team of researchers will pursue a frontier in strategic energy. Masaru K. Kuno, professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, has received an NDnano Momentum Research Grant to advance semiconductor optical refrigeration: the use of...

  7. A head-and-shoulders portrait of a smiling woman with fair skin and straight, shoulder-length blonde hair parted in the middle. She wears gold-rimmed glasses and a dark forest-green top featuring intricate lace detailing along the V-neckline and open-work lace sleeves. She is positioned against a plain, neutral-toned wall.

    News

    Sustainability Spotlight: Emily Held

    Emily Held is an electrical engineer on campus. Notre Dame Sustainability sat down with Emily to learn more about her and discuss her role in shaping sustainability on campus through her work in Utilities.

  8. A medium shot of a man, identified as Tony Polotto, kneeling on a lush green roof under a clear blue sky. He is wearing a light pink button-down shirt and navy blue trousers, gesturing with his hands toward the variety of low-growing plants and succulents. In the background, a large tan-colored architectural dome and a treeline are visible.

    News

    ND Works Podcast: Green roofs at Notre Dame with Tony Polotto

    In this episode of NDWorks Podcast, host Natalie Davis Miller sits down with Tony Polotto, the senior director of construction and quality assurance in the office of facilities design and operations. Polotto brings years of experience in a number of areas to our conversation about sustainability and green roofs on...

  9. Ryan Juskus speaks in Geddes Hall Coffee House

    News

    Transforming sacrifice zones into sacred zones

    Ryan Juskus approaches environmental justice as integral to human dignity April 15, 2026   For Ryan Juskus, assistant professor of the practice at the Institute for Social Concerns, the true cost of our global energy systems is best seen not in atmospheric charts but in the mines, extraction sites, and...

  10. A professional headshot of a woman with long, auburn-tinted hair and glasses, wearing a blazer over a light blue collared shirt. She has a neutral expression and looks directly forward against a plain gray background.

    News

    Where Pollution Meets Pathogens: Inside Anuradha Goswami’s Research

    Goswami evaluates environmental factors implicated in the rise of antimicrobial resistance and uncovers the molecular mechanisms that cause it.

  11. 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.

  12. 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 &...

  13. 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...

  14. A wide landscape of a pond covered in green lily pads, surrounded by a lush green meadow in the foreground and a dense evergreen forest. Forested hills rise in the background under an overcast, cloudy gray sky.

    News

    Alaska’s vital coastal wetlands vulnerable to additional stress from warming climate, Notre Dame study finds

    Shallow freshwater ponds in coastal Alaskan wetlands are getting warmer in sync with rising air temperatures, according to a study by University of Notre Dame researchers, signaling that the area could potentially become unsuitable for salmon and other organisms during this century.

  19. 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.

  20. 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

  21. 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

    A new study from researchers at the University of Notre Dame, published in Nature: Communications Earth & Environment, uncovers a more comprehensive picture of forest health. Funded by NASA, the research shows that spectral reflectance—a measurement obtained from satellite images—corresponds with the expression of specific genes.

  25. 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.

  26. 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.

  29. 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.

  31. Flames in an open field

    News

    Heartland Aflame

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

  32. 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.

  35. 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...

  36. 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

    This article was updated on May 8, 2026, to reflect updates on the expansion of green roofs across additional campus buildings.  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...

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

    News

    Notre Dame joins EPA Green Power Partnership program

    The EPA established the Green Power Partnership program in 2001 as a way to encourage organizations to use green energy, including wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal, and to protect human health and the environment.

  46. 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.

  47. 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.

  48. 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.

  49. 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 during opening remarks at the first keynote event...

  50. Eco Health And Vulnerability

    News

    New study confirms relationship between toxic pollution, climate risks to human health

    In a first-of-its-kind study that combines assessments of the risks of toxic emissions (e.g., fine particulate matter), nontoxic emissions (e.g., greenhouse gases) and people’s vulnerability to them, University of Notre Dame postdoctoral research associate Drew (Richard) Marcantonio, doctoral student Sean Field (anthropology), Associate Professor of Political Science Debra Javeline and...

Discover and engage
  1. A close-up portrait of an older woman with grey hair and black-rimmed glasses wearing a red shirt, looking thoughtfully past the camera with a neutral expression

    Article

    Protecting renters from predatory landlords

    At Notre Dame Law School, the Eviction Clinic gives students real-world experience.

  2. Golden statue of Mary with an outstretched arm atop Notre Dame's Main Building dome under a crescent moon and star.

    Photo Essay

    Hey, May

    The month in photos, May 2026

  3. Focused woman in beige jacket, glasses, and headset, looking up while using a computer mouse. Man works at nearby station.

    Podcast

    Inside Artemis II mission control

    For seven hours, Notre Dame alumna Kelsey Young ’09 sat in NASA mission control, listening as astronauts described the Moon in real time from a vantage point no human had ever experienced before.

  4. Hesburgh Library's Word of Life mosaic under a blue sky, framed by vibrant purple tulips and a blossoming yellow tree.

    Photo Essay

    Spring at last!

    The month in photos, April 2026

  5. A woman in a navy blue shirt helps a young girl wearing glasses assemble wooden craft pieces.

    Article

    25 years of impact in South Bend

    The Robinson Community Learning Center stands as a lasting symbol of trust, partnership, and shared purpose between Notre Dame and its closest neighbors.

  6. The bronze sculpture Desert Rose by Arnaldo Pomodoro is placed at the center of the ecological greenhouse at the Gardens of Castel Gandolfo. The curved glass structure—covered with solar panels—frames the work within a light-filled, sustainable environment. Stone pathways and carefully trimmed hedges unfold beneath a canopy of Mediterranean pines.

    Article

    Sowing seeds of hope: Vatican partnership advances global sustainability

    The collaboration supports research, education, and action to build a more just, sustainable future.

  7. Broadly smiling woman with dark hair in a navy jacket with gold buttons, arms crossed, in front of bookshelves.

    Podcast

    What happened to the American family?

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

  8. 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.

  9. 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.