Chatham University praised in report for sustainability efforts

Chatham University in Pittsburgh was ranked second in a study of the nation’s top colleges for their use and consumption of renewable energy. The study was conducted by the environmental advocacy group PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center.

The report compares local colleges and universities to other institutions across the country, paying special attention to areas including electricity, heating, hot water, clean vehicles and others.

Chatham was named in the report as the No. 2 nationwide for its use of renewable heating, cooling, hot water and other non-electric energy. The university uses three solar thermal systems to heat all of its water, according to the report.

“Higher ed is not just educating the leaders for the future of this, but is really trying to lead the way,” said Chatham University President David Finegold, who helped present the report’s findings in a virtual news conference Wednesday afternoon.

The report examined colleges in three main areas: shifting to renewable electricity, repowering buildings with clean energy and adopting electric vehicles.

“We were really pleased to be included and featured in the report…We were an early mover in sustainability,” Finegold said, referencing the environmental activism of world renowned alumna Rachel Carson, environmentalist and author of “Silent Spring.”

Finegold touted the “diversity” of renewable energy sources at both its Shadyside and Eden Hall campuses, including more than 50 geothermal wells that provide heating and cooling, solar panels, wind stacks and turbines. About a quarter of the university vehicles are electric or hybrid he said, and Chatham is working with partners at Carnegie Mellon University to create an “eco-village” community on its Eden Hall campus.

He said sustainability is also worked into the curriculum — every student at Chatham graduates with at least one course in sustainability, he said.

According to the report, out of 127 colleges that reported data to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership — a voluntary program made up of more than 1,300 organizations — 42 are meeting 100% or more of their electricity needs with renewable energy; seven of which are in Pennsylvania. There are 76 colleges getting at least 50% of their energy from renewable sources. Within the top 10 schools for obtaining 100% renewable energy use was Swarthmore College, in Swarthmore, Pa.

At Wednesday’s press event, Swarthmore President Valerie Smith listed several efforts by the college’s sustainability team, including a commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035 and the design and construction of a “net zero” dining hall and community commons. The construction project, which began in this summer, includes rooftop solar panels and all electric energy sources.

Ashleigh Deemer, deputy director for PennEnvironment — and a Chatham alumna — praised the institutions for their progress in sustainability.

“Colleges and campuses are natural leaders when it comes to transitioning to 100% renewable energy,” she said. “We’re excited to celebrate the fact that so many schools in Pennsylvania are leading the way and doing just that.”