Sustainability | Penn Today

Sun shades attached to building windows.

Penn buildings achieve LEED certifications, showcasing commitment to sustainability

Three recent building projects at the University of Pennsylvania have earned LEED Platinum, Gold, and Silver certifications, underscoring Penn’s ongoing commitment to sustainable design and construction.

3 min. read

Mapping smarter tree placement in Philadelphia and beyond

Graduate student Frank Chen provides insight into his project to find the best spots to plant street trees and optimize shade coverage for pedestrians in Philadelphia.

3 min. read

The exterior of Penn’s Weitzman School under construction.

A survey of summer construction progress across campus

Ahead of Move-In and the start of a new academic year, construction teams mark milestones in vital renovations and maintenance across the University.

5 min. read

Stephen Decina appointed inaugural executive director of Climate Science Policy and Action

The Office of the Vice Provost for Climate Science, Policy, and Action reflects Penn’s already considerable presence across energy, sustainability, and climate science.

2 min. read

Keeping HUP sustainable

Corporate director of sustainability for the University of Pennsylvania Health System Greg Evans discusses steering Penn Medicine towards a greener future.

2 min. read

Move-out: Tips for a cleaner, greener, easier experience

Penn offices and community partners have options for off-campus pickups, on-campus donations, and additional curbside trash pickup days aimed at keeping the neighborhood clean and limiting what ends up in the landfill.

3 min. read

Using satellites, drones, and AI for more sustainable and efficient agriculture

Piotr Lazarek, a fourth-year Penn Engineering and Wharton student from Pawłowice, Poland, won the 2025 President’s Sustainability Prize for Nirby, a real-time farmland management system addressing inefficiencies in fertilizer usage.

5 min. read

Earth Week to feature hands-on activities and events

Taking place April 21-27, Earth Week events include origami with bioplastics, birding, networking, a culinary session, and more.

3 min. read

In a reversal, plans for U.S. natural gas power grow, complicating progress on climate

John Quigley of the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the Weitzman School of Design says that the construction of every new natural gas plant is a setback for climate goals.

California’s controversial new fuel rules rejected by state legal office

A report by the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the Weitzman School of Design predicted that fuel standard changes in California could increase the cost of gas by 85 cents a gallon through 2030.

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Penn buildings achieve LEED certifications, showcasing commitment to sustainability

Mapping smarter tree placement in Philadelphia and beyond

A survey of summer construction progress across campus

Stephen Decina appointed inaugural executive director of Climate Science Policy and Action

Keeping HUP sustainable

Move-out: Tips for a cleaner, greener, easier experience

Using satellites, drones, and AI for more sustainable and efficient agriculture

Earth Week to feature hands-on activities and events

In a reversal, plans for U.S. natural gas power grow, complicating progress on climate

California’s controversial new fuel rules rejected by state legal office