Executive summary
Since the approval of Indiana University's Climate Action Plan (IUCAP), meaningful progress has been made across campuses. This report offers a snapshot of where we are, what we've learned, and where we're headed.
IU Climate Action Plan – annual report, Fall 2025
Progress to date
IU has laid a strong foundation for emissions reduction efforts. From energy efficiency upgrades and expanded student internships to solar feasibility studies and fleet electrification planning, campuses have taken measurable steps toward further integrating efficiency, resilience, and sustainability into daily operations.
Complexities and challenges
Implementing emissions reducing solutions at scale is not without challenges. Financial hurdles, operational limitations, and changes to economic and political landscapes have shaped – and will continue to shape – the pace and scope of our efforts. The infrastructure changes and upgrades recommended require significant investmentand a lengthy approval process governed by Indiana code. These realities underscore the importance of cross-unit collaboration.
Looking ahead
The coming year will focus on building more detailed roadmaps to furtherinform and guide implementation. Top priorities include updating campus master plans and energy and utility master plans to reflect the recommendations outlined in the IUCAP, issuing a university-wide RFP for EV charger infrastructure, acquiring more electric vehicles and equipment, expanding energy conservation measures, exploring new funding opportunities, and launching a new, centralized Sustainability website. These efforts will help IU move closer to fulfilling the recommendations outlined in the IUCAP.
Introduction and background
Emissions at Indiana University
IU’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol was built on the GHG Protocol, an international framework which establishes comprehensive global standardized frameworks to measure and manage GHG emissions. IU’s GHG protocol was established in 2020 to standardize the GHG inventory process for all IU campuses and allow for consistency in measurement over time. The IU Bloomington campus has a longer history of conducting GHG inventory, dating back to 2010.
IU’s annual GHG accounting process starts in July of each year, the start of IU’s fiscal year, and runs through the spring semester. The reporting includes both scope 1 (direct) and scope 2 (indirect) emissions.
While GHG accounting seeks to minimize uncertainty, estimation is an inherent part of the process. Inventories rely on scientifically based methods that use activity data and emission factors to produce the best possible estimates, but they are not exact measurements. Results may change over time as governing protocols are refined, emission factors are updated, or new information becomes available.
Data is presented in MTCDE (metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent) and is presented without normalizations for campus size, population, or energy intensity.
Emission reduction strategy recommendations
As outlined in IUCAP, there are 6 major categories of effort, each with recommendations and projected impact.
- Utility Grid - Collaborating with local utilities and the State of Indiana to support grid decarbonization.
- Infrastructure - Enhancing energy efficiency and resilience in building design, heating, cooling, and energy distribution systems, fleet, and equipment.
- Renewables - Implementing renewable energy to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
- Behavior - Encouraging changes to reduce energy consumption and optimize space and scheduling.
- Financing - Establishing funding mechanisms to support energy efficiency projects, renewable energy implementation, and resilience initiatives.
- Implementation - Developing structures to effectively execute and monitor the plan.
Progress to date
Progress:
- Met with all utility providers in the state to identify opportunities for shared interests, namely: EV, utility-scale (supply-side) renewable solutions, and energy efficiency
- Most promising opportunities for partnership are in EV and energy efficiency
- IU is process of negotiating a consultant contract to examine market VPPA participation
- IU is engaged in utility IRPs
Progress:
- Repair and Rehabilitation (R&R)
- Board of Trustees (BOT) approved FY25 R&R budget of $48.2M in June 2024; CAP benefits from: building commissioning, building envelope improvements, mechanical system upgrades, and building controls
- Introduced energy savings lens into FY25 R&R selection; further refined energy savings lens in FY26 R&R selections to rank order top energy saving projects
- Lab energy efficiency: (1) Received My Green Lab certification for several labs at the IU School of Medicine (IUSOM); using experience to develop IU program with similar goals (2) “Shut the sash” decals are being applied to fume hoods on all IU campuses (3) Engaged in lab equipment electrical metering project at IUSOM to understand equipment energy profiles while idle vs in active research; results to inform targeted interventions for laboratory equipment procurement and use (4) lab freezer maintenance program in development
- New temperature set points in effect across all IU campuses
- Dynamic air filters are being tested at Gatch Hall at IUI with aim of reducing air handler unit energy use.
- IUB is getting new chillers (~$15m) with the latest energy efficiency technology that will allow the campus to reduce electrical demand while also increasing cooling load.
- IUI received a lighting upgrade at Mike Carroll Stadium, reducing emissions by 68 MTCDE annually
- Two retro-commissioning (RCx) projects are completed at IUI with an annual emissions reduction of 27,500 MTCDE; three buildings are currently RCx at IUI; two buildings just started RCx at IUB
- Deep building setbacks during winter break resulted in an average 24% reduction in power utilization
Progress:
- This engineering study is on the FY26 R&R funding request list
Progress:
- Completed a full inventory of kitchen equipment at IUB to understand fuel type – natural gas vs electric – necessary to plan for equipment electrification or alternative fuel potential
Progress:
- Hired consultants to examine cost and construction needs for heat recovery/combined heat and power at IUB’s central heating plant; BOT approved Capital Appropriation Request (CAR) of $50M for combined heat and power project for IUB at Sept 2024 meeting; projected to reduce IUB emissions by 13%; this CAR project was not funded in the 2025 State budget cycle
Progress:
- Fleet
- Completed an electric vehicle (EV) benchmark study of Big 10 and friends peer institutions to guide IU to correct solution for charging and fleet electrification.
- Participated in the fleet electrification advisory program, a program of Duke Energy, for all IU campuses; this program created transition planning recommendations for plated university vehicles to move from internal combustion engine to EV; we now understand which vehicles need to transition on what timeline.
- Benchmarked points of intervention during IU’s vehicle procurement process; partnered with Fleet Services and Procurement Services to inform future IU procurement process/policy for EV acquisition; developing educational interventions while policies are explored; the varied use of IU fleet vehicles will require exceptions for EV, at least in the early years
- Bus
- IUB was accepted into the Department of Transportation (DOT)/Department of Energy funded Clean Bus Planning Award program, led by the National Renewable Energy Lab; this program provides technical expertise to advise on transitioning bus systems to lower emission alternatives; final report found that electrifying campus buses will result in 58% emissions reduction at an additional price of $21.3M to move from diesel to electric
- Other internal combustion engine equipment
- IUI has begun electrifying their grounds equipment; testing at other campuses is underway
- Chargers
- EV charger infrastructure planning has occurred at all IU campuses, including preliminary engineering analysis, siting considerations, ADA requirements, EV charger features, ownership models, and more
- DOT Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant was submitted to fund the installation of EV chargers across all IU campuses; this application also included collaborators Purdue University and Ball State University; grant request totaled $5.8 million; this grant was not funded, but the results of the grant are being utilized to inform future efforts
- Working towards an IU-wide request for proposal (RFP) for EV chargers
Progress:
- The consultant study for combined heat and power at IUB included considerations for fuel switching; if funded, heat recovery unit will be future proofed for alternative energy sourcing
- Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) grant was awarded for $75,220 in support of a food waste dehydrator at IUB, which has the potential to serve as a biofuel source; installation is expected to be complete by spring 2026
Progress:
- Existing solar assets at IUB and IUI were assessed for past performance and operational challenges to inform future strategy; common challenges are inverter and meter failures, inability to replace parts as the manufacturer is out of business, energy output lower than expected, payback longer than the lifespan of panels, lack of in-house maintenance experience/expertise, especially with solar thermal
- A solar study was conducted for all campuses, which included information on potential locations, pricing, and internal rates of return for ground mount, rooftop, and carport solar
- Results: of the locations assessed, less than half were deemed viable; common issues include: some roofs do not have the structural integrity to support the load of solar panels (specific to many of IUB’s buildings); voided roof warranties; ROI periods longer than 10 years; IUB and IUI campuses do not possess significant land for ground mount solar installations; parking lot cartop solar capital costs and ROI are prohibitively high
- Locations deemed most viable are: projects under $2m; ground mount at all regionals except IUE; rooftop installation on select buildings at IUB/IUI; buildings with new or soon-to-be new roofs
- Partnered with Capital Projects and Planning to ensure new buildings are solar-ready, meaning the appropriate electrical infrastructure to support solar connection and roof engineering is appropriate to support the additional load of solar panels. This design has been integrated into buildings currently under construction: Jim T. Morris Area, STEM Lab Building, and IU LAB
Progress:
- Launched space heater exchange program in winter 23-24; collected and removed over 200 space heaters across IU campuses to date
- The Campus Decarbonization Implementation Workshop Series was offered fall 2025 and spring 2025 semesters; this series provides a deeper dive into how decarbonization projects are developed, prioritized, and constructed
- The Office of Sustainability student internship program has been expanded to all IU campuses as of spring 2025; these students are all working on campus operations-specific sustainability solutions, including waste, energy efficiency, landscapes, and more; total current intern count is 32
- The Office of Sustainability partnered with the O’Neill School to create an O’Neill-focused sustainability internship position aimed at measuring and mitigating O’Neill’s environmental footprint and carbon emissions; this is a pilot position with goals to expand to all schools if successful
- Over 850 students engaged through class projects, internships, individual research projects, volunteerism, tours, and more during AY23-24
Progress:
- $114.5 million in federal and state grant applications submitted to date:
(1) EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (application led by State of Indiana): $21.5 million for solar; $12 million for fleet electrification; $75 million for heat recovery; the State of Indiana was not selected for funding
(2) DOT Charing and Fueling Infrastructure Grant: $5.8 million for EV chargers for all IU campuses; not funded
(3) DNR Natural Disaster Recovery: $40,000 for replacement trees damaged by storms at IUB and IUSE; funded
(4) DNR State Urban Forest Resilience: $27,600 for invasive tree species removal and native replacement at IUI; funded
(5) IDEM Community Recycling Grant: $75,220 for food waste dehydrator at IUB; funded
(6) IDEM Recycling Market Development Grant: $172,675 for in-vessel food waste composters at IUB, IUI, IUSB; proposal currently under review
- R&R: ongoing funding of energy conservation measures
- Capital appropriation request: $50M request for combined heat and power
- Pursuing utility rebates for energy efficiency projects where eligible and appropriate
Progress:
- Office of Sustainability centralized under Chief Sustainability Officer
- Office of Sustainability is fully staffed:
(1) Director of Campus Sustainability at IUI in June 2024
(2) Director of Campus Sustainability at IUB in August 2024
(3) Sustainability Manager at IUI in October 2024
(4) Energy Engineer (all campuses) in February 2025
- Each campus has a Climate Action Plan Implementation Committee (CAPIC) with representation from students, faculty, staff; meeting since Jan 2024
- New dashboards were created on the Climate Action Plan website: greenhouse gas dashboard, utility data dashboard, and CAP implementation dashboard
- A new, centralized Sustainability website is in development; expected to launch winter 2025
- Created a database of projects students/faculty can take on to contribute to CAP; Sustainability Project Portal in development for new website
- Sustainability has been invited to contribute and provide language for large contract negotiations, including waste and pouring contracts; these major vendors now have sustainability as a required component of their bid
- Scope 3:
(1) Gaps in scope 3 reporting have been identified
(2) Scope 3 efforts have been benchmarked among Big 10 universities
(3) Current focus is business travel due to near completeness of data sets and the potential for a positive impact on the university budget
- All IU regional campuses were folded into IU Sustainability’s efforts to track and report on sustainability performance via the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS) framework; those reports are in progress
- Greening IUI Grant ($25k) + IUB Campus Sustainability Innovation Fund ($50k) application periods closed at end of April with emphasis on supporting IUCAP; winners announced here
Progress:
- Woodland Campus Initiative: Sustainability supports IU-wide Tree Campus Higher Education Committees to support Tree Campus Higher Education certification for all campuses; IUI has met 25% of 28% canopy coverage goal; there are continued investments in tree canopy growth for all campuses
- EV siting included considerations for resilience, including impacts of heat and flooding
- New builds prioritizing white roofs for heat reflectivity
- Heat recovery study will support backup energy for IUB, providing power resilience during periods power loss
CAP solutions - finances and impacts
Before any capital projects are brought forward for funding and approval requests, a formal study is conducted. These studies, typically conducted in partnership with consultants with expertise in the project area, are deep dives into the high-level recommendations outlined in IUCAP. The scope of these studies can include estimated costs, engineering feasibility, compatibility with existing systems, an examination of policy on project scope, emissions impact, risks of both the project and to other areas of university operations, and more.
In the table below, an overview of this deep dive is presented.
The most impactful, emissions reducing projects require a significant amount of capital, especially when scaled across the IU system. Because funds are not unlimited, it is important to prioritize and pursue projects by their impact.
$/MTCDE is presented as a metric used to assess large capital, IUCAP solutions for their emissions reducing impact. This metric demonstrates the dollar amount required to eliminate one metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCDE) by project. In a financially limited environment, $/MTCDE can be used to route funding to projects with the most emissions-reducing potential.
| Project | Estimated capital cost ; $/MTCDE | Emissions impact | Risks | Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rooftop solar (example: project at IUB) | $1,877,000 ; $6,699/MTCDE | Low |
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| Heat recovery at central heating plant | $50,000,000 ; $306/MTCDE | High |
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| Ground mount solar (example: project at IUSB) | $2,304,000 ; $363/MTCDE | Low |
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| Carport solar (example: one project at IUNW) | $6,739,000 ; $489/MTCDE | Low |
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| Electrify IUB campus bus | $21,300,000 ; $5,783 | Low |
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| Central heating plant fuel switch | - | - | - | - |
| Steam to hot water loops | FY26 Study | - | - | - |
| Geothermal | FY26 Study | - | - | - |
| Market-based renewable solutions | FY26 Study | - | - | - |
Next steps
Looking to fiscal year 2026, our most significant priorities will be:
- issuing a university-wide request for proposal for EV charger infrastructure necessary to support EV expansion of the IU fleet and support EV drivers at IU
- increasing the adoption of electric grounds equipment and fleet vehicles
- monitoring investment tax credit changes and their potential impacts to on-site renewable energy generation
- replacing outdated PV technology on campus while assessing additional locations for financial and operational feasibility
- assessing participation in utility and market-based renewable energy solutions
- engaging in an engineering study to assess cost and feasibility of converting steam to hot water loops
- continuing to prioritize energy efficiency projects, specifically identifying additional retro commissioning opportunities on each campus
Acknowledgements
These efforts are representative of the time, effort, and thought of countless IU staff, faculty, and students who have contributed through the Climate Action Plan Implementation Committees (CAPIC) or the work of their unit.
We’d like to specifically thank the teams in Capital Projects, Energy Management and Utilities, Real Estate, Facility Operations/Campus Facility Services, Parking Operations/Parking and Transportation Services, Campus Bus, Fleet Services, Dining, Housing, Environmental Health and Safety, Surplus, Office of Research, Office of Procurement Services, and more.