Working@Duke Turns 20: Documenting Two Decades of Sustainability Successes
From grassroots change to carbon neutrality, see how Duke grew greener
Capps, then Duke’s Environmental Sustainability Coordinator , and her colleagues worked to unify these efforts into something larger: a shared culture.
“To develop a culture of sustainability on campus, it was extremely important to not just highlight the institutional efforts, but also the people doing the work behind the scenes and their personal stories,” said Capps, now Duke’s Executive Director of Climate and Sustainability. “We wanted people to show why it’s important to them. Highlighting the staff who were doing things, especially if it wasn’t part of their job, made a huge difference.”
Capps found an early ally in Working@Duke, the magazine for staff and faculty that launched the same year. Now celebrating 20 years, Working@Duke consistently amplified sustainability efforts and spotlighted the many ways, both large and small, that Duke employees advanced the work.
Having achieved carbon neutrality in 2024, Duke is now working toward an ambitious net zero goal, shifting away from reliance on high‑quality offsets toward a strategy centered on deep, direct emissions reductions and durable long‑term carbon removal solutions. This shift aligns with the new Duke Climate Commitment, launched in 2022, to weave sustainability into its research, teaching, operations and public engagement.
August 2007
“Your Source for Green News at Duke”
In 2007, Duke powered around 80 campus fleet vehicles with alternative fuels, expanded its portfolio of energy-efficient buildings, and diverted 1,200 tons of waste from landfills through recycling.
Then-Duke Executive Vice President Tallman Trask introduced the recurring “Sustainable Duke” feature in a Working@Duke column to highlight how the Duke community works to be environmentally conscious.
“Sustainability is part of how we do business today, and we are committed to seeking new ways to protect our campus, Durham’s neighborhoods and our environment for generations to come,” Trask wrote.
March 2007
"French Family Science Center: Building a Greener Future”
Opened in late 2006, the French Family Science Center embodied Duke’s commitment to sustainability.
The 275,000-square-foot West Campus building, home to the departments of Biology, Chemistry and Physics, earned LEED Silver certification with its green roof, energy-efficient windows, water-conserving plumbing fixtures and a design that brought natural light to into the interior.
In the years that followed, Duke expanded and renovated campus buildings with sustainability in mind, most notably Grainger Hall, which earned LEED Platinum status certification after opening in 2014.
February 2008
"Changing the Campus Climate”
After Duke signed the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment in 2007, Working@Duke spoke with then-Nicholas School of the Environment Dean Bill Chameides, who led a committee of students, faculty and staff working to develop a plan for climate neutrality.
In the Q&A, Chameides outlined climate neutrality meant and how people could make a difference.
“We simply need to be smarter about how we use energy,” he said. “That involves lifestyle changes. Some of those are fairly trivial, like turning the lights off and using less water. If every home in the United States changes out three regular light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs, it would be equivalent to taking three million cars off the road.”
May 2008
“Landfill Detour: Duke Reuses and Recycles Construction Debris”
As Duke built and renovated campus facilities, it worked to give new life to as much excess building material as possible.
During a comprehensive renovation of the Friedl Building on East Campus, crews recycled 75% of the roughly 800 tons of construction debris, including drywall, wiring and old plumbing fixtures.
And following a renovation of the helipad atop Duke University Hospital, teams removed roughly 430 tons of roof ballast stone and reused it to stabilize roads in Duke Forest.
November 2009
“New Era for Steam at Duke”
From 1926 until its closure in 1978, the East Campus Steam Plant used coal to fuel the massive boilers that provided heating to Duke’s buildings.
But in January 2010, after a $25 million renovation, the plant reopened, powered by greener natural gas.
“It really is a historic restoration,” said Floyd Williams, who managed the project for Facilities Management at the time. “We’re taking a building and adding state-of-the-art technology to produce steam at high efficiency and ultra-low emissions.”
The East Campus Steam Plant’s switch to natural gas cut Duke’s coal consumption by around 70% and allowed Duke to create 35% more steam for heating and humidification needs of academic and medical buildings.
December 2009/January 2010
“Duke to Become Climate Neutral by 2024”
Two years after pledging to become carbon neutral, Duke University released a Climate Action Plan that set a goal of reaching zero emissions by 2024, the university’s centennial year.
The plan outlined how Duke would cut or offset its greenhouse gas emissions by adding other steps, hybrid buses, switching campus steam plants from coal to natural gas and investing in projects that capture greenhouse gasses elsewhere.
“Duke has long been a major center for the study of the environment, and we are committed to being a leader in best practices in responding to climate change,” then-Duke University President Richard H. Brodhead said.
February 2011
“It’s Electric”
In the summer of 2010, as part of a campus-wide effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions, Duke Facilities Management added nine vans and a pickup truck, replacing gas with electricity. Easy to charge easily and quiet as they moved across campus, the new vehicles quickly won fans.
“I do a lot of driving back and forth between West Campus and Duke Hospital, so I like the fact that I’m not just burning through fuel,” said Locksmith Brandon Tucker.
April/May 2012
“Duke Moving Toward Carbon Neutrality”
By the spring of 2012, Duke had reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 11% from its 2007 baseline, moving closer to its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2024.
The university achieved this progress by shifting the West Campus Steam plant from coal to natural gas, expanding greener building design with 22 LEED-certified facilities and promoting sustainable transit and communing practices.
August/September 2012
“Overall Water Use Drops as Duke Population Rises”
During the worst drought in North Carolina’s recorded history in 2007, Duke took immediate steps to conserve water, including giving away an initial batch of 5,000 “low water flow” showerheads to Duke faculty, staff and off-campus students.
After the drought had become a memory, the university sustained conservation efforts, reducing overall water use by 30% even as it added additional building space.
Duke continued to act, designing buildings that use less water, installing cisterns to capture rainwater for athletic fields and landscapes and planning an on-campus reclamation pond to supply a nearby chiller plant.
February/March 2013
“37 ‘Green’ Offices and Growing”
Starting in 2011, offices and departments across Duke adopted sustainable practices related to recycling, energy use and purchasing to earn a “Green Workplace Certification” from Sustainable Duke. In 2013, the program expanded to include labs, dorm rooms, classrooms and events, making sustainability a grassroots priority across the Duke community.
“Duke is a leader in so many things, so it makes total sense we should strive to be a leader in sustainability,” Sonographer Marilyn Weisz, who helped Duke’s Fetal Diagnostic Center earn a green certification, said at the time.
Today, the Green Certification Program continues to inspire Duke community members and teams to make greener choices, adding a Green Home Office Certification option following the COVID pandemic.
April/May 2014
“Green On Your Plate – And Off”
Duke Dining demonstrated its commitment to sustainability by building relationships with local vendors, serving fair trade coffee and offering reusable food containers. In the years since, Duke Dining has grown into a sustainability leader, earning national recognition for its sourcing, its specialty menus and green practices, such as finding ways to divert over 1.7 million pounds of organic waste from landfills.
“By striving for an environmentally conscious program today, we will help ensure a brighter tomorrow,” said Duke Executive Director of Dining Services Robert Coffey said at the time.
August/September 2015
“Striving for Zero Waste”
As thousands of fans filled Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium for seven home football games in 2014, around 70 student and employee volunteers worked to keep the Blue Devils’ environmental footprint small.
As part of a contest with other universities, Duke set a goal of hosting zero-waste home football games by recycling or composting as much waste as possible. During the season, volunteers diverted 51% of recyclable and compostable waste from landfills.
The zero-waste games reflected Duke Athletics’ commitment to sustainability, a focus that has endured.
October/November 2015
“Campus Water Stations Save 400,000 Plastic Bottles”
Duke expanded access to sustainable hydration by installing 50 water bottle refilling stations in buildings across campus, giving community members a way to stay hydrated while cutting down on disposable plastic bottles.
By using the taps, which dispense cold, filtered water, students, staff and faculty saved an estimated 400,000 plastic bottles. Stretched end-to-end, that many bottles would reach from West Campus to Greensboro.
June/July 2016
“Duke’s Sustainability Leaders”
The winners of the 2016 Sustainability Awards showcased the creativity and commitment of the Duke community.
The Sarah P. Duke Gardens reduced waste; the Thompson Writing Program Lecturing Fellow Daniel Ahlquist taught sustainability courses; the John Hope Franklin Center’s Melissa Neeley inspired colleagues to adopt green behaviors; Duke Facilities Management’s Boyd Pickard and David Grizzle advanced energy conservation; and Physician Assistant John Lohnes found inventive ways to reuse surplus medical supplies.
Since 2003, when Duke’s Environmental Management Action Committee first recognized campus sustainability leaders, the awards – which were reimagined as the Sustainability Awards in 2013 – have remained a campus tradition.
December 2016/January 2017
“A Second Life For Trees”
As campus growth accelerated a decade ago, Duke continued to honor its trees. The university replanted around 1,000 trees during a building period and repurposed wood from trees that were removed.
Former Duke Facilities Management Carpenter Andy O’Shea crafted a 24-square-foot table for Giles Residence Hall from a West Campus oak. Crews also used wood from other campus trees in the Student Wellness Center and the pavilion by Duke Pond.
“Duke is known is known as ‘the University in the Forest,’ and we intend to keep it that way,” said Duke Facilities Management Department Project Manager Steve Carrow, who is still with Duke.
Duke has maintained this approach, earning the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree Campus designation for 17 consecutive years.
August/September 2017
“The Hands-On Side of Offsets”
While operational and behavioral changes reduced greenhouse gas emissions during Duke’s push toward climate neutrality, the university also evaluated and purchased carbon offsets – projects that reduce carbon emissions elsewhere – to balance emissions it could not eliminate.
In 2017, instead of relying only on distant carbon offset programs, Duke piloted local projects that aligned with its values and created impact in nearby communities.
In the years since, Duke has moved away from investing in offset projects. But the lessons learned from these efforts continue to guide how it evaluates responsible decarbonization opportunities.
October/November 2018
“5 items to Reuse at Work”
Recycling plays an important role, but reusing goes even further.
In most workspaces, staff and faculty can reuse everyday items to reduce waste. Sustainable Duke experts point to simple swaps, such as cloth towels, scrap paper, coffee mugs and reusable water bottles and food containers, as meaningful steps toward lowering our environmental footprint.
“The most efficient use of our resources is to have one product and use it over and over again,” said Fuqua School of Business Project Planner Katie Kross, who is still with Duke and shared the story of her well-used coffee cup.
April/May 2019
“Understanding Solar Power at Duke”
In 2019, Duke generated solar energy at three campus sites: the Duke Smart Home, Research Drive Garage and Grainger Hall. With high energy demands and limited space for solar arrays, these systems met a small fraction of Duke’s needs.
Solar power remains a part of Duke’s energy portfolio. As outlined in the Duke Climate Commitment’s 2030 Strategy, the university continues to explore ways to develop its renewable energy procurement strategy.
February/March 2020
“Duke Moves Toward a Greener Future”
With four years remaining before its climate neutrality deadline, Duke had reduced its overall greenhouse gas emissions by 20%, even after adding around 3 million square feet of building space since 2013.
At the same time 3,769 employees worked in offices and labs that had earned Sustainable Duke’s Green Workplace Certification.
“Duke’s sustainability achievements have been the result of senior leadership support, shared accountability among many different departments and grassroots efforts from the campus community,” said Tavey Capps, Duke’s Executive Director of Climate and Sustainability said in 2020.
February/March, 2021
“Final Steps to Climate Neutrality”
The final installment in Working@Duke’s Sustainable Duke series highlighted how operational efficiencies, renewable energy investments and reduced commuting from remote and hybrid work would help Duke reach climate neutrality in 2024.
While it achieved that goal, Duke’s commitment to sustainability did not end there.
In 2022, Duke launched the Duke Climate Commitment, an institution-wide effort to address the climate challenge through research, education, community partnerships and continuing efforts to make campus greener.
"In many ways, this carbon neutrality achievement is just the beginning of a much larger culture shift and transformation," Toddi Steelman, Vice President and Vice Provost for Climate and Sustainability, said in 2024. "Our Duke Climate Commitment extends to every facet of our university – including not just operations, but research, education, community partnerships and external engagement. We want wholesale change.”–28) is the next chapter toward the 2030ing.
Visit the Duke Climate Commitment and read the Three-Year Plan to stay current on the latest sustainable actions.
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