Energy
Voluntary Household Actions Contribute 40% of Cumulative Emissions Reductions under the IIJA and IRA
Mar. 4, 2024—The role of household actions in reducing carbon emissions worldwide has been hotly debated, but the United States data confirm their significance. In 2021, households accounted for roughly one third of U.S. CO2 emissions, with the residential sector representing over 19% and passenger and light duty vehicles representing another 22%. A new paper from Vanderbilt...
Wond’ry Commodore Cup Unleashes Student Innovation for Sustainable Campus Transformation
Dec. 4, 2023—This year, the Wond’ry, Vanderbilt’s Center for Innovation, launched their first ever Commodore Cup, a design thinking challenge that was funded through one of Vanderbilt’s Sesquicentennial Grants, which resulted in teams showcasing their ingenuity with proposed sustainability improvements for Vanderbilt’s campus. We were elated to embark on the journey of creating a groundbreaking program centered...
Aaron Feng, BA’18, champions the environment within finance, oil and gas industries
Oct. 30, 2023—By Amy Wolf Yalun Aaron Feng, BA’18, has long been fueled by optimism and a sense of challenge in his quest to build bridges between business and environmental advocacy. While a Vanderbilt undergraduate, the Wuhan, China, native and environmental sociology and political science double major launched a social enterprise company that made fully biodegradable plates out of tree leaves....
From blackberry juice solar cells to forensic labs: VINSE outreach is shaping the next generation of scientists
Oct. 19, 2023—There’s a good chance many Middle Tennessee high school kids know more about nanotechnology than you do thanks to the Vanderbilt Institute of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, which has been making strides in its educational outreach for more than a decade. VINSE’s mission is to drive innovation in science, nanotechnology and education that benefits society. ...
Give Metro Nashville feedback on Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan
Oct. 3, 2023—To prepare Nashville and Davidson County and ensure its citizens’ ability to thrive for years to come, former Nashville Mayor John Cooper’s office, in partnership with Metro Nashville departments and the Mayor’s Sustainability Advisory Committee, have developed a Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan. The advisory committee was chaired by Vice Chancellor for Administration Eric Kopstain and Vanderbilt Law...
New study in ‘Nature Water’ demonstrates a vastly more sustainable, cost-effective method to desalinate industrial wastewater
Jun. 22, 2023—Vanderbilt researchers are part of a team that has developed a cutting-edge method that seeks to make the removal of salt from hypersaline industrial wastewater far more energy-efficient and cost-effective. While desalination through reverse osmosis has made tremendous strides—allowing for salt removal from seawater for less than a penny per gallon—it still falls short in...
Vanderbilt celebrates Bike to Work Day, offers Bike Month updates
May. 15, 2023—May is National Bike Month, and Vanderbilt has several activities and resources planned to showcase the many benefits of bicycling. Bike to Work Day The Vanderbilt community is encouraged to bike to campus on Friday, May 19. The Transportation and Mobility team and the Nashville Department of Transportation will be at the corner of 21st Avenue...
Sustainability, mobility and transportation efforts highlighted in FutureVU FY2022 Progress Report
May. 5, 2023—Vanderbilt University made significant progress toward its FutureVU goals in fiscal year 2022, as outlined in the annual progress report. FutureVU is a high-level, holistic framework for the development of campus’s built and exterior environments. That framework gives direction to campus projects and considers core themes such as community enhancement, connectivity, inclusion, accessibility and sustainability. Highlights from...
Vanderbilt to further offset carbon footprint by investing in solar energy projects through Clearloop
Apr. 19, 2023—Vanderbilt University will further offset its carbon footprint by investing in the development of solar energy projects that will expand access to clean energy in the Southeast. A new, multiyear collaboration with Clearloop, a Silicon Ranch company, builds on Vanderbilt’s commitment to powering its campus entirely through renewable energy and maintaining carbon neutrality. Vanderbilt’s investment...
Vanderbilt University joins Silicon Ranch, NES and TVA to ‘flip the switch’ on Vanderbilt I Solar Farm
Apr. 14, 2023—Vanderbilt University joined Silicon Ranch Corp., Nashville Electric Service and Tennessee Valley Authority on April 11 to “flip the switch” on the Vanderbilt I Solar Farm, a 35-megawatt solar facility in Bedford County, Tennessee. The solar facility is a significant step by Vanderbilt toward the ambitious goal it announced in 2019 to power its campus entirely through...