News & Insights
Photo courtesy of: Greg Land
On November 12, the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) unveiled its Climate Commitment Action Plan (CCAP) 2024, a comprehensive roadmap designed to propel the university toward a sustainable and equitable future. The plan aligns with UIC’s strategic priorities and aims to drive impactful climate action across the campus, city, and beyond.
CCAP 2024 outlines actionable strategies under five key climate commitments: carbon neutrality, zero waste, net zero water use, biodiversity, and transformative scholarship. It sets a vision for the next five years, building on UIC’s 15-year legacy as a leader in higher education climate action.
The development of the plan reflects nearly a year of collaboration between UIC staff, expert advisors, and campus stakeholders. Led by the Planning, Sustainability, and Project Management (PSPM) team and guided by the Chancellor’s Committee on Sustainability and Energy (CCSE), the process included data analysis, modeling, and life-cycle cost analyses to establish realistic and impactful goals.
Brailsford & Dunlavey (B&D), in partnership with Interface Engineering, served as advisors to the planning process, offering expertise in data analysis and validation. Between fall 2023 and spring 2024, B&D worked closely with UIC’s PSPM team and Interface Engineering to analyze operational data, validate metrics, and create robust financial and environmental models.
“This partnership demonstrates the power of collaboration between students, faculty and staff, supported by expert advisors, to create sustainable solutions with long-term impact,” said Jillian Buckholz of the firm’s Energy and Sustainability Practice Group. “We are proud of how our team’s contributions shaped actionable steps for the university’s climate commitments.”
As a pioneer in climate action, UIC continues to set a precedent for universities nationwide. The CCAP 2024 exemplifies the institution’s dedication to fostering sustainability and equity, not only within its own operations but also as a catalyst for broader environmental change.
The Climate Commitment Action Plan is available to the public and will serve as a living document to guide the university’s progress. To read the plan, click here.
