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Sustainability

Energy

Campus electricity and natural gas consumption results in 60% of Bentley's annual greenhouse gas emissions (carbon footprint). Electricity and natural gas are used to light, cool and heat 2 million square feet of building space on Bentley's campus.

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Energy Efficiency

Bentley's Facilities Management department has had a long-standing commitment to energy efficiency, completing numerous projects each year and reducing the university's electricity use by 17% and natural gas use by 11% since 2008 despite a 6% increase in built space. Bentley University continues to implement its energy efficiency strategy, committing to retrofit projects that reduce electricity and natural gas use. 

The university uses a state-of-the-art Energy Management System (EMS) which allows Facilities Management to both determine how much energy is being used in various campus buildings and ensure efficient operation of heating, cooling and lighting systems.

Green Revolving Fund

In 2018, the Office of Sustainability established the university's first Green Revolving Fund with a seed donation of $250,000 from an alumnus and trustee of the university. The Bentley University Green Revolving Fund serves as an ongoing mechanism for investing in campus energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Savings from funded projects are tracked and used to replenish the fund for the next round of investments, thus establishing a sustainable funding cycle while cutting operating costs and reducing greenhouse gases.

The Green Revolving Fund committee of faculty, staff and students meets three times per year to review proposals for Green Revolving Fund projects and make funding decisions.

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Solar Panels

There are 1,400 solar-panels on the Bentley Arena, which produce 40% of the building's annual electricity needs. Bentley purchased the array with a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). A power purchase agreement (PPA) is a legal contract between an electricity generator (provider) and a power purchaser. This means that an outside company owns the panel and Bentley has contracted with them to purchase the energy over the course of the contract for a lower cost than Bentley’s standard electricity contract. Bentley saves money over the long term and owns the solar panels at the end of the contract. Click here to learn more about the Bentley Arena