The University of Nebraska–Lincoln was named the 2024 Green Business of the Year by the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, a recognition of the university’s long-standing commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.
The award honors businesses that go beyond local, state and federal environmental regulations, with a focus on achievements in pollution prevention, waste reduction, and energy efficiency. The Husker Energy and Power team, which manages the university’s sustainability efforts, has been at the forefront of these initiatives. Husker Energy and Power is led by Clay Kelly, director of utility services.
“This award reflects the incredible work our Husker Energy and Power division does to provide utility services to our campus,” said Mike Zeleny, vice chancellor for business and finance. “Clark Kelly and his team do it with an eye on sustainability, ensuring that our energy program is a model across the Big Ten and United States.”
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln has made significant strides in energy efficiency in the past several decades. The university developed its own building automation system in 1975, which — even as enrollment and research demands have grown — has contributed to a 45% improvement in campus energy efficiency in the past 20 years. The work has made Nebraska’s flagship university as the most energy-efficient campus in the Big Ten Conference.
Partnerships with local utilities have also been key to Husker Energy and Power’s success. In collaboration with the Lincoln Electric System, the university has installed 12 million gallons of chilled water storage on campus. This system shifts 20% of peak power use to off-peak periods, reducing energy costs and lessening the burden on municipal power resources. It also enables the university to increase its use of carbon-free energy from Missouri River hydroelectric plants through an agreement with the Western Area Power Administration.
Another highlight of the university’s sustainability efforts is the Central Renewable Energy System at Nebraska Innovation Campus. The system captures thermal energy from wastewater at the nearby City of Lincoln treatment facility and uses it to sustainably heat and cool campus buildings.
In addition to energy initiatives, the university has made strides in waste reduction. The university’s All in the Hall recycling program and the installation of biodigesters in campus dining centers have helped divert 50% of the university’s waste from landfills in the past five years. These efforts earned the university a gold STARS rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, placing it among the top 175 sustainable institutions globally.
The Green Business of the Year award underscores the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s dedication to environmental stewardship, with a focus on long-term solutions that benefit the campus, local community and environment.
