Green Initiatives

One of the goals of Northern Michigan University’s strategic plan is to be a model community for sustainable education and practices.  The priorities tied to this goal include:

  • Enhance efforts in all campus operations to achieve the highest possible standards of sustainability practices and energy efficiencies.
  • Develop, adopt and incorporate sustainable design principles for all major capital and renovations projects.
  • Establish benchmarks for environmental literacy for all NMU graduates and develop a plan to achieve them.
  • Identify new opportunities for academic study, external funding and research in sustainability and other related areas.

Students, faculty and staff are actively involved in sustainability initiatives at NMU, including several types of recycling, testing of trayless dining services and energy conservation.  The links to the left outlines some of the current efforts to create an even “greener” NMU.

Energy Conservation

Energy conservation is an important part of Northern Michigan University’s sustainability plan. NMU faculty, staff and students are frequently reminded through e-mails, projects and news articles that little things they do on campus add up. Northern regularly monitors and reports to the campus community the levels of electricity, water and natural gas. The campus is learning more and more about phantom energy use and how to reduce it. It is the goal of NMU to be as responsible as possible when it comes to energy use and energy conservation.

Capital Improvements

  • Installing Variable Frequency Drives on motors / pumps.
  • Steam trap repair / replacement.
  • Construction / renovation of LEED buildings.
  • Boiler Replacement.
  • Light Fixture Replacement.
  • Insulation of steam piping and buildings.
  • Vending machine occupancy sensors.
  • Lighting controls - daylight and occupancy sensors.
  • Plumbing fixture modifications - low flow faucets, waterless urinals and dual flush toilets.
  • Performance Contract - Johnson Controls Inc.

Sustainability Resources