Decarbonizing the UW

The University of Washington is undertaking a groundbreaking effort to fully decarbonize the energy system of its Seattle campus, transforming how we heat, cool and power our buildings.

At the core of this initiative is a significant upgrade to the UW Power Plant, which currently depends on aging, inefficient infrastructure that burns natural gas to produce steam for heating. By transitioning to cleaner, more efficient energy infrastructure such as heat pumps, UW is aligning its daily operations with its long-standing sustainability values.

In 2024, a comprehensive decarbonization plan was completed, outlining the steps needed to upgrade systems, reduce emissions, and secure funding. This work is critical in reducing carbon emissions and transitioning the UW to 100% clean energy, an effort motivated by regulatory requirements and the shared commitment of both faculty and students to ensure the UW is a leader in campus sustainability.

See the Energy Renewal Plan

Why decarbonize?

The current energy system has served the Seattle campus well for more than 100 years, but its age and dependence on fossil fuels create risks and no longer align with the mission of the University. Maintaining the existing status quo would be costly and leave the UW as one of the largest greenhouse gas emitters among the state's public institutions.

The need to decarbonize has also been recognized by the student and faculty governments, as well as administrative units. It will also help us meet our requirements under state and local legislation.

Learn more

UW Power Plant on a sunny day

Climate Commitment Act

The UW has requested and received funding from the state of Washington's Climate Commitment Account. You can learn more about the projects that have been funded and UW's current state budget requests at the following link:

Decarbonization projects