Daily Lobo
Summary
In 2007, former University of New Mexico President David Schmidly committed the University to eventual carbon neutrality by signing the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment, which led to the release of the Climate Action Plan in 2009.
UNM committed to mapping the reduction of 80% of the Albuquerque campus 2006 emissions levels by 2030, according to the plan’s executive summary.
With five years until 2030, UNM has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions from 2006 but has yet to meet its climate goals.
“If we want to look at decarbonization in a really meaningful way, we have to address those emissions,” Jakle said. “So what utility services and Lobo Energy have been doing is scoping a geoexchange project.”
Zumwalt said the geoexchange project could reduce emissions by 80-90%.
“So you put heat into the ground in the summertime, and the ground slowly gets a little bit warmer, and then in the wintertime, you pull the heat back out,” Zumwalt said. “It's a more efficient way to heat and cool a campus.”
UNM is currently working on a strategic framework called UNM 2040, with sustainability, including environmental sustainability, being a goal.
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