Cal Poly Pomona is one of the nation’s most environmentally responsible colleges according to the Princeton Review, which listed the university in its 2017 edition of The Princeton Review Guide to 375 Green Colleges. Cal Poly Pomona received a “green rating” of 93 out of 99.
Universities and colleges were selected based on data from the company’s 2016-17 survey of hundreds of four-year colleges concerning the schools’ commitments to the environment and sustainability. Cal Poly Pomona’s greenhouse gas emissions survey, use of reclaimed water, transportation policies for campus commuter, and major and minor in regenerative studies were all noted.
The campus is also home to four buildings certified through the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy & Environment Design (LEED) program. The BRIC and Collins College Expansion (Building 80) received LEED Gold status. The College of Business and the Suites are LEED Silver. The university anticipates LEED Gold for the new Students Services building and new campus housing project when those are completed and reviewed.
Other campus sustainability highlights include solar panels across campus and 50 charging stations for electric cars, located in Lot H and Structure 2.
“We strongly recommend Cal Poly Pomona and the other fine colleges in this guide to the many environmentally-minded students who seek to study and live at green colleges,” said The Princeton Review’s Robert Franek, senior vice president-publisher.
Cal Poly Pomona’s commitment to the environment is contained in the Strategic Plan 2017-2022, which calls for the university to be “a model for environmental sustainability.” The university became a signatory to the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment in 2007 and in June signed the “We Are Still In” initiative in support of the Paris climate agreement.