Scope 1 & 2 Emissions

Reducing energy demand is an important step in campus decarbonization. Improving building efficiency lowers GHG emissions and reduces the need for additional energy infrastructure as campus systems transition. As CU Boulder grows, efficiency improvements in existing facilities and high-performance new construction will be essential to meeting climate goals.

Key Strategies

• Improve existing buildings: Reduce energy consumption through renovations, equipment upgrades and energy efficiency projects.
• Optimize building operations: Use building automation systems, controls and energy management practices to reduce unnecessary heating, cooling and electricity use.
• Limit energy demand from campus growth: Incorporate energy efficiency and high-performance design into new construction and major renovations.

Reducing emissions from purchased electricity depends on both the continued decarbonization of the regional electric grid and CU Boulder's efforts to expand renewable electricity. Xcel Energy, the university's primary electricity provider, reported that 52% of its electricity came from renewable sources in 2025. Continued changes to the utility's generation mix are expected to contribute to reductions in campus Scope 2 emissions.

Key Strategies

• Expand on-campus solar: Increase renewable electricity generation through campus solar installations, including the completed 1.1-megawatt East Campus solar array, which brought total on-campus solar capacity to approximately 3.5 megawatts.
• Support off-site renewable electricity: Participate in Xcel Energy's Virtual Net Metering program through a 5-megawatt solar project in Weld County, which is expected to generate approximately 9.5 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.
• Plan for grid decarbonization: Incorporate projected changes in Xcel Energy's electricity generation mix into campus emissions forecasts and long-term energy planning.

Together, CU Boulder's existing on-campus solar installations and the off-site project represent approximately 8.5 megawatts of solar capacity supporting campus renewable energy efforts.

Fuel used by university-owned buses, trucks and other vehicles contributes to Scope 1 emissions. CU Boulder operates more than 500 fleet vehicles, with a relatively small number of high-use vehicles accounting for a substantial share of campus fleet fuel consumption. The university is prioritizing opportunities to replace these vehicles with electric alternatives as part of its long-term fleet transition.

Key Strategies

• Expand the electric Buff Bus fleet: Continue replacing diesel-powered buses with battery-electric vehicles.
• Electrify high-use service vehicles: Introduce electric refuse trucks and evaluate other opportunities to replace vehicles with high fuel consumption.
• Expand charging infrastructure: Increase charging capacity for university-owned electric vehicles, including fast-charging infrastructure where needed.
• Support future fleet transitions: Develop purchasing guidance and replacement strategies to increase electric vehicle adoption across campus operations.

Natural gas used for campus heating is CU Boulder's largest source of direct GHG emissions. Much of Main Campus relies on steam generated by the West and East District Energy Plants, making the transition to lower-carbon heating infrastructure a major component of long-term decarbonization. CU Boulder is developing a campuswide decarbonization plan to guide this transition while maintaining reliable and resilient energy systems.

Key Strategies

• Transition from steam to hot water: Plan for the conversion of Main Campus steam distribution and building heating systems to lower-temperature hot water, enabling more efficient operation and integration of low-carbon heating technologies.
• Expand heat recovery: Evaluate opportunities to capture and reuse waste heat through heat recovery systems, heat pumps and other thermal technologies.
• Modernize campus heating infrastructure: Identify improvements to district energy plants, distribution networks and building systems, including opportunities to reduce natural gas consumption at East Campus and Williams Village.
• Plan for changing electricity demand: Account for increased electrical loads as heating systems and vehicles transition away from fossil fuels.

These improvements will help prepare campus infrastructure for future low-carbon heating technologies while supporting the reliability and resilience of university operations.

Achieving deeper reductions in Scope 1 emissions will require transitioning campus heating away from natural gas. CU Boulder is evaluating geothermal and other low-carbon thermal technologies to inform future infrastructure investments and the university's long-term decarbonization strategy.

Key Strategies

• Evaluate shallow geothermal energy: Explore ground-source heat pump and geo-exchange systems that use stable underground temperatures to provide heating and cooling.
• Evaluate deep geothermal energy: Assess the potential to use deeper geothermal resources to provide low-carbon heat or generate electricity.
• Assess feasibility and implementation: Build on Colorado Energy Office-funded studies to evaluate costs, infrastructure requirements, emissions reduction potential and implementation pathways.
• Develop a long-term decarbonization plan: Work with engineering partners to identify the infrastructure investments, technologies and sequencing needed to transition campus heating systems toward low-carbon energy sources.

Feasibility studies completed in 2026 found both shallow and deep geothermal technologies technically viable for campus use. The findings will inform future planning and investment decisions, although no decision has been made to implement either approach.