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Medical School Sustainability Efforts

Forging a Path Toward a More Sustainable Future

Join us as we champion innovation, cooperation and responsible stewardship of our planet’s resources.

Our Efforts

The Medical School Carbon Neutrality Council is leading the Medical School’s efforts to incorporate sustainability into our mission while supporting the carbon neutrality goals of the University of Michigan.

High-level Goals

Build sustainability and carbon neutrality into the Medical School's core values
Generate community engagement and awareness
Support student and research initiatives around sustainability
Develop projects to reduce carbon footprint and waste

Key Areas of Focus

Community Engagement (Organizational Engagement)

• Outreach programs and events
• Collaboration with local and global sustainability organizations
• Volunteer activities and service projects
• Regular communications and reporting
• Employee education

Campus Operations (Buildings and Energy)

• Energy usage and conservation
• Waste management and recycling programs and composting
• Water conservation
• Sustainable transportation initiatives

Curriculum and Education

• Integration of sustainable practices and principles into the curriculum
• Supporting student initiatives
• Training programs and workshops for students and staff
• Research and innovation in sustainable healthcare

Research Practices (Activities and Initiatives)

• Sustainable practices in medical procedures and hospital operations
• Initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint of clinical activities
• Health and wellness programs for staff and patients
• Green chemistry
• Specialty recycling programs
• Sustainable labs best practices

Aerial view of the U-M medical campus in Ann Arbor

Steering Toward a Greener Future

96,552

Metric Tons CO2e FY25

600+

Labs, with 40% of Labs Certified Sustainable

667 (50%)

Tons of Waste Redirected to Landfills and 164 Tons Composted

38

Dedicated Sustainability Leads Spearhead Eco-friendly Initiatives

Major Initiatives

Join the growing community of Planet Blue Ambassadors at the Medical School, who have increased by 24% this year alone. Every faculty member, student, and alumnus can partake in this enriching program by attending an introductory training course to champion U-M’s sustainability goals effectively.

The Medical School's innovative Lab Swap Events and the Lab Swap Shop on Central Campus have made a notable impact! Hundreds of items have found new homes in labs, cutting costs and reducing waste significantly.

In 2025, during three successful Lab Swap Days on the medical campus:

North Campus Research Complex (April 30): 154 pounds of waste kept from landfill; teams saved $5,454 as compared to buying new.
A. Alfred Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building (May 6): 1,126 pounds of waste kept from landfill; teams saved $54,500.
Medical Science Research Building 2 (May 13): 437 pounds of waste kept from landfill; teams saved $31,400.

These activities kept a total of 1,700 pounds of waste from landfills, translating into over $90,000 in cost savings for the participating labs.

The Medical School remains dedicated to reducing energy consumption and waste production in labs:

Sustainable Labs Certification: Aiming for every wet bench lab to undergo the sustainability survey. Already, 12 labs have achieved platinum certification, with 82% of new certifications coming from Michigan Medicine.
Freezer Challenge: This initiative resulted in annual savings of 470,000 kWh, cutting 103 metric tons of carbon emissions, and saving $54,000 this year. Top performers include the Histocompatibility Laboratory, Michigan Kidney Translational Medicine Center, and Clinical Research Specimen Processing.

The University’s Sustainable Lab Summit is an enriching platform for sharing sustainable practices and innovations. The event supports an ongoing journey to boost sustainable research with robust discussions and resource connections.

Leadership

Matthew C. Comstock MBA, MHSA

Executive Director for Administration
Chief Operating Officer, Medical School

Mary Tresh

Senior Director of Medical School Facilities

Featured News & Stories

U-M staff receive Battle of the Building award

Medical School News

When a ‘loser’ is a winner: Taubman Library honored for energy conservation

A University of Michigan building on the medical campus was recently honored as a “Biggest Loser” in a statewide competition. That designation, however, is a good thing. On May 14 at the Michigan Energy Summit in Lansing, the Michigan Green Building Collaborative named the U-M’s A. Alfred Taubman Health Sciences Library a 2025 winner in the education category of its Battle of the Buildings competition that recognizes outstanding energy conservation.

Medical School News

Lab Swap events net 1,700 pounds of supplies, save research teams $90,000

Lab Swap events held over three days on the medical campus and at the North Campus Research Complex (NCRC) kept more than 1,700 pounds of supplies out of landfills and allowed research teams to save more than $90,000 compared to buying new. Sponsored by the U-M Office of Campus Sustainability (OCS) and Medical School Facilities, the annual Lab Swap events support U-M’s waste reduction efforts by allowing research staff to donate surplus lab supplies — lightly used, non-expired lab materials, consumables, glassware, and small equipment — that can be used by other staff.

Medical School News

Swap and shop: 3 events and new campus site aid research equipment exchange

A series of swap events, and a new swap shop now open on Central Campus, have led to the collection and exchange of hundreds of items, which often are acquired by labs to realize costs savings in their areas. They also support UMMS and U-M waste-reduction goals, which are part of an overall sustainability strategy. Most of the items now go to labs that need them, rather than to a landfill