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President Brodhead reaches out to shake hands with a man, while a third looks on, standing on the deck of the Duke Smart Home

On This Day: October 20, 2009

Duke Plans for Carbon Neutrality

Two years after President Richard H. Brodhead signed the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, Duke published its plans to become carbon-neutral by the year 2024. The plans entailed converting from coal to natural gas and from steam heat to hot water. Air conditioning was centralized in three plants, saving 10 percent on the energy bill and 100 million gallons of Durham tap water per year. In October 2024, Duke officials announced that the campus had officially become carbon-neutral, making Duke the first major research university in the country to achieve the goal of the Presidents’ pledge.