Sustainability

From climate science to ethical policy, Notre Dame is uncovering the factors that can lead to a more sustainable future—through research and real-world action.

David Richter stands in front of a whiteboard speaking to a few students in a classroom going over classroom material.
  • A serious man in a dark blue shirt and glasses stands with his arms crossed in front of a colorful hurricane projection.

    Podcast

    Improving hurricane forecasts

    13 minutes

    How do you improve hurricane forecasts? By studying one of the most powerful and destructive forces on Earth up close—where the ocean meets the atmosphere.

  • Satellite image of a hurricane with a clearly defined eye over a blue gridded map.

    Article

    Fighting to improve hurricane forecasts

    Researchers at Notre Dame are improving hurricane forecast accuracy, giving officials time to evacuate and protect residents.

Article

A picture of drought

ND ecologist matching NASA images with field data to measure forest health.

A man holding a pole saw standing in a forest
  1. A gray SENSE SB Extreme Heat sensor, labeled

    News

    Collecting more than trash: Researchers equip local garbage trucks to gather data on urban heat island effect

    To help identify — and ultimately mitigate — heat islands in South Bend, a team of University of Notre Dame researchers has partnered with the city to collect data using a novel method: garbage trucks. Ming Hu, the associate dean for research, scholarship and creative work in Notre Dame’s School of Architecture; Jason Carley, an assistant professor of industrial design; and Siavash Ghorbany, a doctoral student in civil and environmental engineering, have designed and deployed sensors on the city’s fleet of garbage trucks that can continuously monitor and record data on temperature and humidity as the trucks complete their normal routes.

  2. Campus in spring

    News

    University earns Tree Campus USA designation

    After a year of hard work by the Campus Tree Care Plan Committee, Notre Dame has officially been recognized as a Tree Campus USA school. Tree Campus USA helps colleges and universities establish and sustain healthy community forests.…

  3. An aerial view of the roof of Rockne Hall, showing a newly installed vegetative green roof. On the left side of Rockne hall there are trees in full bloom, while the right side of the building is dirt with construction taking place.

    News

    Green roofs continue to grow across campus skyline

    Alongside the striking slate roofs and stoic gargoyles that adorn the tops of campus buildings, vegetative “green” roofs have gained considerable acreage across the University’s skyline. This summer, the Rockne Memorial became the newest building to sport a green roof system. …

  7. Blue ocean background with green trees and dark brown fences in the foreground.

    News

    As Maui rebuilds, Notre Dame research team contributes expertise on hazard-resilient housing

    It has been one year since fires on the Hawaiian island of Maui killed 102 people, destroyed more than 2,200 buildings, and displaced 5,000 people in the historic town of Lahaina. Today, signs of rebuilding are visible. The US Army Corps of Engineers has leveled and graded the lots where homes once stood, and temporary FEMA housing is slated to open in October. Susan Ostermann, assistant professor of global affairs in Notre Dame's Keough School of Global Affairs, studies housing resilience and is investigating the question of how to rebuild.

  9. St. Joseph Farm solar panel site (Photo by Matt Cashore/University of Notre Dame)

    News

    Notre Dame joins EPA Green Power Partnership program

    The EPA established the Green Power Partnership program in 2001 as a way to encourage organizations to use green energy, including wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal, and to protect human health and the environment.

  13. Construction on the St. Joseph River hydroelectric project (Photo by Matt Cashore/University of Notre Dame)

    News

    Notre Dame clean energy projects earn Partners for Clean Air Award

    The University of Notre Dame has been recognized with a Partners for Clean Air Award from the Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG) for its commitment to clean energy, including recent long-term investments in solar and hydroelectric power and geothermal heating and cooling.

  14. University of Notre Dame

    News

    Notre Dame commits to carbon neutrality by 2050

    The University of Notre Dame committed to becoming a carbon neutral campus by 2050 and to a reduction in carbon dioxide of at least 65 percent from 2005 levels within the next nine years, University President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., announced during opening remarks at the first keynote event for this year’s Notre Dame Forum, which has as its theme “Care for Our Common Home: Just Transition to a Sustainable Future.”  

  15. Eco Health And Vulnerability

    News

    New study confirms relationship between toxic pollution, climate risks to human health

    In a first-of-its-kind study that combines assessments of the risks of toxic emissions (e.g., fine particulate matter), nontoxic emissions (e.g., greenhouse gases) and people’s vulnerability to them, University of Notre Dame postdoctoral research associate Drew (Richard) Marcantonio, doctoral student Sean Field (anthropology), Associate Professor of Political Science Debra Javeline and Princeton’s Agustin Fuentes (formerly of Notre Dame) found a strong and statistically significant relationship between the spatial distribution of global climate risk and toxic pollution.

Discover and engage
  1. Aerial view of the University of Notre Dame campus covered in snow at sunset. The Golden Dome and Basilica of the Sacred Heart spire stand against a vibrant orange sky above snow-dusted rooftops and a central quad with intersecting walkways.

    Article

    Sustainers of hope: How Notre Dame pursued breakthroughs for a world in need in 2025

    The year in review.

  2. A bright lightning bolt flashes down behind the dark spire of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart and the illuminated Golden Dome of Notre Dame's Main Building under a grey, stormy sky.

    Photo Essay

    25 images of 2025

    From the changing built environment to the changing seasons, every one of the 365 days of 2025 looked different.

  3. Snowy winter night at the University of Notre Dame. The Golden Dome of the Main Building and the spire of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart glow, surrounded by warm lights and a blue-lit Christmas tree.

    Video

    Merry Christmas from Notre Dame

  4. A smiling woman with glasses and brown hair pulled back stands in front of a dark blue background with abstract white digital lines and binary code.

    Podcast

    A human-centered framework for AI ethics

    In this episode, Meghan Sullivan explains the DELTA framework, a human-centered approach to AI ethics—and why the choices we make today will define how this powerful technology shapes our future.

  5. Aerial view of a red and organge sunset over the skyline of the Notre Dame campus

    Photo Essay

    A blend of seasons

    The month in photos, November 2025

  6. Aerial view of the classical, domed former Gary City Hall building with a 'Welcome to Gary' sign on the front lawn.

    Article

    Fighting for community regeneration

    Gary, Indiana, has been a song lyric, a cultural hub, a stigma, a city to rush past, but now it is poised to revitalize, thanks in part to Notre Dame's School of Architecture.

  7. A translucent amber electronic device, revealing a circuit board with components and a small dark display. A black oval badge with orange “oneAir” text, where the A is a triangle, is on the front. It rests against a blue-to-red gradient background.

    Photo Essay

    Fighting for faster virus detection

    An electronic nose developed by Notre Dame researchers is helping sniff out bird flu biomarkers for faster detection and fewer sick birds.

  8. Silhouette of a person in a green shirt with arms crossed looking out over a densely built, hazy cityscape.

    Article

    Fighting to educate children in Ghana

    Soccer opened doors for student-athlete Daniel Boateng, so he’s leveraging the sport to offer opportunities for kids in his native Ghana.

  9. A man in a blue lab coat and glasses stands in a blue-lit laboratory. He has gray hair and a neutral expression, looking forward.

    Podcast

    New tech to help stop the spread of bird flu

    An “electronic nose” developed at Notre Dame could transform farming by detecting bird flu early.