About

We're doing more to produce less by 2035.

At Swarthmore, we’re putting our commitment to environmental sustainability into action. When our multi-phase transition away from fossil fuels is complete, our campus will be powered using combustion-free, renewable electricity — helping the College achieve carbon neutrality by 2035. 

We’ll achieve this goal through energy efficiency upgrades and geoexchange, which will provide carbon-free heating and cooling on campus. The process works by removing heat from buildings during the summer and storing it deep underground, then reusing it to heat buildings in the winter. 

The system's powerhouse, the geoexchange plant, will be located in the basement of the new Dining and Community Commons. Buildings across campus will be connected to the plant in phases, with all connections complete by 2035.

This sustainable infrastructure will replace our current fossil fuel, combustion-powered system and become an integral part of the College's carbon-free future.