International
Georgia Tech is an active member and contributor to sustainability internationally – through our memberships and commitments, management of an international sustainable development organization for university leaders, and through a sustainability-focused study abroad program.
University Global Coalition
Georgia Tech is a co-founder and the current chair of the University Global Coalition (UGC). The Office of Sustainability manages the administration of UGC along with the other members of the UGC Secretariat.
The UGC asks university leaders to commit to integrating the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into all facets of their university: teaching, research, operations, and partnerships. The UGC has hosted annual conferences and an annual SDG Action & Awareness Week, facilitated SDG working groups, and developed resources on advancing the SDGs in higher education. The UGC also hosts a University Leaders Group through the UN Higher Education Sustainability Initiative.
Sustainability Study Abroad
Partnering with the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, the sustainability study abroad program facilitated an inaugural Living Campus study abroad experience in Spain and Portugal in summer 2024 to support sustainability initiatives on Georgia Tech’s campus. Students collaborated with local universities on sustainable transportation, biodiversity, renewable energy, sustainable procurement, rural community engagement, and city planning.
Following the study abroad portion, students joined the Office of Sustainability’s first Living Campus Fellowship beginning in fall 2024 to apply what they learned to the Georgia Tech campus.
International Memberships
Georgia Tech is an active member of several international sustainability organizations, listed below.
Organization |
Overview |
Georgia Tech’s Role |
| AASHE (Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education) | AASHE is the largest organization in North America, with international membership, dedicated to sharing effective models, policies, research, collaborations, and transformative actions that advance sustainability in higher education and surrounding communities. | Georgia Tech has an institutional membership and achieved AASHE STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System) Gold in 2024. |
| Race to Zero through Second Nature | Race to Zero is a pledge at head-of-organization level to reach (net) zero greenhouse gases (GHGs) as soon as possible, and by mid-century at the latest, in line with global efforts to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celcius. | Georgia Tech has pledged to reach net zero greenhouse gases (GHGs) by 2050. |
| International Living Future Institute (ILFI) | ILFI is the organization responsible for implementing the Living Building Challenge, the world’s most holistic regenerative building standard, and for building community around green building design. | Georgia Tech is a member of ILFI and is home to the Kendeda Building, Georgia’s first Living Building Challenge certified building. |
| GBCI (Green Building Certification Institute) | LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the world’s most widely used green building program, created by USGBC as a leadership standard defining best practices for healthy, high-performing green buildings. | Georgia Tech is a member of GBCI and is home to 30 LEED certified buildings. |