Sustainability

Facilities Management

Academics and research 

Virginia Commonwealth University is committed to advance sustainability in education and research. To do so, VCU is committed to providing students with the highest quality education possible while offering immersive learning experiences designed to equip students with the tools necessary to find solutions to complex problems facing the Richmond community and the world. Sustainability is a growing focus of many courses, degrees and certificate programs with an emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration, community engagement and systems thinking. 

Institute for Sustainability, Energy and Environment (ISSE)

Established in 2022, the ISEE provides a forum for VCU students and faculty to address the climate and energy crisis by pursuing innovative scientific, technological, policy and social justice solutions.

Addressing sustainable clean energy and the environment is a complex issue. The ISEE was established to coordinate and facilitate collaboration across the varied disciplines of study and support multidisciplinary collaborations across departments, schools and colleges at VCU, as well as national and international collaborations. At VCU, the ISEE provides educational opportunities that supplement and build upon the current sustainable energy and environment curriculum at VCU, such as courses, guest lectures, workshops, research projects and mentorship. At the community and societal level, the ISEE is building partnerships with government agencies, policymakers and nonprofit organizations that work to address the climate crisis. 

Visit the ISSE website for more information.

VCU School of Life Sciences and Sustainability

The new School of Life Sciences and Sustainability, which will bring together VCU Life Sciences and the Department of Biology in the College of Humanities and Sciences, will administer and oversee biological, environmental, life and sustainability sciences academic programming, research and other relevant initiatives at VCU. 

In 2025, VCU launched the new School of Life Sciences and Sustainability, within the College of Humanities and Sciences, that administers and oversees biological, environmental, life and sustainability sciences academic programming, research and other relevant initiatives at VCU. The school offers undergraduate and master’s degrees in bioinformatics, biology, environmental studies and a doctorate degree in integrative life sciences, as well as certificates in outdoor leadership, river studies and sustainable innovation. It also connects students with internships as well as research and study abroad opportunities

Through the school, students have access to exceptional research spaces, field sites and technologies that foster hands-on learning, interdisciplinary collaboration and scientific discovery – including VCU’s Rice Rivers Center, a field station dedicated to environmental research in ecology, conservation and sustainability located on the James River.

Degrees from this school lead to jobs such as:

    • In public agencies, protecting ecosystems and public health
    • At biotech and data science firms, innovating sustainable solutions
    • In graduate and professional schools for medicine, dentistry, environmental law or public policy
    • In communities working toward a more sustainable future

Certificate in Sustainable Innovation

The Certificate in Globalization and Sustainability is designed to provide students in any VCU baccalaureate program the option of adding a formal certificate program in sustainability and sustainable approaches to problem-solving. The Certificate in Sustainable Innovation will use a systems-thinking approach to problems of sustainability across all of the academic disciplines.

Graduate Certificate in Sustainability, Health and Health Care

The Graduate Certificate in Sustainability, Health and Health Care provides students with foundational knowledge about the interplay between climate change, human health and the healthcare industry.

Master of Science in Engineering with a concentration in environmental and sustainable engineering

The program offered by VCU Engineering teaches sustainability-focused engineering techniques, like reusing waste to create energy, identifying new materials for chemical processes, and making more efficient use of materials in products while minimizing resource consumption through process intensification.

Other sustainability education opportunities

VCU offers students a number of opportunities to pursue sustainability-related certificates, programs and degrees and prepare our next generation of sustainability leaders. For a full list, visit the VCU Bulletin website and type "sustainability" in the search bar. 

As a part of the One VCU Sustainability Plan, VCU aims to develop a system to track courses that incorporate sustainability content, prioritizing ease of use for faculty and students. As of spring 2026, VCU Sustainability, VCU Academic Affairs and the University of Richmond Office for Sustainability are partnering to explore opportunities to track sustainability course tracking.