As more institutions outsource noncore tasks, some are tapping the private sector for technical expertise and financial support to advance sustainability.
Dartmouth College has big energy goals for a small institution that still relies on heating oil to stave off the winter chill.
To warm its campus more efficiently, the college wants to change how it generates and distributes that heat. It’s a complex topic — and a far cry from designing and delivering academic curriculum. But it’s also central to the college’s sustainability priorities, which include getting half of its energy from renewable sources by 2025 and all of it by 2050.
To address those needs, Dartmouth is looking off-campus for help building a new system and running it. In doing so, it joins a growing number of colleges and universities to tap the private sector for help optimizing their utilities.