NJIT Again Named Among Nation's Greenest Colleges in The Princeton Review's 2026 Guide

Published: Tuesday, October 28, 2025

New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) has again been recognized as one of the nation’s most environmentally responsible universities, earning a Green Rating of 91 out of 99 in The Princeton Review’s Guide to Green Colleges: 2026 Edition. The annual guide honors institutions that demonstrate exceptional commitment to sustainability across operations, academics and student engagement.

“Our inclusion again this year is not just about maintaining a high rating — it’s about how sustainability has become part of NJIT’s identity,” said Prabhakar Shrestha, assistant director of sustainability. “From renewable-energy projects and green infrastructure to faculty research in energy storage and plastics recycling, sustainability drives how our community thinks and acts. We’re designing the future we want to live in.”

From rooftop gardens to next-gen batteries, NJIT’s sustainability portfolio reflects a convergence of science, engineering, design and community partnership.

Carbon Neutral by 2040

NJIT continues to advance an ambitious plan for carbon neutrality by 2040, detailed in its Carbon-Free Future roadmap. The plan outlines a phased approach to eliminating campus greenhouse-gas emissions through electrification, efficiency and renewable energy.

  • Fleet electrification: More than 50 campus vehicles are targeted for conversion to electric models, alongside expansion of EV-charging stations.
  • Campus energy audits: Eleven major buildings — encompassing over one million square feet — are under review for immediate and long-term energy-efficiency upgrades.
  • Renewable generation: NJIT is implementing on-site solar and energy-storage systems to enhance resilience and reduce dependence on grid-based fossil energy.
  • Smart infrastructure: A campus-wide LED retrofit and HVAC modernization have already reduced energy use and emissions across Newark facilities.

Through initiatives like the Campus Consortium for Decarbonization, NJIT also serves as a statewide partner to help other institutions plan and finance energy-efficiency and clean-power transitions.

Campus & Community Engagement: Sustainability Takes Root

Environmental stewardship is visible across NJIT’s 48-acre urban campus, where small actions are growing big impact:

  • Bee Campus USA Affiliation: NJIT earned Bee Campus USA designation, committing to pollinator-friendly landscaping and student education programs that support local biodiversity.
  • Urban Gardens & Food Security: The university’s Urban Gardens Workshop convened community leaders, faculty and students to explore sustainable agriculture and equitable access to fresh produce in Newark.
    Campus Center Rooftop Garden: Faculty and students are growing leafy vegetables on the Campus Center roof, combining hydroponic systems, solar power and nutrient recycling — an interdisciplinary project uniting architecture, engineering and biology.
  • NJIT’s Albert Dorman Honors College: The university’s honors college is at the forefront of integrating sustainability into academic and civic life. Their biodiversity initiative is a partnership with the Urban Ecology Lab and Real Estate Development and Capital Operations. It features an annual student competition to increase and sustain biodiversity on campus.

Greener Science, Circular Futures

NJIT researchers are advancing global sustainability through breakthroughs that transform how materials are made, used and reused.

“Sustainability is no longer a siloed initiative — it’s infused into our research, operations, and our students’ sense of purpose,” Shrestha added. “Every new project helps us reduce our footprint while teaching the next generation of problem-solvers how to think globally and act locally.”