Notes on an Energy Transition on a University Campus: Carnegie Institute of Technology and Carnegie Mellon University, 1900-2024

<p dir="ltr">Most studies of energy transitions in the literature examine large scale changes at the city, state or national levels. These changes were mainly experienced on a macro-level effecting industries, businesses and residences. It is possible, however, to analyze such transitions on a more micro-level to understand the factors driving the transition and whether transitions varied within certain geographical, situational or political entities or time durations factors. These smaller transitions might involve individual structures and building clusters, such as malls and college and university campuses. While it is assumed that energy transitions are primarily driven by price and supply factors it is possible that other idiosyncratic elements could be involved in the micro-environments that may have been overlooked in the broader historical studies of energy transitions. Such micro transitions are important to observe because of the understanding they can provide regarding the causes and effects of energy transitions at different levels and in different structural environments.</p><p dir="ltr">This article examines the various energy transitions made at the micro-level of a university campus – that of Carnegie Institute of Technology (renamed Carnegie Mellon University in 1967) from 1910-2024. Until 2001 the primary energy transitions were between the fossil fuels of coal and natural gas , although at times both were used on campus to supply different needs. After 2001, however, there was increasing reliance on a third energy source – renewable or green energy.</p>