Sustainability

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Integrated energy and sustainability, real-world impact

ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ has built one of the nation’s most integrated portfolios in energy and sustainability, spanning engineering, ecology, economics and policy.Ìý

We partner with utilities, national labs and industry leaders to accelerate the technologies that will define the next century.

Solving Real-World Industry Challenges

Carbon Capture & Storage

Sealing COâ‚‚ storage formations, converting carbon emissions to nanomaterials, and closing the carbon loop

Clean Materials

Replacing single-use plastics with materials engineered from waste streams

Climate & Ecosystem Intelligence

Decades of mountain climate records and alpine ecosystem data to inform models and water and energy planning

Environmental Sensing & Monitoring

LIDAR, mid-IR laser, and spectroscopy systems for real-time emissions detection, atmospheric monitoring, and water purification

Sustainable Infrastructure

Living building materials, bio-cemented pavements, and nanoparticle- sealed COâ‚‚ wells for the next generation of civil infrastructure

Water Systems

Advancing technologies and strategies for water conservation, reuse, efficiency, and climate resilience

Strategic Focus Areas

Living Materials Lab

Materials & Manufacturing

Biodegradable materials, ALD coatings, biofibers, 3D fabrication from waste streams

Sustainable technology and innovation concept

Sustainability Research Initiative

Interdisciplinary research across earth sciences, engineering, energy, environmental policy and ethics

Carbon Management

Carbon Management

COâ‚‚ storage remediation, flare gas conversion, CCUS materials, carbon nanomaterials

Alpine tundra with snow

Ecology & Earth Science

Mountain climate monitoring, alpine ecosystems, snowpack, long-term ecological data

Energy plant

Engineering

DARPA-funded self-healing concrete, nanoparticle COâ‚‚ storage sealants, bio-cemented pavements, and DOE-funded flare gas to carbon nanoproducts

Core Capabilities & Innovations

Renewable & Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI)

CU’s flagship cross-campus energy institute, bridging research across engineering, economics, policy, and the natural sciences with direct industry and government engagement

ATLAS Institute

Pioneering sustainable digital fabrication: augmented physics simulations, recyclable multi-material objects and AR maintenance and safety

INSTAAR Mountain Research Station

A 70+ year mountain climate monitoring program in the Colorado Front Range; the anchor data source for alpine ecosystem, water, and climate adaptation research

EBIO Greenhouses

Controlled greenhouse spaces for plant biology research, sustainable material cultivation, and biodiversity studies

Civil & Environmental Engineering

Living building materials, biological crack healing of concrete, COâ‚‚ storage sealants, and modular flare gas-to-carbon nanoproduct systems

Develops biodegradable materials from agricultural waste streams (food and agricultural waste) to replace petroleum-derived products that biodegrade at end-of-life

Future-Ready Workforce

Hands-On Education at Scale
  • RASEI Energy Minor: Open to all majors—ensuring every student can contribute to the clean energy economy regardless of discipline.
  • Senior Capstone Projects: Industry-sponsored design challenges where students solve real sustainability problems for corporate partners.
  • Field Research Programs: Students gain hands-on access to real energy systems, mountain climate stations, and controlled greenhouse environments.
  • SPIKE Center Interdisciplinary Cohorts: Joint programs across engineering, ecology, economics and policy train graduates who can navigate the full innovation pipeline.
Graduate & Professional Programs
  • MS in Renewable & Sustainable Energy: A flexible, industry-focused graduate degree designed for working engineers and scientists.
  • PhD Programs in Energy, Materials, Civil Engineering, Ecology and Economics: Producing the next generation of researchers across all six sustainability domains.
  • Professional Development: Executive education and short courses on energy transition, policy, and technology for industry leaders.
  • RASEI Fellowship: Connecting faculty across disciplines at CU directly to National Lab researchers to share complementary resources and knowledge.

Partnering with the Sustainability Ecosystem

We simplify the path to innovation for our corporate and government partners:

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Streamlined contracting pathways

Guided by tools to reduce negotiation timelines (e.g. term sheets and modular IP menus)

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Industry Research Partnerships (IRP)

Dedicated team providing concierge-level support for research collaborationsÌý

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Talent recruitment, shared facilities and testing services

Access to faculty expertise, unique instrumentation and emerging talent pipelinesÌý

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Venture Partners at ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ

Campus commercialization arm that spins out startups

Connect with Us

Chris Gustavson

Executive Director, Industry Research Partnerships
RESEARCH & INNOVATION OFFICE
ÌýÌýchris.gustavson@colorado.edu

Kelly Fleming

Associate Director, Advanced Energy & Sustainability
INDUSTRY RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS
ÌýÌýkelly.fleming-1@colorado.eduÌý