The Office of Sustainability is responsible for reporting on Temple University's sustainability initiatives and performance as well as providing resources to support the Temple community in achieving their personal, professional and academic sustainability goals.
Below you will find a repository of plans, reports and resources managed by Temple University's Office of Sustainability.
Temple University participates in a joint program (University Pass) with SEPTA to provide students with a discounted semester transit pass. The University Pass is available to all registered full-time students and provides a discount for SEPTA transit. The SEPTA Pass Program is administered through the Bursar's Office.
To sign-up for the program click here.
The Office of Sustainability manages a Partner Pass account for the university. These non-reloadable passes are a great option if you'd like to travel via transit for a class visit or use sustainable transportation for a student program. There are a variety of product options to choose from and each can be purchased in bulk, up to 200 passes per order, in increments of 50. Note that shipping costs an additional $13.00. View the Partner Pass Catalog of fare products..
University business units reimburse the Office of Sustainability for purchased passes and once shipped, the passes can be collected from the Office during regular business hours. We ask all requests are made at least 8 business days prior to the event to ensure timely arrival.
To order the passes, complete this form. Questions? Email rebecca.collins@temple.edu.
Electric vehicles produce fewer emissions that contribute to climate change and smog than conventional vehicles.
Temple University has installed electric vehicle charging stations at the following locations:
Fee information and charging station availability can be found by downloading Temple's charging station service providers mobile app.
Indego, Philadelphia’s bike-share program, offers 24-hour, 30-day, and yearly pass options to ride one of the hundreds of bright blue bicycles and white, electric-assist bicycles available at over 140 stations around the city, accessible 24/7, 365 days a year.
Several Indego Stations are located on or nearby Temple University's main campus. A complete station map can be found here.
All IBX members get 20% off an Indego Monthly Pass, Annual Pass or Gift certificate. Click here for more information or visit IBX's webpage.
Information about secure bicycle parking on-campus can be found on the Bike.Temple page.
The Office of Sustainability will provide Zero Waste Meal Kits to any registered student organization for events held on Main Campus. The Zero Waste Kits include reusable plates, utensils, and cups for up to 30 people.
Zero Waste Meal Kit reservation requests can be made via the form linked below. The Office of Sustainability will confirm your reservation via an email within 3-5 business days of form submission. Once your reservation is confirmed, the Zero Waste Meal Kits must be picked up and returned to the Office of Sustainability during normal business hours (Monday – Friday, 9-5). Individuals are required to return the Zero Waste Meal Kits within 48 hours if checked out Monday - Wednesday or the following Monday if checked Thursday or Friday. NOTE: The kit does not need to be cleaned when returned.
Please remember that items in this kit are reusable and should not be thrown away. Failure to return all pieces of the kit will result in a charge for replacement. Plates: $5/each, Utensils: $2/each, Cups: $2/each.
If you have any questions regarding the Zero Waste Kits, please email zerowastekit@temple.edu.
Starting in 2025, the Office of Sustainability has partnered with the Office of Student Support and Advocacy and Temple Student Government to offer a gown collection and recycling program and an opportunity for eligible students to rent donated regalia free of charge.
For more information, click here.
Green Living is an EcoReps Program to grow knowledge and facilitate sustainable behavior change. These resource toolkits outline prescribed action steps in key topic areas and provide resources for further learning and engagement.
10 Essential Eco Actions
Green Living Resource Toolkit: Involvement
Green Living Resource Toolkit: Purchasing
Green Living Resource Toolkit: Zero Waste
Green Living Resource Toolkit: Energy
Green Living Resource Toolkit: Food and Water
Green Living Resource Toolkit: Transportation
The Temple University Graduate Research Award Sustainability Program (GRASP) advances the university's goal of expanding sustainability research by providing funding to a graduate student research project focused on sustainability. To learn more about the award and application process, click here.
Past Recipients:
The Office of Sustainability awards the undergraduate Green Grant every fall semester. To learn more about the Green Grant click here.
Past Recipients:
The Temple Tiny House is a student-designed and -constructed sustainable building located at Temple Community Garden on Temple University’s Main Campus. Completed in spring 2017, the 175 square foot net-zero structure features a high-performance thermal envelope construction, vegetated roof, rainwater harvesting, solar photovoltaic system, a thermal energy collection system and a composting toilet.
Since its inception in June 2014, the project has offered interdisciplinary learning opportunities for students and faculty. The Temple Tiny House supports the needs of the Temple Community Garden as a greenhouse for germinating food crops and for food access and urban agricultural skill-building programs and events. It also serves as a community-facing demonstration tool to model regenerative design on campus for both students and neighbors alike.
The project is Petal Certified under the Living Building Challenge making it the first certified project in the city of Philadelphia.
Design Competition and Charrette
In an effort to foster interdisciplinary collaboration at Temple, the university hosted a student design charrette on Saturday, January 31, 2015. Thirty-five students from 18 different disciplines came out to participate in this one-day event to design a sustainable tiny house sited at Temple Community Garden (TCG) located at Broad and Diamond.
Temple Community Garden Site Map
Charrette Competition Rules
Team 1 Design
Team 2 Design
Team 3 Design
Team 4 Design
Team 5 Design
Team 6 Design
Team 7 Design
Tiny House Build
Tiny House Collaborative Learning Presentation
Living Future: Living Building Challenge
Certified Case Study: Temple Tiny House
Media
Tiny House Design Contest and Charrette (TUTV Video)
"Students Help Put Down Roots" (Temple Update)
"Students Design Tiny House for Temple Garden" (Temple Today)
"A Tiny House, a Big Feat" (Temple News)
Temple University awards scholarships fellowships and research grants for student scholars with research interests in sustainability. For more information on student sustainability research, visit here.
Climate Justice Field School (CJFS)
Climate Resiliency Fellowship
College of Liberal Arts Scholarships and Awards
College of Science and Technology Undergraduate Research Opportunities
Creative Arts, Research, and Scholarship (CARAS)
Diamond Research Scholars
Office of Sustainability Green Grant
Graduate Research Award Sustainability Program (GRASP)
Honors Program Student Grant Application
Honors Senior Project
Liberal Arts Undergraduate Research Awards (LAURA)
Livingstone Undergraduate Research Awards
Scholar Development and Fellowships Advising
Temple University offers sustainability coursework across all colleges and programs. Find sustainability classes that match your interests and degree requirements using this how-to guide.
