Powered by our people: A sustainability story by everyone at Saint Mary’s
Saint Mary’s University has achieved a STARS Gold rating for sustainability. This is a national recognition that reflects years of work by students, faculty, staff and partners across campus.
Awarded by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), Saint Mary’s now joins a select group of universities around the world recognized for high performance in sustainability across academics, operations, planning and community engagement.
“This great accomplishment is a people story,” says Dr. Margaret McKee, Associate Professor of Management in the Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary’s University. “Hundreds of students, staff, faculty, alumni and partners have contributed. This rating reflects their combined efforts over a number of years across all aspects of our campus.”
What Gold looks like on campus
In the classroom: Saint Mary’s is recognized for its strength in sustainability-focused courses, research, and immersive learning.
In your hands: The SMU Community Garden keeps growing, led by students who are growing food, supporting pollinators, and connecting climate to community well-being.
In your cup: As a Certified Fair Trade Campus, Saint Mary’s supports ethical sourcing with every purchase: real impact, brewed daily.
Under your feet: The Trees of Saint Mary’s project has transformed the university into a living arboretum with over 100 species planted: shade, biodiversity and habitats rooted in over 30 years of care.
On the skyline: The Loyola Residence tower is the tallest integrated solar wall in North America — 22 storeys turning sunlight into clean energy every day.
On the wall: A three-storey living wall in the atrium just outside the Patrick Power Library cleans the air, regulates humidity, lowers heating costs, and brings nature into the heart of campus.
On two wheels: A self-service bike repair station, secure bike lockers and e-scooter and bike rentals on campus make it easier for students and staff to choose active, low-carbon transportation every day.
Along the shoreline: Through a partnership with TransCoastal Adaptations, Saint Mary’s students are restoring tidal wetlands, supporting habitat resilience and infrastructure.
On the water: Saint Mary’s researchers are empowering small-scale fishers and the ecosystems they depend on.
Around the world: The Saint Mary’s Enactus team won the 2025 World Championship with community projects reducing plastic waste through Alaagi and improving food security through Square Roots.
“This Gold rating reflects years of hard work and thoughtful planning on how we build and care for the university, from major infrastructure upgrades to everyday sustainable choices,” says Dennis Gillis, Senior Director of Facilities Management. “You can see that commitment in the way we plan and operate our campus. Each project brings us closer to a more sustainable future.”
Faculty continue to add sustainability across programs, linking classroom learning to real-world challenges. Students analyze data, propose solutions and field-test their ideas.
Student leadership is at the heart of the Gold rating. Through entrepreneurship, policy advocacy, energy audits and waste reduction campaigns, students are leading by example and proving that small teams can drive big change.
“We’re proud of this achievement, but we’re not done,” says Dr. McKee. “To everyone who contributed by planting seeds, teaching, thinking outside the box and pushing for innovation — this achievement belongs to you.”
Bill Linton BComm'75 DComm'22 and his wife Marilynne Day-Linton made a generous gift to the Sobey School of Business and Saint Mary's University. Funds from The Linton Family Sustainability in Business Trust provided the preliminary funding for this project.
The Gold rating is valid through 2028. The full STARS report provides a transparent breakdown of scores.
View the full STARS Gold report → Saint Mary's University | Scorecard | Institutions | STARS Reports