Metzgar Net Zero

In CAP 2.0, Lafayette aspired to achieve carbon neutrality at the Metzgar campus by 2025 to demonstrate the College’s commitment to climate leadership ahead of the broader campus‐wide goal.

While that milestone has not yet been achieved, the intent established in CAP 2.0 provides important context for the strategies outlined in this plan.

The Campus Master Plan (CMP) process has given the opportunity to reimagine the future of Metzgar campus, and CAP 3.0 aims to take this into account to ensure a resilient and sustainable buildout.

Because Metzgar is still being planned, early decisions around all-electric buildings, renewable energy, and supportive climate resiliency infrastructure can instead enable the campus to achieve net‐zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2035.

Learn more about Lafayette’s Metzgar Net Zero strategies in Category 5, Section 10 of the full Climate Action Plan 3.0.

On-site Solar

Installing on-site solar at Metzgar would help reduce reliance on grid‐supplied electricity while improving energy reliability as facilities develop.

Solar systems could be installed on Metzgar building rooftops, incorporated into a solar carport at the planned parking garage, and as a large ground‐mounted array on available land.

Together, these installations could offset around 35%-75% of Metzgar’s electricity use and support a net zero design for Metzgar.

Preliminary estimates for this CAP assume a 3 MW solar array at Metzgar, which will be spread across rooftop, carport, and ground-mount systems.

Sustainable Construction Policy

Because Metzgar is an actively developing campus, construction decisions made today will have long‐term implications for campus emissions.

A pilot sustainable construction policy specific to Metzgar would help reduce emissions associated with new buildings by prioritizing energy‐efficient, all‐electric design and responsible material choices.

By setting clear expectations early, Lafayette can avoid locking in higher-emitting systems and ensure new facilities align with the College’s sustainability goals.

Coupled with renewable electricity purchase and on-site solar, electrification will result in 100% elimination of direct (scope 1) and purchased electricity (scope 2) emissions.

Eco Restoration

As a college committed to learning through practice, Lafayette views Metzgar as a Living Laboratory and a premier site for eco‐cultural restoration that extends beyond traditional landscaping or isolated native plantings.

Eco‐cultural restoration at Metzgar is intended to improve ecological health while also renewing the human relationship with the land.

Building on the College’s and LaFarm’s existing relationships with the Delaware Nation and the Delaware Tribe of Indians, Lafayette will seek to deepen and expand partnerships to ensure restoration efforts are culturally informed, socially just, and reflective of the land’s history.

Green Stormwater Infrastructure

Green stormwater infrastructure at the Metzgar Wellness Hub would help manage rainfall and flooding while enhancing the district’s natural landscape.

Features such as rain gardens, meadow edges, and subsurface storage can slow and absorb stormwater, reduce runoff, and promote groundwater recharge.

Native plantings would be incorporated to support vegetation growth, biodiversity, and long‐term landscape resilience, with ongoing monitoring to ensure these systems function as intended.

Additionally Lafayette will create a working group to review and update the existing Sustainable Landscaping Policy document.

Educational Opportunities

Adopting this Net Zero Plan for the Metzgar Wellness Hub will significantly expand experiential and interdisciplinary learning opportunities by positioning the campus as a living laboratory for climate‐positive development.

Students will be able to engage directly in the planning, design, and performance evaluation of all‐electric, net‐zero‐ready buildings; on-site solar systems; and energy‐efficient retrofits, supporting coursework and research in engineering, architecture, environmental studies, data science, and public policy.

Students and faculty may participate in planting initiatives, ecological monitoring, or planning efforts tied to Metzgar’s development.

In parallel, eco‐cultural restoration and green stormwater infrastructure will create opportunities for field‐based learning in ecology, climate resilience, land stewardship, and Indigenous studies, including soil regeneration, native meadow restoration, and community‐engaged research.

Metzgar Net Zero Road Map