Interlochen Center for the Arts: a climate action story

Named for a word that literally means “between two lakes,” Interlochen Center for the Arts is surrounded by stately pines and a natural watershed that creates a special and intangible magic on the campus.

Interlochen is a world-class boarding school and summer camp for creative writing, dance, film and new media, interdisciplinary arts, music, theatre, and visual arts. Founded in 1928, the school offers rich arts programs that have served an astonishing cadre of notable alumni. If you are a teenager and are lucky enough to get into an Interlochen program, you may find yourself becoming an orchestra musician, a Hollywood film actor, or Josh Groban.

Interlochen has long been a thoughtful and dedicated steward to their 1,200-acre campus. Prioritizing the ecological health of their land is woven into the culture, and these values are imparted to students through teaching and climate action.

A sustainability journey starting with academia

Interlochen Arts Academy offers courses in ecology and agricultural science, including an interdisciplinary Art of Ecology course, in which students use art to increase the biodiversity of the red pine plantation on campus. Adult learners from the community can take sustainability classes as well, including Gardening 101, Beekeeping, and Permaculture, and have opportunities to volunteer in the R.B. Annis Botanical Lab and Community Garden, which produces more than 1,700 pounds of fresh produce annually.

The coordinating force behind these endeavors has been the dynamo Emily Umbarger, who serves as Director of Sustainability and an instructor of agricultural science at Interlochen. Umbarger championed the development of Interlochen’s extraordinary garden, waste management, and conservation efforts which led Interlochen to win a U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School Award in 2019.

Taking the next steps through sustainability and climate action planning

In 2021, Umbarger connected with GreenerU for help with Interlochen’s latest sustainability initiative: a comprehensive sustainability and climate action plan.

GreenerU first supported Interlochen’s Green Team by collecting sustainability data across campus in a manner that paralleled AASHE STARS® sustainability data collection. Different teams explored all elements of sustainability: curriculum, engagement, operations, administration, and equity. During this same time, engineers at GreenerU conducted a greenhouse gas emissions inventory and energy audit. These studies yielded important information about the need to prioritize energy efficiency and the feasibility of a carbon neutrality date.

Interested in getting a baseline understanding of your K12 school’s action on climate? Use our Climate Assessment Tool to receive a customized report-out.

GreenerU’s partnership with Interlochen extended into stakeholder meetings over the course of the following nine months. “This whole process has served as a testament to what can be accomplished with a high level of commitment and determination,” said Madeline Rawson, who took the lead on managing GreenerU’s engagement with Interlochen. With facilitation training from GreenerU, Interlochen sustainability staff took on the challenge of conducting stakeholder engagement meetings to guide their colleagues through the planning process.

A laser-focused plan and tangible results

Interlochen’s resulting Climate Action Plan 2028 sets out bold and ambitious goals for the campus between two lakes. With goals ranging from academic to operational, Interlochen committed to new land management practices, sustainable transportation initiatives, green building standards, and of course greenhouse gas emissions reduction.

As of spring 2025, Interlochen has made significant headway toward achieving (and exceeding!) its goals:

• With a goal of 15% greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2028 against a 2021 baseline, the school has already achieved a 21% reduction through building electrification.
  
• Submeters have been installed at almost 50 buildings on campus, allowing the facilities staff better insight into which buildings have higher energy use intensity. This allows them to prioritize where to focus on energy conservation measures.
  
• Composting is now available at all three dining halls and in offices across campus. In addition, their dining halls have invested in reusable OZZI containers for to-go meals.
  
• The school is fundraising to develop a green revolving fund, a sustainability self-financing mechanism that targets energy-savings projects on campuses and provides up-front costs for installation. The loans are repaid through energy savings, allowing institutions to reinvest in additional energy-saving measures.
  
• In a move that will save many thousands of trees, Interlochen is now using QR codes for performance program booklets—an action that also cuts down on printing costs.

GreenerU is incredibly proud of its work with Interlochen Center for the Arts, an example of a K12 school that is leading the way in sustainability education and operations while following their own unique path.

To learn more about how GreenerU can help your K12 school create a path toward a more sustainable future, contact us today.

  Back to Case Studies