In an effort to achieve greater energy sustainability, the University of Pennsylvania has installed green energy sources across the campus over the past few years, and was recently recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as one of the green power champions among colleges and universities.

This marks the fifth year in a row that the University of Pennsylvania has been named to the list of green power champions, beating 72 other schools across the country that made the list by purchasing more than 200 million kilowatt-hours of green energy during the academic year. It led 17 Pennsylvania schools to make the list.

“By purchasing green power from renewable sources, these 17 Pennsylvania institutions are spurring the development of the nation’s green power market and reducing harmful air pollution,” said Shawn Garvin, the EPA’s mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator, in a press release. “Their commitment to renewable energy, especially at the University of Pennsylvania, is contributing to the growth in green jobs and a green economy.”

EPA officials reported that the University of Pennsylvania's power purchase is the equivalent to avoiding the greenhouse gas emissions of close to 27,000 vehicles every year.

A 1950s home in Pennsylvania was also recently upgraded with green energy, which makes the home a model for how older dwellings can be updated for greater efficiency, according to Brian Walters, whose company did the renovation.