Tec Campus Querétaro Achieves Gold Accreditation in Sustainability

Tec Campus Querétaro Achieves Gold Accreditation in Sustainability

Tec Campus Querétaro has obtained Gold accreditation from the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS), an international framework that evaluates university sustainability performance. This achievement encompasses projects developed on campus, as well as academic, operational, and student-led initiatives. The evaluation documented existing university activities, including renewable energy use, water and waste management, internal mobility, applied research, and student training in areas linked to .

Campus Advances from Silver to Gold Level

This recognition marks an improvement from the previous evaluation, where the campus received Silver accreditation. With this new result, the Querétaro campus joins a group of ten Tecnológico de Monterrey campuses that have achieved Gold level in STARS 2026. Importantly, the evaluation extends beyond simply counting environmental projects to assessing how universities integrate sustainability principles into their planning, operations, and community engagement.

STARS Evaluates Five University Dimensions

The STARS system analyzes how higher education institutions embed sustainability across five key areas: operations, research, student experience, institutional leadership, and social impact. This methodology allows for the collection of data on infrastructure, resource consumption, academic programs, community participation, and governance mechanisms. Subsequently, this evidence is compiled into an evaluation that determines the level achieved by each university. Furthermore, the framework facilitates performance comparisons between institutions from different countries.

Approximately 18 Areas at Tec Campus Querétaro Contributed Evidence

The evaluation process spanned several months and involved approximately 18 academic and operational areas. Teams gathered documents, indicators, and results to demonstrate the scope of implemented projects. Departments such as Student Affairs, PrepaTec, Physical Plant, and TECservices, along with faculty and administrative staff, participated in this effort. Each team provided information related to their responsibilities and the sustainable actions developed on campus. This data collection also helped organize initiatives that were previously operating independently, allowing Tec Campus Querétaro to integrate a broader perspective on the cumulative impact of its projects and daily practices.

Tec Campus Querétaro: Over Half of Energy from Renewable Sources

A significant factor in the evaluation was the origin of the campus’s electricity supply. Over half of the energy consumed at Tec Campus Querétaro is derived from renewable sources. This indicator reduces reliance on conventional energy and directly impacts the operation of buildings, laboratories, classrooms, and common spaces, underscoring the importance of energy consumption within the institutional strategy. This measure is complemented by various initiatives for water conservation and efficient use, as well as practices focused on responsible resource management. Collectively, these efforts contributed to the campus’s rating.

Parking Fees Fund Internal Mobility

The evaluation also recognized the campus’s mobility model, where revenue generated from parking is allocated to finance the internal transportation system. This scheme links the use of private vehicles with alternative transit options within the facilities, supporting a service that facilitates movement for the university community. Among the evaluated projects are the Living Labs, spaces that leverage university facilities as environments for research, experimentation, and applied learning. The Experimental Agricultural Farm, known as CAETEC; La Compostera (The Composter); and the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Center, identified as CIMA, are integral components of this model.

Accreditation Presents New Challenges for Tec Campus Querétaro

The Gold accreditation positions Tec Campus Querétaro among a group of university campuses with internationally recognized advancements. However, maintaining this status will necessitate updating indicators, documenting results, and expanding existing initiatives. In this manner, sustainability is integrated not only into university infrastructure but also into teaching, research, and institutional decision-making.

The post first appeared on Líder Empresarial.