Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities

Launched in 2020, the Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities is a regionally focused institute promoting sustainable human flourishing through education, research, and leadership. The institute builds on over a decade of proven success and national renown of the David E. Shi Center for Sustainability and connects campus and community around developing sustainable communities.

Residing in a net-zero, LEED-certified, sustainable showcase home, next to an organic farm in the heart of Furman’s campus, the Shi Institute brings together environmental scientists and economists, urban planners and policy experts, students, faculty, and community members, and sustainability visionaries and elected officials to collaboratively pursue and promote sustainable communities.

Sustainability at Furman

Sustainability at Furman

Sustainability is part of our identity and has been a core university value and a strategic priority for decades.

About Us

About Us

The Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities connects campus and community around promoting sustainable human flourishing through education, research, and leadership.

Programs and Services

Programs and Services

The Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities is a regional hub for sustainability education, research, and leadership. We have developed a wide array of sustainability programs to serve the local and regional sustainability ecosystem.

Meet our Staff

Meet our Staff

We are here to promote and support campus and community sustainability efforts. Have a question?

Read Our Blog

New recycling program, farmers market and more at The Woodlands

By Victoria Bostrom '24, The Woodlands at Furman Fellow Located right behind the university, The Woodlands at Furman community is distinguished by its residents' unwavering commitment to lifelong learning.  The Woodlands at Furman itself is...

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Meet our 2023-2024 Student Fellows!

  We're excited to introduce our Shi Institute Student Sustainability Fellows for the current academic year! Here's a little bit about them and their favorite experiences at Furman: Kerry Black ’24 of Greenville, S.C., is a...

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Join us here for the regional CCL conference April 6-7!

A Community-Centered Climate Future 2024 CCL Southeast Conference We're proud to host Citizens Climate Lobby's Southeast Regional Conference April 6-7 at Furman University. Conference-goers will hear from leading experts pioneering the path to climate resilience...

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Support The Shi Institute

Your gift to The Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities supports critical work in the areas of climate resilience and biodiversity protection and is invaluable to efforts geared toward advancing sustainability on campus and in our communities.

Contact Us

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