Infrastructure and Transportation

In accordance with our most recent Climate and Sustainability Plan goals, UMBC aims to reach net zero emissions by 2045. They key to reducing total emissions depends on our campus infrastructure; our buildings, and the travel networks available to get to campus and other academic locations.

Did you know? UMBC has designated parking spots designed to incentivize carpooling. Register for a carpool parking pass with Parking Services to get your spot, right inside campus at Lot 4!

  • A carpool must have at least 2 members whose schedules match at least 50 percent of the time (please submit each member’s class schedule with this form).
  • Carpool permits are valid only in Lot 4 in the designated Carpool parking spots. You may only have one car parked in the lot at any time. Carpool permits are enforced Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 4 PM.

 

UMBC transit bus

Try UMBC’s free shuttle system with environmentally conscious features including a low-emissions fleet, easy-load bike racks, and bus shelters!  UMBC Transit Shuttles connect UMBC with train stations, satellite parking, BWI airport, and the shopping, dining, and entertainment destinations in the neighborhoods surrounding campus. All UMBC Transit vehicles are wheelchair accessible.

 

No car on campus? No problem!  Any UMBC community member, 18 and older, has access to the campus Zip Car Share Progam. This program allows users to rent a hybrid car for as little as an hour or as much as a day – and this includes gas and insurance!

    • Zip cars at UMBC are located on Center Road by Student Success Center
    • Visit http://zipcar.com/umbc to get started, and get $10 as a bonus!

Visit the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) to find ways to travel to and from campus, with tips including:

  • Save: Save $25 on your monthly fare with the MTA college pass, available through Off-Campus Student Services
  • Bus: ​CityLink Yellow (YW) & Purple (PR), ​LocalLink 37, 76 & 77 connect UMBC with the surrounding area and Baltimore City.
  • Train: Many trains serve the area, including the MARC, a commuter train connecting the greater Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Areas with student-friendly fares.
  • Light Rail & Metro: Connecting Baltimore County & City, the metro travels east and west while the light rail north to south
  • MTA Mobility Link: MobilityLink service is for individuals with disabilities who are unable to use the MTA fixed route system, which includes CityLink, LocalLink, Metro SubwayLink or Light RailLink service.

UMBC is currently home to 19 public use charging stations located around campus. The stations are free for use with any form of a campus parking permit and do not require additional registrations.

 

 

As of 2024, UMBC has 6 LEED certified buildings, showcasing enhanced performance in energy efficiency and occupant comfort. Any new construction or renovation on UMBC’s campus will be built to at least a LEED Silver certification level, or equivalent under a different rating system. Sherman Hall’s 2025 renovation will be completed with a Silver or Gold certification level.

Take a tour of our Green Buildings

  • Upgrades to our building systems: numerous efficiency projects and initiatives have been implemented across campus.
  • Maintain energy-efficient standards: through the use of energy-saving standards and energy-conservation guidelines.
  • Utilize renewable energy sources: each year UMBC increases its use of renewable energy sources.
  • Conservation is not glamorous, and most conservation efforts are invisible. Few ever see the high-efficiency chillers, boilers, pumps, and HVAC systems that have been installed to provide the air conditioning and heating for the campus. This equipment is safely out-of-site in mechanical rooms, underground, on rooftops, or in ceilings. Even in the rare circumstance when such equipment is prominently visible, like the 60-foot tall tank between the Central Plant and Walker Avenue Garage, few know what it is. But even the thermal energy storage unit is cool.

Energy Related Initiatives:

  • Retrofitting the Central Plant with high-efficiency boilers, chillers, and hot water pumps
  • Installing a thermal energy storage system at the Central Plant. Charging the tank at night (making and storing over 1.6 million gallons of chilled water) reduces the load on the electric grid and power plants during peak daytime hours.
  • Converting air distribution systems from constant air volume to energy-efficient variable air volume (VAV) systems.
  • Upgrading heating/cooling systems for student housing by replacing stand-alone units with an efficient central Satellite Plant utilizing high-efficiency boilers and chillers
  • Installing process chilled-water loops for equipment (condensers, laser labs, etc.) which had been cooled by city water
  • Upgrading from pneumatic controls to Direct Digital Controls tied to a Building Automation System with a graphical user interface to improve set point control and occupancy scheduling
  • Upgrading exterior lighting for roadways, walkways, and parking lots to high-efficiency metal halide lamps.
  • Replacing incandescent bulbs with LEDs
  • Installing reduced-flow plumbing fixtures such as toilets, urinals, faucets, and showerheads in all new construction and renovations