Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a national set of standards used to design, construct, operate and certify green buildings. Eastern has five buildings on campus that have been built to LEED standards: Constitution, Laurel and Nutmeg Residence Halls, the Science Building, and the Fine Arts Instructional Center. 
With three 800-foot vertical wells, Eastern's High Rise Residence Hall is one of the largest geothermal installations in Connecticut. Before the geothermal system was installed, the residence hall did not have air conditioning. Geothermal allowed for the building to be both heated and cooled, reducing energy use and costs by 12%.
Eastern uses a variety of sustainable landscaping methods on campus, including as planting larger vegetation on steep slopes to reduce erosion, a preference for native non-invasive plants, and reduced or no irrigation. In an effort to increase pollinator habitat on campus, Biology students were involved in identifying and mapping native and invasive plants to inform landscaping practices.
The bioswale filtration system located just outside the main entrance of the Science Building collects rainwater runoff and is specifically designed to conserve and recycle natural rainwater as well as simulate a natural riverbed. The bioswale includes native vegetation, pervious pavement, and a rainwater collection system of troughs. 
The Encelium system is used throughout campus. Occupancy controls allow the lights to turn on or off and the HVAC to reduce or increase the number of air changes in a room based on the number of people in the room. This system saves money and energy, as the energy used is tailored to the needs of a building's occupancy level. 
Eastern's Energy Dashboard shows current energy use on campus. Electricity use can be broken down by building, and viewed as yearly comparisons. Users can view and download building electricity use data for whatever time period they select. The Energy Dashboard can be accessed through the website of the Office of Facilities Management and Planning and requires Flash Player to view.
There are two fuel cells located on Eastern’s campus. Eastern's first fuel cell, installed in April 2012 behind the Science Building, is a 400-kW phosphoric acid fuel cell, which provides electricity and onsite heating, from the fuel cell's byproduct heat. During the first academic year of its operation, energy use was reduced by just over 2 million kWh and the fuel cell operated at an average efficiency of 50% per month. The fuel cell will prevent the release of around 1,356 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, the equivalent of planting over 300 acres of trees. The reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions is equivalent to removing nearly 140 cars from the road. In November 2016, this fuel cell was replaced with a 440-kW model and has produced 28,484,929 kWh to date (November 2021). During the spring of 2021, a new Bloom Energy fuel cell was installed on campus near the Admissions Building. It was commissioned to run on July 1, 2021 and produces 1,150 kW. It was designed to produce half of the total campus electrical load during peak demand. As of November 2021, this fuel cell has helped avoid 545,320 lbs. of carbon dioxide and 27,833 gallons of gas not used, the equivalent of 53 cars removed from use for one full year.
Eastern has several solar lights across campus. These photovoltaic solar panels generate 6.2 kW and are used to light bus shelters, trash disposal areas, and building perimeter lighting. These lights are not connected to the main electric grid, so they will function even in the event of a power outage.
EV charging stations are available by the Fine Arts Instructional Center, Shafer Hall, and in the parking garages. These charging stations are free and can be used by students, staff, and the general public.
Eastern provides not only optimum accommodation for resident students, but also for commuter students. For Eastern students who bike to campus, shower facilities and lockers are open for commuter use in the Sports Center with showers also located in the Science Building. Bicycle racks are also available at some academic and residential buildings.
