Mid-Atlantic Sustainable Breweries | School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation

UMD EFC’s Mid-Atlantic Sustainable Breweries Program offers free sustainability consultations to help craft brewers assess operations and implement practices related to energy, water, wastewater, air emissions, and cleaning and sanitizing – all while saving costs and improving brand recognition. This work is funded by a US EPA Pollution Prevention grant, and assistance is available through 2025. We offer:

Technical assistance to identify opportunities for cost-saving improvements in the areas of energy, water, wastewater, cleaning & sanitizing, and more
Benchmarking to track utility usage and compare efficiency with other brewers
Research on costs, incentives such as rebates and grants, and payback periods for sustainability practices or equipment
Recognition as a BetterBev Green Craft Brewer, if minimum performance measures are met in ten categories of facility activities and efficiency opportunities

Get recognized as a BetterBev Green Craft Brewer

Our program partners with BetterBev, a free environmental sustainability recognition program that helps craft beverage producers review their facility operations, identify process improvements, and reduce business costs.

BetterBev meets brewers where they are, from beginners looking for simple tips to experts that want to investigate the latest green technologies. No matter where you are, the BetterBev program will help you take positive steps that meet your financial, operational, and strategic priorities.

Continuous Improvement
Participating companies drive their continuous improvement by measuring and assessing waste generation, energy use, water consumption, and material inputs, such as raw materials, packaging, and cleaning products.

Ten Sustainability Criteria
The BetterBev program uses the following criteria to review facility operations and generate technical recommendations.

Environmentally responsible sourcing
Water usage
Wastewater reduction
Stormwater management
Energy efficiency and conservation
CO2 use and emissions
Cleaning and sanitizing
Waste reduction
Packaging format and materials
Environmental culture

Safer Cleaning
BetterBev works with the Toxics Use Reduction Institute's Cleaning Laboratory at the University of Massachusetts Lowell to identify high-performing, cost-effective cleaning practices that reduce health and safety risks. Ask us for more information.

Get started!

To get started, contact Kristel Sheesley: sheesley@umd.edu or Jenny Egan: jegan@umd.edu. You can also take this survey to share your current practices and request a consultation.