2014 campus award, university of gothenburg
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University of Gothenburg Climate strategy 2010-‐2015 A success story on climate change mi=ga=on through transboundary collabora=on in a complex academic environment
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Eddi Omrcen, Environmental manager
ISCN conference, Singapore NUS, 2013-06-18
8 facul=es – 38 departments
• The Sahlgrenska Academy – pharmacy, medicine,
odontology and health care sciences
• The Faculty of Science
• The Faculty of Arts
• The Faculty of Fine, Applied and Performing Arts
• The Faculty of Social Sciences
• School of Business, Economics and Law
• The Faculty of Educa=on
• The IT Faculty
• 37,000 students, 25,600 full-‐=me students
• 237 educa=onal programmes
• 1,956 courses
• 5,760 employees
• 381,000 square meters building area
• 630 million Euro total income/revenue
Gothenburg
University of Gothenburg
Background ”Sustainable development is important to us; we always consider the long-‐term social, economic and ecological consequences and allow them to guide our opera;ons.”
University of Gothenburg, Vision 2020 By the fall of 2009, the Vice-‐Chancellor of the University of Gothenburg assigned the environmental manager to develop a Climate strategy. The University is both EMAS registered and cer=fied in accordance with ISO 14001. With it´s well-‐established Environmental Management System (EMS), the University is in an excellent posi=on to implement a Climate strategy and carry out systema=c monitoring of this. By having an ambi=ous objec=ve, the University of Gothenburg is able to take responsibility, set an interna=onal example and demonstrate that it takes the climate issue extremely seriously. 3
Organiza=onal structure -‐ Opera=ons
The Environmental Unit plays a key role in planning, coordina=ng, facilita=ng and monitoring climate ac=on. The Universitys’ well established EMS enables a goal-‐oriented and systema=c approach to achieve the ambi=ons set forth in the Climate strategy. The yearly results serves as a base for future priori=es. The EMS also facilitates the management engagement necessary to implement the ambi=ons outlined in the Climate strategy.
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Organiza=onal structure – Scien=fic guidance
In order to win support for the strategy and to drive its implementa=on forward, the University has formed an internal Climate CommiCee consis=ng of eminent researchers within the climate field. The task of the Climate Commi^ee is to provide guidance and opinions on the university’s climate-‐related work, and to assess the measures described in the strategy. At the University of Gothenburg, this is a unique way of gathering knowledge produced within the university for applica=on on it’s own opera=ons.
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Merri% Polk, senior lecturer in Human Ecology and member of the Climate CommiFee.
Thomas Sterner, professor in Environmental Economics, lead author in the Interna;onal Panel on Climate Change and member of the Climate CommiFee.
Objec=ve and ac=on areas
This is being achieved mainly through:
• energy efficiency measures, and by • adap=ng business travel in line with clima=c and environmental considera=ons.
Areas with an indirect posi=ve or nega=ve impact on the climate have also been iden=fied to reinforce the University of Gothenburg’s climate-‐related efforts: Research and educa8on, Coopera8on and communica8on, Coordina8ng purchasing and transport, Computer use, and Food. Carbon off-‐sebng is made for all climate affec=ng emissions from air-‐travel, without it being calculated for in the objec=ve follow-‐up.
The target fulfillment is monitored through emissions from travel and energy consump=on. The target is set in absolute figures, giving that when the university grows in revenues, students and staff, it does not affect the target.
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The main objec8ve is to reduce total carbon dioxide emissions by the year 2015 by at least 20 percent compared with 2008 levels. The University of Gothenburg also aims to reduce total energy usage by 10 per cent for the same period.
Achievement By the end of 2013 the target was almost reached with a reduc=on of total carbon emissions by 19 per cent as compared to the baseline year 2008. Total energy use is reduced by 15 per cent, excessing the 10 per cent goal. For 2013 as compared to 2012, energy usage was reduced by 7 per cent giving economic savings equivalent to 430 000 euros or almost 600 000 US dollars, and a reduc=on of carbon dioxide emissions by 3 per cent.
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2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Total carbon dioxide emissions (tonnes)
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2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Average energy consump=on (kWh/m2)
District hea=ng
Electricity
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Challenges overcome: Conflic=ng objec=ves
Increased interna=onaliza=on is an important objec=ve for the University of Gothenburg. In conjunc=on with increasingly interna=onalized research and educa=on, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from air travel is a challenge.
To meet this challenge, a policy for travel and mee=ngs was adopted, requiring special approval for air-‐travel under 500 kilometres. The University of Gothenburg is at the forefront in technical solu=ons and support for travel-‐free mee=ngs. Infrastructure, training and informa=on is increasing the use of technology for travel free mee=ngs.
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Electricity, 7%
Boat, 5% Fossil energy,
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District hea=ng, 27% Car, train,
bus, 3%
Flights under 500 km, 6%
Flights over 500 km, 52%
Carbon dioxide emissions 2013
In order to reduce the amount of emissions from air travel, and s;ll be an interna;onally successful University, an important part of the Climate strategy is to make travel free mee;ngs a realis;c and well func;oning alterna;ve to air travel.
Challenges overcome: Not owning facili=es, no campus Swedish universi=es are according to legisla=on not able to buy or own real estate. The university hires thus all facili=es from public and private corpora=ons on contracts on up to a maximum of 10 years, which imposes a great challenge in terms of crea=ng incen=ves for energy savings. We don´t have a physical campus area, we are a mul=-‐site city university integrated within the city of Gothenburg. In order to reduce climate impact, sustainability aspects has been integrated into the University policy for new construc=on and refurbishment. A sustainability group with representa=ves from the University Environmental Unit, Communica=on Unit and Property Unit is appointed with the mandate to ensure that sustainability issues are included and followed up in major new construc=on and renova=on work planned at the University of Gothenburg. Naturally, this also implies an in-‐depth collabora=on with the property owners.
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Good examples 1. Students commi^ed to climate The student ini=a=ve Fossil Free University of Gothenburg argue that certain investments support fossil energy produc=on that is immoral and financially short termed, and campaigns for divestment. Sahlgrenska Academy Students for Sustainability (SASS) and Handels Students for Sustainability (HaSS) ac=vely promotes engagement in and dispersion of knowledge about sustainable development. SASS also promotes ‘meat-‐free Mondays’ at the University’s cafés and restaurants. The Environmental Unit supports student groups with premises and networking.
Representa;ves from Fossil free University of Gothenburg handing over the signatories for the campaign to Pam Fredman, Vice-‐Chancellor.
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2. Good examples Climate seminars The University gives a series of interdisciplinary climate seminars, aiming to highlight the importance of research for in dealing with climate change. Approximately five seminars has been held each year, of wich some examples can be seen below: Video: COP 17 in Durban – What can we expect this =me? Video: The human mindset and rela=on to the earth and the climate change. Video: Globaliza=on – A driving force or an obstacle for solving climate change?
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3. Good examples A part of the city
Together with the city of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska university hospital, the University is sebng up a “Green I=nerary” for a well visited University area situated in the city, “Campus Medicinareberget”, aiming to develop an easy accessible campus without increasing motor traffic. The project is focusing on improved access for bikes and pedestrians as well as more frequent public transports.
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4. Good examles Climate off-‐sebng through Gold Standard CDM In line with the University’s vision of increased interna=onaliza=on, carbon dioxide emissions from travel has increased by 11 per cent since 2008. In order to balance these emissions, carbon offsebng is applied by inves=ng in a Gold Standard Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project. Carbon offsebng is viewed as secondary to energy efficiency measures and sustainable travelling. An internal climate fund, financed by part from climate off-‐sebng fees, is being planned. All University staff and students will be able to apply for funding of a project that helps reducing the Universitys’ carbon footprint.
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Part of the climate-‐offsePng investments is made in the biomass power plant Sri Balaji in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, a Gold Standard CDM-‐project.
5. Good examples Cubng energy at the Laboratory for Experimental Biomedicine (EBM)
In a joint project, the Sahlgrenska Academy and the property owner Akademiska Hus, carried out several major energy efficiency measures. This reduced the energy consump=on at EBM by 26 percent in between 2009 and 2013. By reducing the use of fossil natural gas, carbon dioxide emissions from EBM was reduced by over 900 tonnes to almost zero. Won the ISCN award 2013 ”Excellence in buildings” 14
6. Good examples An emerging living laboratory Students at the School of Business, Economics and Law was assigned to count on profitability and environmental benefits of installing a solar PV system on the school roof in order to provide recommenda=ons to whether, and under what condi=ons, the school should agree to such an investment. The assignment was carried out in collabora=on with Akademiska hus who is now proceeding with a proposal for actual installa=on. The concept be will used in several facul=es across the University in order to implement energy efficiency measures that have been iden=fied in a joint energy savings project with another property owner, Higab.
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A unique approach
The Climate strategy is unique at the University of Gothenburg as it is a university-‐wide strategy, including faculty, administra=on and management. With the support of it’s EMS, the University of Gothenburg manages climate ac=on with a systema=c approach, both in implementa=on and follow-‐up. The Climate strategy is comprehensive, including all three ISCN charter principles: buildings, campus planning and integra=ng research and educa=on. It also includes student commitment.
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Learning outcomes The University of Gothenburg’s Climate strategy shows that it is possible for mul=-‐site city universi=es, not in possession of the buildings in which they operate, to address climate impact across all areas in an effec=ve manner.
It is achieved through collabora=on across the University, between facul=es and with external stakeholders such as property owners.
This creates opportuni=es for technical solu=ons and social learning processes, and allows the University of Gothenburg to serve as a living laboratory for sustainable development.
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The future The objec=ve of reducing carbon dioxide emissions is expected to be fullfilled by 2015, and the University has it’s sights set at taking the next step. Climate strategy 2.0 is set to enter into force by january 2016. During fall 2014, a series of workshops will be held in order to outline the poten=al for further reducing climate impact. Students, staff, researchers and the surrounding society will be involved in the process.
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Thank you for your a^en=on !
Information:
www.sustainabilityreport.gu.se
ISCN Award winner Excellence in Buildings
Singapore June 2013