Preliminary Approach for the Development of Sustainable University Campuses: A Case Study Based on the Mitigation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Abstract

University campuses consume a significant amount of energy. Given the high volume of people who commute to and from campuses, the resources consumed, such as water and energy, and the amount of waste that must be managed, they can be compared to small towns. To address this issue, university managers and decision-makers have implemented various technical measures to improve water and energy efficiency and waste management. These measures aim to increase campus sustainability and enhance the well-being of the academic community. One popular measure is the installation of autonomous energy production systems, such as photovoltaic (PV) systems, which replace external energy sources and reduce GHG emissions. For example, a PV system installed on a university campus has been found to supply 19% of the campus’s electricity needs and replace 21 tCO2·yr−1. However, adopting organizational measures to manage the use of produced energy and increasing school community’s environmental awareness about energy efficiency is crucial in order to change behavior and improve campus sustainability.