Carbon footprint for a public university
The carbon footprint of a community of more than 17,000 people, a comparison with universities in Romania and Europe, and quantified reduction pathways.
The project at a glance
- Client
- Public university in Romania
- Size
- more than 16,000 students, about 1,100 staff, 11 faculties
- Infrastructure
- about 100,000 m² of buildings, including historic buildings, laboratories and sports facilities
- Service
- Carbon footprint (Scope 1, 2 and 3) + reduction pathways
- Methodology
- GHG Protocol Corporate Standard
- Base year
- 2025, the institution’s first complete inventory
tCO₂e — 2025 footprint, Scope 1, 2 and 3, the institution’s first complete inventory
tCO₂e per student (Scope 1 + 2), about 30% below a comparable university in Romania
of emissions come from the value chain, mainly from infrastructure investment
quantified reduction pathways for the emissions the university controls directly
The context
For universities, a carbon footprint has become a requirement: international sustainability rankings, European funding and academic partnerships all ask for verifiable environmental data.
The university did not have a complete emissions inventory. We produced the first, for the 2025 base year, and put it in context: how the university compares with other institutions and where it can reduce.
The challenge
- An institution, not a companySeveral faculties, historic buildings, laboratories, halls of residence and sports facilities, with data spread across several departments.
- Investment dominates the footprintIn a year of major infrastructure investment, the value chain weighs the most.
- A number needs a benchmarkUniversity rankings compare emissions per student, not absolute totals.
Almost 90% of emissions sit in the value chain
A footprint of about 21,500 tCO₂e, calculated to the GHG Protocol across Scope 1, 2 and 3. Infrastructure investment is the largest source, while building energy dominates the emissions the university controls directly.
Close to the Western European average, 30% below a Romanian benchmark
The indicator used in university sustainability rankings: Scope 1 + 2 emissions per student.
- The university, 20250.16
- Comparable Western European universities0.13–0.14
- A comparable university in Romania0.23
Four pathways, quantified
For the emissions the university controls directly, we estimated the impact of each pathway, including a three-scenario solar PV simulation for the campus roofs.
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Pathway 1
Renewable electricity
Scope 2
The fastest reduction, with no technical changes to the buildings.
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Pathway 2
Smart building management
Scope 1 + 2
Heating, cooling and lighting adjusted to actual occupancy.
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Pathway 3
Rooftop solar panels
three scenarios simulated
Generation, emission reduction and payback estimated for each scenario.
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Pathway 4
Fleet electrification
Scope 1
Gradually replacing high-mileage vehicles and adding charging points.
Deliverables
- The first complete emissions inventoryScope 1, 2 and 3, to the GHG Protocol
- Benchmark against universities in Romania and Europe
- Indicators for sustainability rankings
- Quantified reduction pathwaysincluding the solar PV simulation
A clear base year and a position comparable with Western European universities.
The data becomes the basis for international sustainability rankings, EU-funded projects and the university’s decarbonisation strategy.
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