Climate and environment
At UiA we work continuously to take our share of responsibility for the biggest challenge of our time: climate and the environment. We have drawn up an action plan with six focus areas to contribute to greener operation of the university and a reduced climate footprint.
Our six focus areas
1. Greenhouse gas reduction
Goal 2030: UiA must achieve climate neutral operations by 2030.
Goals 2024:
1. UiA must carry out emissions accounting with concrete emission targets divided into defined categories.
- Measure: Emissions accounting training.
- Measure: Carry out analyses of the greenhouse gas emissions accounts.
- Measure: Introduce digital tools for environmental and climate monitoring.
- Measure: Incorporate climate reporting as an integral part of the annual reporting process.
2. UiA must use the emissions accounts as a basis for overall decisions, both policy decisions and decisions regarding project implementation.
- Measure: Identify emission sources and work on solutions to reduce them.
- Measure: Develop a knowledge base about the travel activity and establish a travel policy for more environmentally friendly solutions.
3. UiA must work with building owners to reduce emissions when carrying out construction projects
- Measure: Increase the knowledge base in relation to the opportunities and costs of choosing green solutions in construction projects.
- Measure: Work towards emission-free construction sites.
2. Reduced and renewable energy use
Goal 2030: UiA must reduce energy use on campus by 40 per cent by 2030.
Goal 2024: UiA must reduce energy use on campus by 15 per cent.
- Measure: Increase the knowledge base about energy use and investigate possible reductions.
- Measure: Identify and implement simple measures to reduce energy consumption in the existing buildings in collaboration with the building owner.
- Measure: Examine larger low-energy solutions with an implementation plan in collaboration with the building owner.
- Measure: Prepare an annual energy report which provides proposals for further solutions based on the measures above.
3. Environmentally friendly transport
Goal 2030: All transport connected to UiA must be emission-free (non-fossil).
Goals 2024:
1. UiA must commit to emission-free transport of people, goods and services in ordinary procurement processes.
- Measure: Only emission-free vehicles should be used for UiA operations.
2. UiA must work to ensure that more people walk, cycle and use public transport to and from work.
- Measure: Prepare a communication plan to improve awareness and visibility of opportunities.
- Measure: Collaborate with relevant stakeholders to ensure sufficiently good public transport and walking and cycling routes.
3. UiA must facilitate for the emission-free vehicles of its employees and students.
- Measure: Provide infrastructure for parking and charging that is designed for a growth in emission-free vehicles.
4. UiA must reduce emissions related to travel activities, especially from air travel.
- Measure: Develop an institutional travel policy to limit emissions, see also area 2.
- Measure: Investigate opportunities for collaboration and learning platforms with other universities.
4. Waste reduction and increased recycling
Goal 2030: UiA must reduce the amount of waste by 40 per cent per user as well as increase waste recycling to 75 per cent in cooperation with the building owner.
Goal 2024: UiA must reduce the amount of waste by 20 per cent per user.
1. UiA must reduce the amount of waste
- Measure: Carry out analysis of waste and waste sources.
- Measure: Carry out reductions based on the analysis and prepare proposals for further reductions.
- Measure: Identify joint measures for canteen waste management with the Student Welfare Organisation in Agder (SiA).
2. UiA must facilitate longevity, reuse and recycling
- Measure: Establish reuse projects and make them visible.
- Measure: Develop a digital system for the exchange and reuse of functioning equipment and material.
5. Green procurement
Goal 2030: Procurement must be a central means for delivering environmental gains and contribute to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Goal 2024: UiA must enforce standard environmental requirements for all procurements and document the environmental impact of these.
- Measure: Introduce a requirement that a minimum of 80 per cent of the volume of procurement at UiA must be made from suppliers that are environmentally certified, or that can otherwise account for their carbon footprint.
- Measure: Investigate whether climate and the environment can be a main purchase criterion.
6. Buildings
Goal 2030: Estates and buildings connected to Campus Kristiansand and Campus Grimstad are managed with the best interests of the environment, students and employees in mind.
Goal 2024: UiA must improve its land use.
- Measure: Use the Campus Development Plan to establish an overview and analysis of the current land use and propose measures for better use.
- Measure: Request an environmental profile when renting land and add the environmental standard of buildings as a criterion when choosing a rental property.
Did you know?
We have 3000 square metres of solar panels on campus.
We recycle over 50 per cent of our waste.
We have reduced our energy consumption by 17 per cent per square metre in Kristiansand.