Green Campus > Green Purchasing
Green Purchasing - Green consumption
The University of Copenhagen is a large workplace with a combined purchasing-budget of 1, 5 billion DKK a year. About one third of this is used to buy standardized products, ranging from pencils and computers to standard laboratory equipment and -80 degree Celsius freezers used for research. Through such purchases the university makes a considerable impact on the environment and the climate. The products require resources and energy throughout their whole lifetimes: during their manufacturing, when they are in use, and when they are disposed of.
Technical and IT equipment is often quite energy demanding, and by choosing energy efficient products, energy consumption is reduced when such equipment is in operation. Thus, there is an added financial bonus in advocating energy efficiency and environmental friendly demands.
Furthermore, it is important to secure an optimal use of the already existing facilities and equipment.
The University of Copenhagen ’s Commitments
The University of Copenhagen will institute sustainability standards for purchasing, giving special attention to decreasing energy consumption and the CO2 emission of operation.The parameters for sustainability must have the same consideration as economy and quality in deciding all purchases.
Purchasing agreements offer a valuable opportunity to streamline and efficiently incorporate sustainability standards. This is why the University of Copenhagen will strengthen the use of centrally made purchasing agreements, insuring that sustainability principles are more frequently considered and valued.
The university’s goal is to make sure that 80 % of purchasing is done via purchasing agreements by 2009, and that sustainability parameters are featured in at least 75 %.of purchases made via purchasing agreements by 2013.