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Sustainable and climate-friendly Campus development
The University of Copenhagen has an ambition to see all new building projects on campus become shining examples of developments of the future; campus and research and teaching buildings alike.
The University's board of directors adopted ambitious goals to reduce both the University's energy consumption and CO2 emissions by 20% between 2006 and 2013. The aim is to achieve a significant proportion of the objectives through initiatives for existing constructions that do not, in all cases, enable climate-friendly operation. However, in the case of new building projects, we have the opportunity to set ambitious, environmentally and climate-friendly goals from the start. This is one of the University's key priorities.
Coorperation with Danish University and Property Agency
As a general rule, the Danish University and Property Agency (DUPA) is the developer for new buildings at the University. The DUPA has defined requirements for energy classes for new building projects and, in this case, has decided that energy class 1 shall apply to all new developments. Furthermore, in June 2008, the DUPA published guidelines on the planning of energy-efficient teaching buildings (read more, in danish)
The University of Copenhagen and the DUPA have a mutual interest in documenting the results of actual development projects with elements relevant to energy efficiency, and in including these in strategy development. Thus, the DUPA and the University are currently working together on the Green Lighthouse project; a project that demonstrates climate-friendly developments of the future. The building was completed in 2009 and the ambition is for the operation of the building to be CO2 neutral.
Integration of sustanability from the very beginning
When it comes to new building projects, environmental and climate considerations ought to be integrated from the very beginning, during the planning and design process, so that environmental and energy-efficient solutions can be selected during all phases. This also ensures that new buildings contribute as little as possible - or nothing at all - to CO2 emissions.
A sustainable, and if possible CO2 neutral, building requires special initiatives and choices when planning materials, building processes and supplies. Read more about special sustainability initiatives here.