Institution

Context

Business travel by air is responsible for 24% of UNIL’s CO_{2 eq.} emissions, making it the largest source, and for 6% of its impact on global biodiversity (in 2019). UNIL has a great deal of flexibility to take action on staff travel and has already taken the first steps by adopting a new directive on professional travel, which notably introduces a restriction on the use of airplanes for destinations that can be reached in around ten hours by train (see Directive 0.8).

Effects expected by 2037

17% reduction in CO_{2 eq.} emissions and 4% reduction in the impact on UNIL’s overall biodiversity compared with the trend scenario.

Co-benefits

• Reduction in the frequency of journeys, helping to reconcile family life and reduce the fatigue associated with long journeys.

Key Considerations

• Maintain active participation in international networks.
• Ensure that UNIL remains attractive to researchers.
• Take into account the cost differences between train and plane travel.
• Ensure that researchers who favour sustainability are not penalized in their careers.

Opportunities

• Distribute travel opportunities more equitably between senior and junior researchers.
• Rethinking research time and the criteria for academic excellence, which are currently very quantitative, to make them more qualitative and collective (along the lines of the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment).
• Rethinking the role of international exchanges, also with a view to decolonizing the production of knowledge.
• Strengthen collaboration at European level (in particular via the CIVIS network).
• Develop partnerships with universities located close to relevant research areas for UNIL researchers in order to reduce the need to travel there.
• Develop UNIL’s capacity to host multi-hub conferences in order to make it a hub at European level.

Context

Laboratory equipment purchases are responsible for 2% of UNIL’s CO_{2 eq.} emissions and 3% of its impact on global biodiversity (in 2019).

At present, there are initiatives in place to reduce the impact of certain laboratories, but there is no coherent, organized approach at institutional level.

Reducing the amount of laboratory equipment purchased requires a better understanding of what is being purchased, to pool its use and extend its lifespan.

A Green Labs Task Force dedicated to this issue will be set up in September 2024.

Effects expected by 2037

1% reduction in CO_{2 eq.} emissions and 1% reduction in the impact on UNIL’s overall biodiversity compared with the trend scenario.

Co-benefits

• Financial savings.
• Increased academic exchanges between units, encouraging interdisciplinarity.
• Better knowledge of the environmental and social quality of the goods consumed.

Key Considerations

• Care should be taken not to add too many administrative procedures that could penalize the competitiveness of research.
• Ensure that sufficient resources are allocated to ensure that projects are functional and meet the needs of users.

Opportunities

• Standardisation and formalisation of purchasing processes to ensure compliance with public procurement criteria.
• (Re-)acquisition of specific skills in-house (for technical maintenance), enabling greater independence from suppliers.
• Increase traceability to reduce the risk of socially unethical purchasing.

Context

Purchases of laboratory consumables are responsible for 15% of UNIL’s CO_{2 eq.} emissions and 11% of its impact on global biodiversity (in 2019). It should be noted that it is difficult to quantify the exact extent of these impacts, due to the wide variety of products purchased and the lack of knowledge about their impacts.

At present, there are initiatives in place to reduce the impact of certain laboratories, but there is no coherent, organized approach at institutional level.

Reducing the number of consumables purchased will require the use of washable equipment and a rethink of certain laboratory practices and protocols.

A Green Labs Task Force dedicated to this issue will be set up in September 2024.

Effects expected by 2037

6% reduction in CO_{2 eq.} emissions and 4% reduction in the impact on UNIL’s overall biodiversity compared with the trend scenario.

Co-benefits

• Financial savings.
• Reduced dependence on external suppliers.
• Better knowledge of the environmental and social quality of the goods consumed.

Key Considerations

• Ensure that processes are not slowed down, as this could have a negative impact on the competitiveness of research.
• Ensure that all laboratory staff are properly trained to avoid the risks of contamination associated with the use of washable equipment.
• Ensure that sufficient resources are allocated to ensure that projects are functional and meet the needs of users.

Opportunities

• (Re)acquisition of specific skills in-ternal (for washing and sterilisation, etc.).
• Development of specialised administrative and technical staff (PAT) positions to ensure the development and transition of best practices within laboratories.
• Increase traceability to reduce the risk of socially unethical purchasing.

Context

The purchase of IT and electronic equipment represents 4% of UNIL’s CO_{2 eq.} emissions and 30% of UNIL’s impact on global biodiversity (in 2019).

Other purchases (building maintenance products, furniture, office equipment, paper, agricultural products and other consumer goods) account for 3% of UNIL’s CO_{2 eq.} emissions (in 2019) and 3% of its impact on overall biodiversity.

IT equipment, furniture and cleaning products are already purchased in a centralised manner. In other areas, purchasing is still very decentralised and procurement procedures vary from one buyer to another.

It should be noted that IT and electronic equipment also has a high social impact in the countries where it is manufactured (high potential for imported modern slavery).

Effects expected by 2037

For IT and electronic equipment, a 2% reduction in CO_{2 eq.} emissions and a 16% reduction in the impact on UNIL’s overall biodiversity compared with the trend scenario.

For other types of purchases, a 2% reduction in CO_{2 eq.} emissions and a 5% reduction in the impact on UNIL’s overall biodiversity compared with the trend scenario.

Co-benefits

• Financial savings.
• Reduced risk of imported modern slavery.

Key Considerations

• Care must be taken not to create a technological debt that would be difficult to make up and would penalise the competitiveness of research.

Opportunities

• Standardisation and formalisation of purchasing processes to ensure compliance with public procurement criteria.
• Reducing the risk of socially unethical purchasing.

Context

Thermal and electrical energy consumption accounts for 24% of UNIL’s CO_{2 eq.} emissions and 18% of its impact on global biodiversity (in 2019). Thermal requirements depend mainly on the quality of the building envelope and the possibility of centralised thermal control. Electrical requirements are linked to lighting, ventilation and heat pumps.

From 2027, when the new lake water heating plant comes into operation, the buildings will be heated entirely by electricity. The reduction in CO₂ emissions will be substantial, but electricity requirements will increase, as this energy will also be used to meet thermal needs.

Several energy renovation projects are planned, and major work is underway to optimise consumption. It will also be necessary to examine needs to reduce UNIL’s overall energy demand.

Please note that:

• The buildings are the property of the State of Vaud, which delegates their day-to-day operation to UNIL. All investments related to renovations are the responsibility of the State.
• UNIL is subject to the objectives of cantonal and federal laws on energy and climate.

Effects expected by 2037

14% reduction in CO_{2 eq.} emissions and 10% reduction in the impact on UNIL’s overall biodiversity compared with the trend scenario.

Co-benefits

• Financial savings.
• Reduced damage in the event of an energy shortage.

Key Considerations

• Renovations depend on major investment by the State and the availability of material and human resources to carry out the work.
• The current procedures for buildings are very complex and take a long time to complete.

Opportunities

• Optimizing the current use of building, by integrating new forms and habits of work (desk sharing, teleworking, etc.), to limit the need to build new areas.

Context

Thermal and electrical energy consumption accounts for 24% of UNIL’s CO_{2 eq.} emissions and 18% of its impact on global biodiversity (in 2019). Certain electrical needs are dictated by activities specific to experimental research (processes).

There is scope for reducing the amount of equipment and optimising its use.

A Green Labs Task Force dedicated to this issue will be set up in September 2024.

It should be noted that it is currently difficult to isolate process-related consumption from overall electricity consumption. Nevertheless, this 20% reduction is in addition to the 50% reduction linked to the operation of the buildings.

Effects expected by 2037

Not quantifiable, as it is not currently possible to isolate process-related consumption from overall electricity consumption.

Co-benefits

• Contribute to increasing Switzerland’s energy autonomy.
• Develop a better understanding of the equipment available in UNIL laboratories.

Key Considerations

• Provide the necessary resources to ensure that the systems for reducing consumption are operational.

Opportunities

• Optimise the use of equipment to reduce its number and electrical requirements.

Context

Thermal and electrical energy consumption accounts for 24% of UNIL’s CO_{2 eq.} emissions and 18% of its impact on global biodiversity (in 2019).

From 2027, when the new lake water heating plant comes into operation, the buildings will be heated entirely by electricity. The reduction in CO₂ emissions will be significant, but electricity requirements will increase, as this energy will also be used to meet thermal needs.

Please note:

• At present, UNIL only buys TÜW SÜD-certified renewable electricity (contract running until 2027).
• UNIL covers 6% of its electricity needs with photovoltaic panels installed on its buildings.

Effects expected by 2037

18% reduction in UNIL’s CO_{2 eq.} emissions compared with the trend scenario (no significant reduction in the impact on UNIL’s overall biodiversity).

Co-benefits

• Reduced risks associated with fluctuations in the supply of fossil fuels.
• Contribute to increasing Switzerland’s energy autonomy.

Key Considerations

• Buying certified energy does not guarantee that the energy actually consumed is renewable at all times (particularly during the winter).
• Choosing another type of certificate (Nativa+, for example) may represent an additional cost.

Opportunities

• The tender procedure to find a supplier from 2028 could be an opportunity to change the type of certificate.

Context

The construction of any new building has a significant environmental impact. Increasing the density of use of existing buildings is an excellent way of avoiding the need to build new ones.

It should be noted that avoiding an increase in built-up areas also helps to limit the increase in thermal and electrical energy consumption, as well as limiting the increase in the artificial surface area of the campus.

Effects expected by 2037

7% reduction in CO_{2 eq.} emissions and 5% reduction in the impact on UNIL’s overall biodiversity (the impact of building materials is smoothed over 30 years).

Co-benefits

• Benefits for local biodiversity, rainwater management and soil quality if artificial development is avoided.

Key Considerations

• Take care not to restrict renovation possibilities.
• Distinguish between uses with a high potential for densification (offices, storage, etc.) and those that are already in high demand (auditoriums, sports halls, etc.).

Opportunities

• Increasing interaction and conviviality by developing new, more flexible workspaces.

Context

The transition requires us to challenge current practices in order to invent new, more sustainable ones. Creating conditions conducive to experimentation and encouraging creativity at all levels of the institution will accelerate the emergence and adoption of these new practices.

Various initiatives already exist in departments and faculties, such as the Entrepreneurship and Innovation HUB’s Impulse programme to stimulate intrapreneurship. However, there is not yet a genuine culture of experimentation and socio-ecological innovation at institutional level.

Effects expected by 2037

Non-quantifiable, but necessary to achieve the other aims.

Co-benefits

• Improving the working environment
• Enhanced attractiveness of UNIL.

Key Considerations

• Risk of work overload if the development of new practices is done in addition to existing tasks rather than replacing

Opportunities

• To develop and test methodologies and knowledge at UNIL that can then be useful to society.
• Strengthen collaboration with researchers to measure the impact of experiments carried out.