What does the carbon footprint of a central university building say to management?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32976/stratfuz.2025.26Keywords:
carbon dioxide emission, carbon footprint, higher education institution, sustainability management, Bilan CarbonAbstract
This paper examines the carbon footprint of a multifunctional central university building, the József Attila Study and Information Centre (SZTE TIK). The aim is to identify key sources of environmental impact and propose recommendations for institutional strategy development. The study uses the Bilan Carbone calculator to analyze one full year of operational data, including direct emissions, purchased energy, and commuting habits of staff and visitors, assessed via survey. The results are compared with international benchmarks from other higher education institutions. Findings reveal that nearly 50% of the carbon footprint derives from energy use, while procurement-related emissions slightly exceed this. Although staff car use generates more CO₂ per capita than student travel, the student population contributes a much larger aggregate impact due to scale. Visitor commuting alone accounts for 95% of total travel emissions. Compared to similar institutions, SZTE TIK shows higher carbon intensity, potentially due to broader data scope or more energy-intensive operations. The study emphasizes targeting fossil fuel and electricity consumption as high-impact mitigation areas.
Our results suggest that the resources available to reduce carbon emissions should be used to reduce fossil fuel use and electricity consumption. In terms of environmental pressures from student commuting, it is essential to encourage the spread of sustainable mobility options and to support university communities that promote sustainable practices.
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