Project Office Energy, Climate Protection & Sustainability Climate Protection Concept
Heidelberg University supports the climate policy activities of the state of Baden-Württemberg and pursues the goal of achieving net greenhouse gas neutrality by 2040 through gradual reduction measures.
Content
For this purpose, a climate protection concept was developed with funding from the National Climate Initiative of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and support from the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (ifeu), and was approved by the Rectorate in September 2023.
The climate protection concept primarily considers operational areas of activity. The greenhouse gas balance for 2019 shows that approximately 62,000 tons of CO₂ equivalents were emitted through university activities. By far the largest share of emissions is attributable to the area of “buildings and energy,” which accounts for 87% of emissions. It should be noted that, in contrast to common accounting models in the public sector, the university takes greenhouse gas emissions from so-called “gray energy” into account in its model. Similarly, despite purchasing 100% green electricity, actual consumption from the supply grid is calculated according to the German electricity mix. Other relevant areas of action are “mobility” (11%) and ‘procurement’ and “waste disposal” (2% combined). The subsequent scenario and data analysis identifies opportunities for savings and optimization and results in a catalog of measures to be updated with projects for long-term implementation.
The climate protection concept primarily examines operational fields of action. The greenhouse gas accounting for 2019 shows that approximately 62,000 tons of CO₂ equivalents were emitted through university activities. By far the largest share of emissions is attributable to „buildings and energy,“ which accounts for 87% of emissions. It should be emphasized that the university - unlike common accounting models in public sectors - takes into account greenhouse gas emissions from so-called „embodied energy“ in a model-based approach. Similarly, despite sourcing 100% „Ökostrom“, the actual consumption from the supply grid is calculated according to the German electricity mix. Other relevant fields of action are "mobility" (11%) as well as "procurement" and "waste management" together accounting for 2%. The subsequent scenario and data analysis identifies potential savings and optimization opportunities and results in an updateable catalog of measures with projects for long-term implementation.
Greenhouse Gas Accounting
The greenhouse gas emissions accounting forms the foundation of the climate protection concept, identifying the major emission sources and their reduction potential, thus enabling the long-term implementation of greenhouse gas mitigation measures.
The emissions are categorized according to Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 following the standardized methodology of the World Resources Institute's Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol. Scope 1 emissions represent direct emissions released directly by the reporting organizational units, including sources such as on-site electricity and heat generation, company vehicle fleet, and production processes. The key distinction between Scope 1 and Scope 2/3 emissions is that the reporting organization maintains direct control over Scope 1 emissions. Scope 2 covers purchased energy from external suppliers, including electricity, heating, and cooling services. Scope 3 comprises all remaining indirect emissions from an organization's activities that occur outside the organization's operational boundaries, typically covering mobility (excluding fleet vehicles), procurement, waste disposal, and investments.
