Buildings and energy
The consumption of thermal and electrical energy for building operations represents 24% of UNIL's CO2 eq. emissions and 18% of its impact on global biodiversity (in 2019).
The thermal requirements depend mainly on the quality of the building envelope and the possibility of centralised thermal regulation. Electrical requirements are linked to lighting, ventilation and heat pumps.
Rethinking the allocation of office space and increasing the density of its use is an excellent way of avoiding the need to build new buildings with significant environmental impacts.
Projects in progress
Energy sobriety
Analysis of our impacts shows that we cannot reduce them solely by using more energy-efficient technologies. Energy sobriety measures, which lead to reductions in energy requirements, are necessary to respect planetary limits.
This involves working on the behaviour and habits of the community so that it can rethink its activities and reduce its energy requirements. Two projects are currently underway in this area:
- A policy of energy sobriety, developed by the Buildings Department (Unibat), started as part of the measures to prevent energy shortages in autumn 2022. The Towards energy sobriety guide, available in French and English, provides concrete information on what UNIL is doing to reduce its energy consumption, as well as advice on how to invite the university community to join in this joint effort.
- Measures in UNIL laboratories, aimed at improving the management of laboratory equipment and avoiding waste.
New heating plant
As one of the canton's biggest consumers, UNIL has signed an agreement with the Canton of Vaud on objectives that include reducing its consumption of fossil fuels. It is within this framework that, from 2027, UNIL will bring into operation a new heating plant powered by water from the lake. This will replace the gas and oil currently used to heat the vast majority of buildings on campus, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a factor of four.
This infrastructure is entirely financed by the Canton, to the tune of CHF 55 million.
Completed projects
Since February 2009, all of UNIL's electricity needs have been covered by electricity from renewable sources. Since 2018, the latter has come from Vaud hydropower plants.
The potential for installing solar panels on the roofs of the campus is 2/3 exploited. With a total surface area of over 9'400 m2 these installations cover around 6% of UNIL’s electricity needs. A further 4,800 m2 of solar panels are planned for the near future.
As an institution governed by public law, UNIL is subject to the exemplary building regulations of the Canton of Vaud. As a result, its buildings are designed to meet sustainability targets in their construction, renovation and maintenance. A number of measures are already in place to reduce electricity consumption, including the use of lake water for air conditioning, the use of energy-efficient light bulbs and the use of renewable energy;use of low-energy light bulbs, installation of CO2 detection probes to optimise ventilation control, etc.
In addition, the Géopolis and the Centre Sport et Santé are built to Minergie-Eco criteria. The Synathlon building is SméO énergie+environnement certified.
Document to download
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Towards energy sobriety (1,597KB, .pdf)
This guide provides concrete information on what UNIL is doing to reduce its energy consumption, as well as advice on how to encourage the university community to join in this joint effort.