Sustainability Carbon Footprint of Research
Research at Heidelberg University significantly contributes to the progress of our society. Many disciplines deal with research questions that directly or indirectly relate to the topic of sustainability. However, research is also energy- and labor-intensive, inevitably leading to a CO₂ footprint. How large is this footprint, and how are its components distributed?
In order to optimize the sustainability of research operations, it is first necessary to establish a baseline – how large are the emissions caused, and what is their origin? This will make it possible to identify specific improvement measures, whose effects can also be quantified. However, a detailed and systematic examination of the emissions generated by research operations themselves has yet to be undertaken. The great diversity of research at Heidelberg University makes it obvious that a generalized view of the university’s emissions will not provide an accurate picture of the situation in individual labs and research groups.
To obtain a data-based overview of the extent and complexity, the position of Carbon Footprint Advisor for research operations has been jointly funded by all four Fields of Focus at the university.
Project Goals
The pilot project aims to accompany and analyze individual structures (such as research groups, projects, or graduate schools) from all four Fields of Focus.
The aim is to identify challenges in data collection and develop solutions for missing data sets. Ultimately, researchers will be provided with a comprehensive analysis of their CO₂ footprint. This data should enable researchers to make informed decisions on how to best reduce the environmental impact of their research without compromising their research questions.
Another goal of the project is to enable researchers to independently collect data and conduct analyses in the long term, to best meet the individual needs of different disciplines. This should allow researchers to develop tailored measures to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, where they can directly influence emission sources. Emission sources located in the university's operational areas (e.g., building operations) can also be brought to researchers' attention, possibly enabling indirect influence.
Methodology
The project uses the established greenhouse gas reporting standard, the “Greenhouse Gas Protocol.” Within this standard, the various emission sources are grouped into so-called scopes. All emission sources defined there – as far as they are relevant in a university context – will be collected within the scope of the project.
Examples include: energy consumption, heating/cooling, individual mobility, business travel, and consumables.
Data aggregation and preparation are some of the biggest challenges, as such a comprehensive analysis has not been previously planned for. While existing data sets may suffice for some data, new collection mechanisms will need to be established for others. Where this is not possible or feasible, the development of well-founded estimation approaches will be necessary.
Contact
The pilot project is being conducted by Dr. rer. nat. Florian Freundt. He earned his PhD at the Institute of Environmental Physics (IUP) at Heidelberg University and ran a lab there as a postdoctoral researcher for several years. The position is based at the Heidelberg Center for the Environment (HCE), fostering synergies with the environmental research network provided by the HCE and activities of the Sustainability Think Tank.
