How do we become a sustainable organization? At the University of Twente, we work hard to reduce our energy usage while finding new ways to generate green energy on our campus. After the retirement of Ray Klumpert, Frank Bode was appointed as the new manager Department and Real Estate. His team plays an important role in this process.
“Our team is responsible for all assets on campus. From terrain to new construction projects and from maintenance to technical installations”, Frank starts. “That means my job is very diverse. I’ve worked at UT for a while now, so the lines of communication are short and I know the team well. This is important, especially given the situation the UT finds itself in at this time. I believe there are still lots of great opportunities that we should seize with both hands.”
Taking chances
Renovating and building the campus in a sustainable way is a spearhead of UT. “We incorporate sustainability into all the projects we do on campus. We adhere to the guidelines of the BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) while building and renovating. Secondly, we make use of material passports to see if we can recycle old materials and consider remountability of parts of the building, from construction to window frames”, Frank explains.
The most striking example of this is the recently renovated Langezijds building on campus. “After renovation, Langezijds became one of the most sustainable buildings on campus with a energy label of A+++. We used parts of the existing steel and concrete construction as foundation and built a functional building around it, which is basically as good as it gets. We also thought about sustainability in terms of wellbeing; three brand new atriums provide greenery, daylight, fresh air and a biotope for flora and fauna. This makes Langezijds a unique place to study and work in”, Frank says proudly.
Solar panel plans
Besides reducing energy usage, UT also takes measures aimed at generating more green energy on campus. A visible measure is the use of solar panels on various UT buildings. “On the roof of Langezijds, 1000 solar panels were put into operation. We are currently researching the opportunities for more solar panels on campus. For example; Research by the municipality of Enschede identifies P4 or the Spiegel as the most favorable sites for new solar carports, similar to that of the Paviljoen. We are pushing for this to happen, but we are dependent on financial choices that need to be made. These carports could be used for research into solar energy use as well as providing our employees with green energy for their vehicles; a win-win situation”, says Frank.
“There are 100 solar panels on the CUBE building. We are using a new system here, in which the panels are on a green roof. This provides a cooler surface compared to the black roofing these panels are often on, generating more electricity. In addition to generating extra energy, this system is also beneficial for biodiversity and water buffering.”
“Finally, The tender for solar panels at Carré has been published and we aim to add approximately 950 panels by the end of 2025. A structural assessment of the roof confirmed it can support the weight."
Sustainable energy measures
UT incorporates sustainability requirements for renovations at the very front end of the project. Frank explains: “There are multiple ways to incorporate sustainability in renovation projects. We set certain ambitions regarding energy usage, from building-related installations to lighting. Furthermore, when we do renovations, buildings have to be connected to district heating if they aren’t already. We also want our renovated buildings to make use of our Cooling Circle, which is more sustainable than using a separate cooling machine on the roof.”
UT has been working on reducing gas use on campus. Frank: “This is an ongoing project. Most of the gas consumption comes from steam humidifiers in our labs. We are now investigating gas-free alternatives for these, which would be a nice boost. Furthermore, we are slowly taking all properties off gas, using district heating or in some cases heat pumps. We are taking steps in the right direction.”
He adds: “We are also looking into sustainable measures for our labs together with energy coordinator Henk Hobbelink. In the past, ventilation ran on full 24/7 in all labs. We want to change that based on occupancy, using our energy more sustainably. This costs money up front because technical measures are needed, but we will make this investment back in no-time. A pilot in Meander is running as we speak. If successful, we plan on implementing these measures in other labs as well. This all aligns with our long term vision for a sustainable campus.”
A long term vision
“We notice that faculties are knocking on our door way more often than before, asking for help with reducing their energy consumption in buildings. Of course, there is a financial component that plays a role due to the volatile energy prices. But, it also signifies a switch in the way of thinking at UT”, says Frank.
He adds: “There is always a fine balance; what sustainability measures can we implement to achieve the most gains without going over our project budget? We hope that all the hard work we put into sustainably renovating our campus does not go unnoticed. The UT-community has in important role to play as well; at the end of the day, the way users treat their work environment greatly impacts the overall energy consumption. I would urge everyone to think for themselves; how can I help make our building or campus more sustainable? And if you need help or ideas how we can improve, don’t hesitate to contact us.”
In any case, there is no shortage of passion from Frank and his team. “We have been passionate about building and renovating sustainably for a long time now, which we have shown over the last few years. Personally, I feel that we are too modest sometimes. We have made great progress regarding our long-term vision for a sustainable campus. As a university, we have many ambitions regarding sustainability. We should form a united front and be an example for our region. Let’s show everyone what we’re capable of at UT and hopefully inspire others to follow suit!”, concludes Frank enthusiastically.
SUSTAINABILITY AT UT
Sustainability is an important priority area of Shaping2030, the University of Twente’s strategic plan. In addition to finding sustainable solutions for societal issues, the UT wants to set a good example of what it means to be a sustainable organisation. To reach this goal, the ambitions of Shaping2030 need to be put into practice. Many members of the UT community are hard at work translating the sustainability objectives into our work on campus – transforming the way we work, teach, learn, travel, build and more. In this series, we invite them to talk about what motivates them, what the role of sustainability is in their day-to-day work, and what they would like to achieve at our university.
Want to find out more about sustainability at UT? Please go to utwente.nl/sustainability.
