Energy and water consumption at the University of Barcelona back to the figures of 1995 and 2000 respectively

New recycling machine for beverage containers.
New recycling machine for beverage containers.
Institutional
(17/02/2017)

The use of energy and water is lowering at the UB. In fact, in 2016 energy use went back to the same of 2000 and water use went back to the same in 1995, figures that consolidate the change of habits which started in 2010.

New recycling machine for beverage containers.
New recycling machine for beverage containers.
Institutional
17/02/2017

The use of energy and water is lowering at the UB. In fact, in 2016 energy use went back to the same of 2000 and water use went back to the same in 1995, figures that consolidate the change of habits which started in 2010.

Energy consumption in 2016 has been reduced by a 2,8% compared to last year, and it piles up a reduction of 19,5% since 2010. If compared to the average consumption over the last five years, this saving equals to having 8.535 computer devices turned on during a whole year, plus the consumption of a desktop computer and its screen. Regarding the gas consumption, it got reduced by a 7,6% compared to 2015, and piles up a reduction of 38,5% since 2010. Compared to the average consumption of the last five years, the energy saved equals to the gas of 13.130 gas cylinders. Finally, the water consumption has been 10,4% less than in 2015, and since 2010 it lowered by a 38,3%. Compared to the average consumption of the last five years, the saved water could fill 29,5 Olympic-sized swimming pools up.

 
Another new thing in the field of sustainability is the setting of a recycling machine for beverage containers; like the ones set in Mundet Campus (this one is located between the Historical Building and Josep Carner building). When someone buys a drink in any of the vending machines of these buildings in Plaça Universitat, the price includes 10 additional cents which are given back when the empty container is put in the Machine. This process is done with the UB card and the returned money can be used to buy other drinks in the vending machines. The objective is to value the container, and prevent it from getting mixed with other waste, so that we can recover raw material: plastic and metal. The new recycling system is part of the project Retorna UB.
 
The University of Barcelona has a Sustainability Plan that covers this and other projects. Also, the UB stepped 53 positions up in the last edition of the international ranking UI GreenMetric, which assesses and compares environmental management policies of universities around the world and their efforts to improve in sustainability. Out of the five hundred analyzed universities of this year, the University of Barcelona holds the 59th position, and 33rd position in some of the rankingʼs categories.