The University of Technology Nuremberg (UTN) is in the process of drawing up a climate protection concept that marks an important milestone on the road to climate neutrality. Against the backdrop of the global climate crisis and legal targets – such as Germany’s climate neutrality by 2045 and Bavaria’s by 2040 – UTN is positioning itself as a responsible educational and research institution of the 21st century. The concept serves as a central basis for decision-making and planning and shows how universities can actively contribute to achieving the national climate targets through concrete action.
UTN recognises its responsibility to develop innovative and practical solutions for a climate-friendly future and to embed a sustainable mindset within the university community. This is not just about short-term successes, but about long-term, structural changes that should be firmly anchored in the organisation.
The development of the concept was made possible by funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK, formerly responsible) as part of the municipal guideline. The consultancy firm plant values GbR has been supporting the process since May 2024. Students and employees from various areas of the university have been actively involved in order to determine data for the greenhouse gas balance, jointly develop practical measures and set priorities.
A central component of the concept is the greenhouse gas balance (GHG balance) for the year 2023, which has now been finalized. This balance serves as a baseline for identifying technical and economic savings potential and as a benchmark for future developments. Various scenarios for the future can also be developed on the basis of the assessment, from which specific measures to reduce emissions can then be derived. The assessment is based on the standards of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol and differentiates emissions according to three areas:
Scope 1 comprises direct emissions, for example from combustion processes in our own plants or vehicles. UTN does not report any emissions in this area thanks to its fully electric vehicle fleet and the fact that it does not use fossil fuels.
Scope 2 refers to indirect emissions caused by energy procurement, in particular electricity and district heating. These account for 13 per cent of the overall balance.
Scope 3, which covers all other indirect emissions, accounts for the largest share. These include emissions from purchased goods and services, business travel and waste management. As UTN is currently under construction and relies heavily on external resources, for example when purchasing furniture and IT equipment, the Scope 3 share is 87 percent.
The analysis shows that emissions are mainly generated in upstream and downstream areas of the value chain, while direct emissions are non-existent due to the university’s current structure and strategy.
GHG-Inventory nby Scopes (according to GHG Protocol)
In addition to taking stock and outlining various development scenarios up to 2050 and the measures derived from them, the climate protection concept will also include a concept for stabilisation and controlling. This will ensure systematic implementation.
A supplementary communication strategy aims to ensure the continuous involvement and sensitization of all university members. At the same time, a comprehensive sustainability strategy is currently being developed that integrates social and economic aspects in addition to climate protection.
The University of Technology Nuremberg (UTN) is in the process of drawing up a climate protection concept that marks an important milestone on the road to climate neutrality. Against the backdrop of the global climate crisis and legal targets – such as Germany’s climate neutrality by 2045 and Bavaria’s by 2040 – UTN is positioning itself as a responsible educational and research institution of the 21st century. The concept serves as a central basis for decision-making and planning and shows how universities can actively contribute to achieving the national climate targets through concrete action.
UTN recognises its responsibility to develop innovative and practical solutions for a climate-friendly future and to embed a sustainable mindset within the university community. This is not just about short-term successes, but about long-term, structural changes that should be firmly anchored in the organisation.
The development of the concept was made possible by funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK, formerly responsible) as part of the municipal guideline. The consultancy firm plant values GbR has been supporting the process since May 2024. Students and employees from various areas of the university have been actively involved in order to determine data for the greenhouse gas balance, jointly develop practical measures and set priorities.
A central component of the concept is the greenhouse gas balance (GHG balance) for the year 2023, which has now been finalized. This balance serves as a baseline for identifying technical and economic savings potential and as a benchmark for future developments. Various scenarios for the future can also be developed on the basis of the assessment, from which specific measures to reduce emissions can then be derived. The assessment is based on the standards of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol and differentiates emissions according to three areas:
The analysis shows that emissions are mainly generated in upstream and downstream areas of the value chain, while direct emissions are non-existent due to the university’s current structure and strategy.
GHG-Inventory nby Scopes (according to GHG Protocol)
In addition to taking stock and outlining various development scenarios up to 2050 and the measures derived from them, the climate protection concept will also include a concept for stabilisation and controlling. This will ensure systematic implementation.
A supplementary communication strategy aims to ensure the continuous involvement and sensitization of all university members. At the same time, a comprehensive sustainability strategy is currently being developed that integrates social and economic aspects in addition to climate protection.