Designing climate neutrality on a scientific basis
Climate change, finite resources, and increasing environmental pollution mean new responsibilities for universities. Leibniz University Hannover has therefore set itself an ambitious goal: it wants to become climate neutral by 2031. To make this path strategic and effective, more than individual measures are needed. It requires a well-founded, holistic assessment methodology for the environmental impact of university activities. This is precisely where a current research project by the IKK – Institute of Plastics and Circular Economy at Leibniz University Hannover, which is being carried out in collaboration with its Green Office, comes in.
The IKK is developing a scientifically founded methodology for life cycle assessment and CO₂ accounting at universities. The aim is to systematically calculate environmental impacts, identify their hotspots, and compare and prioritize future (construction) measures to improve sustainability on the basis of scientific data. In this way, the IKK is creating a central foundation for the sustainable further development of the Mechanical Engineering Campus and Leibniz University as a whole.
Mechanical Engineering Campus in Garbsen serves as a testing site
A climate-neutral university can only be achieved if emissions are known, comparable, and traceable. However, inconsistent data collection, a lack of structures, and low awareness of the importance of this data have so far made detailed evaluation difficult. The IKK is addressing this problem by setting up a long-term, structured data collection methodology for the university’s life cycle assessment.
The mechanical engineering campus in Garbsen serves as a test site. The closed campus with clear responsibilities and separately recorded energy requirements offers ideal conditions for testing and further developing processes. The scientists involved in the project are processing the findings in such a way that they can subsequently be transferred to other faculties and organizational units at Leibniz University Hannover.
Life cycle analysis for universities taken a step further
The research work focuses on the further development of life cycle assessment in accordance with current ISO standards (ISO 14040/44 and ISO 14072) specifically for universities. The IKK takes into account university-specific characteristics such as multifunctional rooms, the balance between face-to-face and online teaching, and the integration of the campus into urban or rural contexts.
This results in a methodology that reflects real university operations and enables scientifically founded statements about environmental impacts. At the same time, the IKK is developing an assessment tool that can be used to classify future (construction) measures in terms of their ecological savings potential. This means that decisions can be made not only on the basis of individual parameters such as energy consumption, but also on the basis of comprehensive environmental impacts.
Benefits for users: Making sustainable decisions
The results of the project support decision-makers at Leibniz University Hannover in prioritizing measures in a targeted, transparent, and effective manner. Employees and students are actively involved, including through workshops and information events that raise awareness of data collection and sustainability. At the same time, the IKK integrates students directly into research through theses and anchors sustainability assessment in their studies.
Beyond the university, the methodology offers clear added value for other higher education institutions. It creates a uniform basis for evaluation, facilitates strategic decisions, and supports science-based sustainability management.
Sustainability assessment for higher education institutions attracts international interest
The IKK’s approach is already attracting considerable international interest. Collaborations with the University of Iceland and the transfer of the methodology to Queensland University in Australia demonstrate the potential of a globally applicable solution. Within the European university network EULiST, the project is strengthening the visibility of Leibniz University Hannover as a pioneer in sustainable higher education development.
The IKK’s vision is a data-based, internationally networked sustainability assessment that supports universities not only in formulating climate targets, but also in achieving them in a measurable and effective manner.
