Lowering our environmental impact

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The University of Bordeaux's aim in terms of environmental transitions is simple: reduce its impact and protect the environment.

Mobility

Travel

  • 34%

    GHG emissions

    by the University of Bordeaux in 2019

  • 657

    staff recipients

    of the sustainable mobility fare in 2021

Objectives and achievements

  • Decarbonise travel on and off campus
  • Launch of the inter-institutional mobility plan
  • Implementation of the sustainable mobility fare
  • Installation of free-floating areas

 

I'm taking action!

I'm a student. I can:

I'm a staff member. I can:

Resources

Energy and water

  • 25%

    of GHG emissions

    come from energy consumption

  • 40,000 m3

    saved

    from 2016 to 2021

Objectives

  • Reduce energy-related greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030
  • Reduce volume of water drawn from low groundwater levels by 10% by 2030​​​​​​​​​​​

 

Achievements

  • Adoption of an energy-water master plan in 2016
  • Energy renovation of buildings (Opération Campus and Plan de Relance)
  • Installation of 12,000 sqm of photovoltaic solar panels underway
  • Inclusion of energy performance objectives into operating contracts
  • Collaborative approach named "PISE - Internal partnerships for energy sobriety (CUBE2020 challenge, Powerzee, etc.): awareness, diagnosis, collective action plan, monitoring, communication, etc.
  • Roll-out of an energy supervision system and environmental sensors (T°, CO², hygrometry, occupation, noise)
  • Professionalisation of teams and energy management with support provided to entities for reducing their energy consumption
  • Installation of water-saving systems (taps, toilets) on the Carreire and Victoire campus sites
  • Intervention on leaks thanks to roll-out of metering system
  • Reduction of once-through cooling systems
  • Sustainable management of watering
  • Use of rainwater for sanitary facilities in some new buildings

Take action to reduce your day-to-day consumption!

Heating and lighting

  • Close the doors and windows in heated classrooms
  • Report a classroom that is too hot/too cold
  • Remember to turn off the lights when leaving

Equipment consumption 

  • Take the stairs instead of the lift whenever possible 
  • Limit use of printers

  • Energy watch

    In an effort to reduce its energy consumption, the University of Bordeaux is planning ahead for possible power cuts during the winter, based on the Écowatt app alerts.

    Read more

Waste

Enough is enough!

  • 862 t

    of waste produced in 2021

    incl. 18% paper/cardboard

  • 145 kilos

    of waste collected on campus

    during a Clean Walk operation

Objectives and achievements

  • Reduce the volume of waste
  • Setting up of sorting networks on the Carreire campus (in French) by the Action Climat Environnement collective
  • Roll-out of an ACT experiment on waste collection and sorting, in conjunction with the HOPE Major Research Programme
  • Setting up of separate collection on the Bastide campus
  • Elimination of plastic packaging by photocopying department
  • Extension of separate collection: recycling and recovery

Take action!

  • Learn about zero waste and your consumption habits
  • Contact Etu Recup (in French), the association that collects, repairs and gives everyday objects a second life
  • Participate in the European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR) on your campus (in French)
  • Add the map of sorting bins on your smartphone to find them easily
  • If you are a staff member, you can contact julien.domenge%40u-bordeaux.fr to donate computer equipment that is no longer usable so it can be recycled

Digital technology

Objectives and achievements

  • Reduce the environmental impact of the university's use of digital technology
  • Implementation of a CPER (State-Region) contract plan 2021-2027
  • Continuous improvement of digital services developed by the university
  • Awareness raising of the environmental impact of digital technology (guide to digital use, La Fresque du Numérique (digital workshop), dedicated carbon footprint assessments)
  • Adoption of more eco-friendly digital communication
  • Development of circular networks, reuse and recycling of computer equipment
  • Support provided to organisations for their action plans (relocation of servers, etc.)

Take action!

  • Switch off and unplug computer equipment when leaving
  • Opt for the "energy saving" mode on your computer and smartphone  
  • Use the Cloud or shared server to share documents 
  • Adopt good practices in terms of internet searches: limit the number of pages open, use favourites, delete cookies, etc.
  • Watch the replay of the webinar on "the environmental footprint of digital technology" (in French)
  • Read the memo on cyber cleanup (in French)

Purchasing

  • 21%

    of GHG emissions

    come from purchasing

  • 30%

    of purchasing contracts signed

    include an environmental clause

Objectives and achievements

  • Reduce the environmental impact of consumables
  • Application of Article L211-1 of the public procurement code "The definition of the need must take into account sustainable development objectives"
  • Adoption of contracts using local distribution channels
  • Implementation of a market lot reserved for adapted companies
  • Sale of responsible promotional items
  • Raising of staff awareness regarding the environmental impact of consumables, in order to drastically reduce unnecessary purchases

Biodiversity

Nature in the city: a real treasure!

  • 140 hectares

    of green space

    to protect

Objectives and achievements

  • Protect biodiversity
  • Protection of the flora (trees planted on campus, a Biodiversité Biomasse Bordeaux itinerary safeguarded, etc.) and the fauna (nesting boxes, educational beehives and insect houses set up, etc.)
  • Adoption of new management methods for green spaces and trees (late mowing, urban grazing, etc.)
  • Inventory and survey of biodiversity in certain identified sectors
  • Sharing of living lab findings from the experimental forest at the Floirac Observatory (in French), which conducts research on the adaptation of urban forests to climate change

Take action!

Join one of the community gardens on campus:

  • Peixotto-Bordes campus: La fourmilière at Haut-Carré (see map)
    • Contact:  astragale.fourmi%40hotmail.fr 

 

  • Montaigne-Montesquieu campus: Appellation Origine Campus (AOC) (see map)
    • Contact: aocbordeaux%40gmail.com

 

  • Périgord campus: collaborative vegetable garden and orchard (see map) 
    • Contact: campus.perigueux%40u-bordeaux.fr 

Our training courses

Check out some examples of courses dedicated to environmental issues (in French)

Mobility

Energy and water

Waste

Biodiversity

Cross-disciplinary

Learn more

  • Photo The dendrometer is a measuring instrument used to determine the height of a tree trunk © University of Bordeaux
    The dendrometer is a measuring instrument used to determine the height of a tree trunk © University of Bordeaux
  • Photo The university is committed to protecting, restoring and promoting biodiversity © University of Bordeaux
    The university is committed to protecting, restoring and promoting biodiversity © University of Bordeaux
  • Photo Refuges aimed at promoting biodiversity on university campus sites © University of Bordeaux
    Refuges aimed at promoting biodiversity on university campus sites © University of Bordeaux