Preserving resources

Water use

The university is aiming to reduce the amount of water it extracts from deep groundwater reserves by at least 20% by 2028 (compared to 2014, year in which the initiative started). To achieve this, three levers will be activated over the next few years: finding and repairing leaks, tracking and reducing consumption of potable water, and increasing the use of non-potable water.

The target set in 2015, to reduce the extraction of water from deep groundwater reserves by 10%, has been achieved.

In 2023, the University of Bordeaux consumed around 165,000 m3 of water. The university estate and the Carreire campus account for almost 80% of this consumption. The Victoire, Bastide and Mérignac sites account for 9% of total consumption. The water consumed on the campuses comes from two sources: a quarter comes from the 3,000 m3 water tower situated at the heart of the university estate and managed by the inter-institution university estate management department (SIGDU), and the remaining 75% is supplied by the public water operator for the Bordeaux metropolitan area.

Current objectives and initiatives

The university is aiming to reduce the amount of water it extracts from deep groundwater reserves by at least 20% by 2028 compared to 2014 (224,000 m3).

This will be achieved through three areas of action:

• Finding leaks and splitting up metering
• Tracking and reducing consumption of potable water
• Using more non-potable water (rainwater or groundwater)
• The other aim is to limit contamination of wastewater:
• Carrying out assessments and compliance work
• Relaunching the ‘zero waste down the drain’ campaign

Responsible purchasing

Purchasing less but making better purchases is the University of Bordeaux’s goal for the years ahead.

The university’s purchases cost €60 million and accounted for approximately 21,000 tCO2eq in 2022 (excluding fluids, waste, construction and renovation, and travel). These purchases include inputs (non-depreciable purchases) worth €52 million, which have a significant carbon footprint of more than 16,000 tCO2eq. Certain fixed assets (purchases that are depreciated based on their amount and service life), such as IT and scientific equipment, are also taken into account here. €40 million was spent on these over 5 years, falling to an average of €8 million in 2022, the carbon footprint of which is almost 5,000 tCO2eq per year.

The carbon footprint is not the only indicator that is to be taken into account. The mass footprint of plastic (i.e. the volume of plastic used), the bulk of which is linked to the use of plastic materials within research units, represents a body of micro- and nanoparticles that we must try to reduce. The consumption of resources and the pollution caused by the production of all the inputs mentioned here is a further key issue. What happens to these products after they have been used also needs to be considered and anticipated.

Current objectives and initiatives

Two levers have been identified for reducing the environmental impact (carbon, resources, pollution) of the university’s inputs:

• Reducing the volume of purchases: pooling scientific purchases, streamlining supplies, developing systems for reuse, reconditioning and repair
• Improving the quality of purchases: developing purchasing advice, ensuring that full cost is systematically taken into account, incorporating environmental clauses into all contracts, etc.

Waste reduction and sorting

Reducing the volume of waste and optimising waste sorting are priorities for the university.

The university generates over 900 tonnes of non-hazardous waste every year.

More than 200 tonnes of hazardous waste are also produced every year. This includes infectious clinical waste, chemical waste, batteries, waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), and ink toners and printers.

Current objectives and initiatives

• Reducing the volume of waste: research project to replace the plastic used in laboratories, project to develop systems for reuse and repair
• Optimising and expanding sorting: changing the collection and processing contract in April 2025, continuing to roll out specific sorting procedures in laboratories