Renewable Energy for the Creation of a Balanced Ecological Carbon Agenda

Basic characteristics of the project:

The EU aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. Global action "from above" is not enough. Individual action is "essential" to achieve the decarbonisation goals and make a real difference. The project focuses on experimental proof of concept for decarbonisation of selected university buildings, by designing the integration of renewable energy systems, simulating "community energy" services, multiple use of primary energy in cogeneration sources or recycling it for heating or cooling, with simultaneous education and behavioural change of teachers, staff and students, which will be validated analytically and experimentally in order to achieve a carbon neutral future. The published results of the project, including methodologies, behavioural impacts of individuals, will provide a coherent set of recommendations and practices for society, organisations and institutions on how to approach the planning and implementation of actions to achieve climate neutrality goals.

Project Objective:

Creation and experimental proof of concept (TRL 3) of the decarbonisation of the energy management of the university buildings of the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava. The published results of the project, including methodologies, impacts of individual behaviour and comparisons of individual measures, will provide a comprehensive set of recommendations and practices for society, organisations and institutions on how to approach the planning and implementation of measures to achieve climate neutrality goals.

Specific project objectives:

• Development of a concept/model for decarbonisation of the University's operations - calculation of the energy intensity and resulting carbon footprint of the existing situation and design of a concept and model methodology for decarbonisation for heat/cooling, natural gas and electricity supply;
• Model development and application of the Smart Readiness Indicator for selected university units;
• Development of a transport decarbonisation model - calculation of the carbon footprint of the existing situation and design of a decarbonisation concept for transport vehicles used to transport staff, faculty and students of the university;
• Behavioural change of individuals (staff, lecturers and students), changing habits that should lead to a reduction of energy intensity and carbon footprint in buildings and transport;
• Development of a replicable comprehensive model for decarbonisation of the selected entity in the Slovakian context.

The project activities, which represent industrial/independent research, are divided into three work packages:

1. KPB1 Consumption Analysis
2. KPB2 Design of measures
3. KPB3 Assessment of measures