Thanks to the thematic objectives, institutions can assess their current situation and define their own specific measures
to develop and implement their action plan.
The actions proposed below will enable you to discover the measures that could already be in place.
On the basis of this assessment, institutions can define their own action plan to achieve personalised objectives
for year 1, year 3 and year 5 of their climate pathway.
Heating and cooling are major items on the energy bill. Traditional heating and cooling systems often rely on non-renewable energy sources, resulting in significant greenhouse gas emissions and increased energy costs. District heating systems offer efficient, scalable and flexible solutions to reduce carbon footprints compared to gas or oil heating systems by integrating renewable energy sources, using combined heat and power plants and optimising heat production and distribution, resulting in reduced emissions and environmental impact.
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Thanks to improvements in photovoltaic performance and rising costs, it is now possible to produce clean, renewable energy on site. Our buildings have great potential for producing solar energy to meet their daily energy consumption. It is possible to make your building “greener”. Start by measuring and assessing your building’s solar potential.
Recycled materials, such as reclaimed wood or recycled steel, help divert waste from landfill and reduce the need for resource-intensive extraction and manufacturing processes. In addition, bio-based materials, such as bamboo or cork, come from renewable sources that absorb carbon dioxide as they grow. By choosing these sustainable alternatives, we can reduce the carbon footprint associated with traditional building materials and contribute to a more circular and environmentally friendly construction industry.
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The building envelope is vital to energy savings because it acts as a barrier to minimise heat transfer and air leakage between the inside and outside. With good insulation and high-performance windows, it reduces excessive heating and cooling requirements, resulting in lower energy consumption, cost savings and a reduced carbon footprint. A well-designed envelope improves indoor thermal comfort while effectively reducing potential energy wastage.
We use a lot of electrical equipment in our daily lives. This equipment is essential, but it can consume much more energy than necessary. Excessive unused capacity, idling and low energy efficiency are all factors that lead to wasted energy. By selecting energy-efficient products, rationally programming the operating system, modernising old software and changing the way equipment is used and behaved, it is possible to effectively reduce the energy consumption of the various electrical equipment in the building.
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Here you can find advice on how to choose the most energy-efficient equipment.
Buildings are currently responsible for 39% of the world’s energy-related carbon emissions: 28% of operational emissions, due to the energy needed to heat, cool and power them. In Geneva, buildings occupied by businesses and residents are responsible for half of local CO2 emissions.
A comfortable indoor environment is essential for people’s physical and mental well-being, as well as for their work and daily lives. Heating accounts for two-thirds of a household’s energy needs. Unfortunately, with today’s heating and cooling systems, a significant amount of energy is wasted, for example during unoccupied periods or in unoccupied spaces. It is entirely possible to reduce this excessive energy consumption through practical technological design or behavioural changes.
Good pipe insulation minimises heat transfer, preventing heat escaping in winter and heating up in summer. Programmable thermostats allow users to set specific temperature schedules, reducing energy consumption when spaces are unoccupied or adjusting settings according to occupancy patterns.
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In the office, the main electricity consumption comes from lighting and electronic office equipment such as computers and printers. By replacing this equipment with more energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly products, and by switching off the electricity when nobody is using it to reduce unnecessary losses, we can effectively reduce electricity consumption in the office. Small everyday gestures can also make a big difference.
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Buildings are currently responsible for 39% of the world’s energy-related carbon emissions: 11% comes from materials and construction. The construction sector is still often not very climate-friendly. Carbon emissions released before the built good is used, known as ‘initial carbon’, will be responsible for half of the total carbon footprint of new buildings by 2050, threatening to consume much of our remaining carbon budget. The built environment sector therefore has a vital role to play in responding to the climate emergency, and tackling the initial carbon problem is essential and urgent.
