A recent study has shown that installing solar panels on university campuses and reducing heating, cooling, and lighting usage can significantly cut carbon emissions. At Seoul City University, where the experiment was conducted, energy reduction and efficiency measures resulted in a remarkable 20.3% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to about 2,846 tons. This reduction is comparable to the annual carbon emissions of approximately 600 passenger vehicles.
On Wednesday, the Korean Society of Climate Change Research and the Ministry of Environment reported that Professor Chan Park’s team from Seoul City University’s Department of Landscape Architecture released these findings in their study, “Analysis of Carbon Reduction Potential in Campus Buildings through Demand-Side Mitigation Strategies.”
Park’s team analyzed the energy consumption and carbon emissions of 34 research and classroom buildings on campus, excluding underground parking, electrical substations, and rock specimen rooms. They used the Building Energy Consumption Analysis tool for this assessment.
The research demonstrated that various demand-side mitigation strategies effectively reduced campus buildings’ electricity and natural gas consumption. The study projected that installing additional solar panels on campus buildings could decrease annual carbon emissions by approximately 3.3%. Optimizing heating, cooling, and lighting usage could achieve a carbon reduction of 17.0%.
Interestingly, improving insulation in older buildings yielded mixed results. While it reduced heating energy consumption and increased cooling demands, it also reduced carbon emissions by a modest 0.2%. The researchers noted that campus energy usage typically decreases during summer and winter breaks, partially explaining enhanced insulation’s limited impact.
Park emphasized that achieving further carbon reductions on university campuses, including Seoul City University, will require a comprehensive approach. This strategy should encompass energy supply management, community partnerships, and expanding renewable energy sources.
The International Energy Agency estimates that a typical passenger car emits about 4.7 tons of carbon dioxide annually. Seoul City University’s 2,846-ton reduction in greenhouse gases is equivalent to removing approximately 600 cars from the road for a year.