Freie Universität Berlin reduced annual energy consumption by over 26% (or about 41 million kWh) between 2000/2001 and 2011 through various technical, structural, organizational, and behavioral measures. Since 2012, energy consumption has remained roughly at this level, with slight fluctuations and a slight increase in building space, and has recently been falling again.

Energy

In 2022, Freie Universität consumed approximately 112 million kWh, marking the lowest consumption in the last two decades, except for 2020/2021 when the pandemic influenced usage. Excluding the increase in space since 2010, the university's energy consumption actually fell by 35 percent between 2000/01 and 2022. In view of the significant increase in student numbers and third-party funding since 2010, this development is exemplary in the German university landscape.

Emissions

Considering CO2-free electricity procurement since 2010, emissions decreased by 87% from 57,200 tons to 7,100 tons between 2000/2001 and 2021, including the increase in space. Excluding the increase in floor space, this results in a CO2 reduction of 88 percent.

The current energy procurement balance and the CO2 balance are as follows:

Energy: consumption and costs 2022

- 112,288,000 kWh (-31% compared to 2000/01, weather-adjusted, incl. increase in floor space)

- 104,829,000 kWh (-35% compared to 2000/01, weather-adjusted, without increase in floor space)

- 15.9 million €

- Energy costs saved since 2002 (cumulative): 65,661,000 €

CO2: energy-related GHG emissions 2022

- 7,124 t CO2 (-88% compared to 2000/01, incl. area growth)

- 6,783 t CO2 (-88% compared to 2000/01, without increase in area)

Measurement of greenhouse gas emissions in the carbon footprint (2020-2022):

2020		2021		2022
SCOPE 1	4,974 tCO2e	SCOPE 1	4,600 tCO2e	SCOPE 1	4,627 tCO2e
SCOPE 2	1,930 tCO2e	SCOPE 2	349 tCO2e	SCOPE 2	2,581 tCO2e
SCOPE 3		SCOPE 3		SCOPE 3
TOTAL	Not analyzable	TOTAL	Not analyzable	TOTAL	Not analyzable

The goal of climate neutrality by 2025 includes CO2 emissions from Scope 1 and Scope 2 as well as emissions from business trips.

Scope 1 emissions are based on the purchase of natural gas (with biogas content) and heating oil and the energy use of the vehicle fleet. Scope 2 emissions are based on district heating with fluctuating CO2 factors.

Scope 3 emissions include emissions from business trips, commuter traffic and paper consumption.

The carbon footprint for electricity, district heating and natural gas is based on the CO2 data from the supply contracts and energy suppliers. The CO2 factors for business trips and the vehicle fleet are based on UBA data.

Further data can be found in our environmental statement (only available in german).

Waste: Volume and costs

- 813 t residual waste

- 55 tons of hazardous waste

- approx. 358,000 €

Water: consumption and costs 2022

- 170,000 m3 (-40% compared to 2004)

- 1.091 mio. €

The data presented relates to the entire building stock of Freie Universität, including the Botanic Garden. The heat consumption contained in the data was weather-adjusted on the basis of heating degree values.

CO2 factors 2021 according to energy supply contracts: Electricity: 0g/kWh (CO2-free electricity purchase since 2010), district heating: 241g/kWh, natural gas: 167g/kWh (16.8% biogas share), heating oil: 266 g/kWh.

If you have any questions about the data presented here, please contact the Sustainability & Energy team: nachhaltigkeit(at)fu-berlin.de.