- The University
- 05/10/2026
TU/e’s total CO₂ emissions in 2025 amounted to 59,108 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent. That is equivalent to more than one billion cups of coffee, nearly 37,000 round-trip flights from Amsterdam to New York, or 122,000 years of nonstop streaming on Netflix. Compared with 2024, emissions decreased by 1 percent.
The figures are included in the new CO₂ footprint report from the TU/e Sustainability Office, which is mapping the university’s emissions for the second consecutive year. The key data are also compiled on this poster (PDF).
“The purpose of this measurement is to gain insight into where our biggest impacts lie,” says Isolde D’hert, information analyst at the Sustainability Office. “These insights are essential for determining where to focus when taking action and implementing measures.”
As was the case last year, most emissions come from so-called Scope 3: indirect emissions in the value chain, such as the production of purchased goods and services, construction projects, equipment, and business travel.
From insight to action
When the first measurement was carried out in 2024, it immediately became clear where the TU/e has its biggest impacts. Since then, several initiatives have been launched to address the largest sources of impact.
For example, the Sustainable Labs program was established to investigate how TU/e can make its laboratories more sustainable. Campus & Facilities (C&F) is also working on a roadmap toward 2030, including targets for energy, circular materials, plant-based food, and reducing food waste.
Because construction and renovation make a significant contribution to the footprint, projects such as Area 19 and the cleanroom place a strong emphasis on circular and sustainable materials.
Parking issues
Mobility is also receiving more attention. In response to parking issues on campus, TU/e is investigating how it can further develop its policy on commuting.
“Together with C&F, the Sustainability Office has hired a student assistant to investigate developments related to mobility in the region and the city. We are also looking at how other universities and large institutions are dealing with these issues and what that could mean for TU/e,” D’hert explains.
In addition, discussions with suppliers are increasingly taking into account CO₂ data and sustainable alternatives.
Curious about all the results?
Tomorrow, Tuesday, October 6, the Sustainability Office will host a walk-in lunch in the Green Room in the Atlas lobby. Between 12:00 and 13:30, the team will be available to explain the results and answer questions. Attendance is free, and no registration is required.
Improving data
An important development in the new footprint measurement is improved data quality. TU/e is relying less on estimates based solely on financial spending (so-called spend-based data) and increasingly on data about actual activities and data provided directly by suppliers.
Business air travel remains an important challenge. TU/e still does not have a complete overview of employees’ flights.
“There is no central travel agency, and there is also no easy way to extract the required data from the expense system,” D’hert explains. As a result, emissions from air travel in 2025 were once again estimated using data from the University of Groningen.
“The Sustainability Office is in discussions internally about setting up the systems so that TU/e-specific flight data will be available in the future,” D’hert says.
2025: small decline, major shifts
The comparison between 2024 and 2025 shows that it is difficult to identify structural trends after just two years of measurements. “What you mainly see is that one-off emissions from major investments can have a significant impact on the footprint. Large projects are carried out one year but not the next,” D’hert says.
For example, major work was carried out at Gemini Noord and the Student Sports Center in 2024, while in 2025, maintenance work on the Helix building had a substantial impact on emissions. Investments in specialized technical and laboratory equipment can also significantly affect the figures.
From measuring to tracking
In the coming years, the Sustainability Office aims to further improve data quality and track developments more systematically. Starting in 2026, TU/e will voluntarily report in line with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), a European directive on sustainability reporting.
This will involve measuring not only emissions but also policies, measures, targets, and concrete results, making it possible to track progress more effectively each year. “The goal is not only to better understand our CO₂ footprint, but to use these insights to actually achieve reductions,” D’hert says.
This article was translated using AI-assisted tools and reviewed by an editor.
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