Campus WU gets rooftop photovoltaics

Environmental responsibility is central to all university activities at WU Vienna University of Economics and Business. Diversifying energy sources and strengthening energy security are key to a resilient campus infrastructure. That’s why the Campus WU, which has been climate-neutral in its operations for more than six years, has now been made even more sustainable. Photovoltaic systems have been installed on every roof on campus to generate electricity for on-site use, further cutting WU’s carbon emissions.

Economic, ecological, and social sustainability was a key priority in the Campus WU construction project right from the get-go, and the roofs were specifically designed to accommodate photovoltaic installations to be added later on.

A long-term commitment to sustainability

Thanks to technological advances in recent years, the performance of photovoltaic systems has improved significantly. On behalf of WU, Austria’s federal real estate property management company, BIG, has equipped all campus roofs with PV modules. In total, about 2,000 modules now produce roughly 950,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year for on-site consumption. This enables WU to cover about eight percent of its electricity needs, generating an annual power output that would be enough to supply 270 households. “The rapid technological developments in the field of photovoltaics show how important a long-term mindset is in infrastructure projects. The photovoltaic systems available at the time the campus was built would have been significantly more expensive and would have had much lower efficiency. Today, with modern technology, we can not only cut our emissions noticeably but also diversify our energy sources and make the power supply on our campus even more reliable and secure,” WU Rector Rupert Sausgruber points out.

Efficient campus operations and international certifications

Sustainable building practices and the efficient use of resources were key considerations in the Campus WU construction project, and WU has continued to prioritize the economical use of energy and materials in its ongoing operations. WU’s business processes are also guided by the principle of sustainability, with the goal of further reducing environmental impacts from emissions, waste, and wastewater.

This commitment to sustainability has earned Campus WU numerous awards. WU’s buildings are certified as Blue Buildings, a certification that takes the Green Building standard to the next level. WU’s operations have also been EMAS and ISO 14001 certified for 10 years now.

Press contact:
Cornelia Moll
Press Relations Officer
Tel: + 43-1-31336-4977
Email: cornelia.moll@wu.ac.at