A journey towards climate positivity at Breda University of Applied Sciences

Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas) aims to become a climate positive organisation. Discover how they are addressing challenges and innovating towards a sustainable transformation.

The ambition to lead

Breda University of Applied Sciences, located in Breda, the Netherlands, is an esteemed international institution offering bachelor’s and master’s programs to approximately 7,000 students on their green, safe, and compact campus. Recognising the importance of environmental stewardship, BUas has set a bold goal: to lead in sustainability by becoming climate-positive as a whole organisation.

Achieving this ambitious target requires a well-thought-out plan that assesses the current situation and maps out a clear path forward. It involves strategically plotting the right choices over time and demands seamless collaboration across various disciplines. The challenge lies in bringing all these elements together to form a cohesive and actionable strategy. How can we integrate diverse perspectives and expertise to turn this bold vision into reality?

Project facts

Client
Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas)
Challenge
Breda University of Applied Sciences aims to become climate positive, necessitating a clear, actionable plan to achieve this ambitious target.
Date
2024
Solution
A comprehensive and actionable sustainability roadmap aimed at achieving climate positivity. This plan is underpinned by thorough CO2 footprint analysis, an energy roadmap facilitated by Fastlane and committed involvement from stakeholders across the organisation.
Location
Breda, the Netherlands

Turning ambitions into reality: A strategic framework

To transition from ambition to reality, BUas partnered with Haskoning to create a structured framework, guiding the university on its sustainability journey. This framework resulted in three principal deliverables:

Ambition wheel: Through a targeted 'What' session, collaborative goal setting took place. During this session, we engaged a range of key stakeholders, including sustainability and operational leads, executives and high-level management stakeholders as well as the student Green Office, to transform broader climate aspirations into specific, implementable targets.
Developing a Paris Proof pathway: Using the Fastlane tooling, we created a roadmap aligning BUas with the objectives of the Paris Agreement.
Conducting a detailed CO2 footprint analysis: A thorough audit of emissions across scopes 1,2, and 3 was conducted to establish a baseline and highlight key areas for emission reductions.

Haskoning brought an invaluable perspective to our ambition, combining technical expertise with a broad understanding of environmental complexities.

Anna KoensBreda University of Applied Sciences

Beyond CO2 – A holistic approach to sustainability

BUas's approach transcends a singular focus on carbon emissions, aiming for a comprehensive integration of sustainability principles throughout the campus environment. While CO2 reduction is a significant part of the plan, the university also focuses on enhancing biodiversity, creating green spaces, and integrating sustainability into other aspects of campus life. The community garden exemplifies how BUas connects with nature to support biodiversity on site, as well as all the other well-known – social and environmental – benefits this brings.

The university's commitment to sustainability encompasses not just operational changes but also academic initiatives. By integrating sustainability within the curriculum and promoting this as a core theme within research, BUas seeks to foster a comprehensive understanding of environmental stewardship and sustainability more broadly.

A key aspect of this approach is the formation of a trans-domain learning community for sustainability transitions, designed to facilitate collaboration and knowledge exchange among students, faculty, and external partners from diverse fields.

From ambition to implementation

The translation of the bold ambition began with the initial ambition workshop, known as the ‘What’ session. During this pivotal workshop, key university leaders and stakeholders gathered to create a shared understanding of the university's sustainability objectives. By involving a wide range of stakeholders—from operational staff to strategic planners and those in HR and facilities management—the session ensured that the entire spectrum of the university's operations was comprehensively addressed.

This workshop was crucial, as it not only clarified the vision but also crystallised both immediate and long-term sustainability goals.

Guido den TeulingHaskoning

The outcome of the 'What' session was the development of an Ambition Wheel. This visual tool serves as a tangible representation of the university’s shared goals and highlights key areas for action. The Ambition Wheel not only refines the broad sustainability ambitions into specific targets but also plays a critical role in guiding the university's strategic efforts.

Transitioning from broad ambitions to a practical action plan necessitates a deep understanding of the current environmental footprint. The CO2 footprint analysis provided essential data, identifying procurement and international travel as major contributors to BUas' carbon emissions. Addressing these findings requires policy-driven changes, such as implementing a new mobility policy—a process intimately connected to the institution's academic and operational identity.

Sustaining momentum

Breda University of Applied Sciences remains committed to its sustainability initiatives while navigating the challenges posed by evolving financial landscapes. The university is actively involved in initiatives designed to refine benchmarks for measuring success, especially in nuanced areas like biodiversity where standard metrics might not be available or capture the full story.

To drive the implementation of the sustainability roadmap, BUas is in the process of recruiting a dedicated project manager. This role is anticipated to play a critical part in maintaining the momentum gained during the initial phase of implementation and ensuring the sustainability objectives are fully integrated across the university's activities.

Turning ambitions into reality

Bringing a bold vision to life requires more than just good intentions—it necessitates the engagement of diverse stakeholders, the courage to make transformative decisions, and the strategic use of data to understand the current environmental footprint.

If your organisation is ready to start a journey toward sustainability, we would love to help. Together, we can create a practical sustainability plan that meets your specific goals and moves your institution towards a greener future. Contact us to find out how we can support your sustainability efforts.