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Understanding the Environmental Footprint of a Swiss University -- Mobility, Energy and Material Consumption before and during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic

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Title: Understanding the Environmental Footprint of a Swiss University -- Mobility, Energy and Material Consumption before and during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic
Language: English
Authors: Livia Somerville, Matthias Stucki, Regula Keller
Source: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. 2025 26(9):1-17.
Availability: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 17
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Universities, COVID-19, Pandemics, Energy Conservation, Depleted Resources, Fuel Consumption, Life Cycle Costing, Institutional Characteristics, Sustainability, Conservation (Environment), Ecology, Natural Resources
Geographic Terms: Switzerland
DOI: 10.1108/IJSHE-04-2023-0125
ISSN: 1467-6370
1758-6739
Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the environmental footprint of a university of applied sciences in 2019 and 2020, including the effects of the lockdown periods. The study identified the main sources of emissions and assessed the pandemic-related effects. Design/methodology/approach: Using the life cycle assessment methodology, this study analysed the university's direct and indirect emissions during a regular year of operation (2019) and compared them with those generated during the lockdown periods in 2020. For the activity areas mobility, energy, waste, IT and paper, gastronomy and water, specific, primary bottom-up inventory data were gathered before and during the pandemic. The data were assessed with 15 environmental impact assessment methods of the environmental footprint framework. Findings: The results of a regular year of operation (2019) depicted that student and employee commuting and business travel contributed with 86% largely to the total global warming potential of 2,572 t CO[subscript 2]-eq. The pandemic-induced changes in commuting and business travel resulted in a 60% reduction, leading to a drop to 1,075 t CO[subscript 2]-eq (2020). In contrast, the environmental footprint due to energy consumption remained almost on the same level, irrespective of the absences on-site in 2020. Originality/value This study has the potential to shape post-pandemic environmental efforts and policies in higher education institutions and contribute to a much-needed baseline against which mitigation efforts can be compared with. Unlike other studies, this study goes beyond the carbon footprint, expanding the discussion to additional environmental and human health impact categories by applying the environmental footprint framework.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1456518
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1456518
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Understanding the Environmental Footprint of a Swiss University -- Mobility, Energy and Material Consumption before and during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Livia+Somerville%22">Livia Somerville</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Matthias+Stucki%22">Matthias Stucki</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Regula+Keller%22">Regula Keller</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22International+Journal+of+Sustainability+in+Higher+Education%22"><i>International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education</i></searchLink>. 2025 26(9):1-17.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 17
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Universities%22">Universities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22COVID-19%22">COVID-19</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pandemics%22">Pandemics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Energy+Conservation%22">Energy Conservation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Depleted+Resources%22">Depleted Resources</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fuel+Consumption%22">Fuel Consumption</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Life+Cycle+Costing%22">Life Cycle Costing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Institutional+Characteristics%22">Institutional Characteristics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sustainability%22">Sustainability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Conservation+%28Environment%29%22">Conservation (Environment)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ecology%22">Ecology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Natural+Resources%22">Natural Resources</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Switzerland%22">Switzerland</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1108/IJSHE-04-2023-0125
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1467-6370<br />1758-6739
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the environmental footprint of a university of applied sciences in 2019 and 2020, including the effects of the lockdown periods. The study identified the main sources of emissions and assessed the pandemic-related effects. Design/methodology/approach: Using the life cycle assessment methodology, this study analysed the university's direct and indirect emissions during a regular year of operation (2019) and compared them with those generated during the lockdown periods in 2020. For the activity areas mobility, energy, waste, IT and paper, gastronomy and water, specific, primary bottom-up inventory data were gathered before and during the pandemic. The data were assessed with 15 environmental impact assessment methods of the environmental footprint framework. Findings: The results of a regular year of operation (2019) depicted that student and employee commuting and business travel contributed with 86% largely to the total global warming potential of 2,572 t CO[subscript 2]-eq. The pandemic-induced changes in commuting and business travel resulted in a 60% reduction, leading to a drop to 1,075 t CO[subscript 2]-eq (2020). In contrast, the environmental footprint due to energy consumption remained almost on the same level, irrespective of the absences on-site in 2020. Originality/value This study has the potential to shape post-pandemic environmental efforts and policies in higher education institutions and contribute to a much-needed baseline against which mitigation efforts can be compared with. Unlike other studies, this study goes beyond the carbon footprint, expanding the discussion to additional environmental and human health impact categories by applying the environmental footprint framework.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
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  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
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  Data: 2025
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1456518
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1456518
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1108/IJSHE-04-2023-0125
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 17
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Universities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: COVID-19
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pandemics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Energy Conservation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Depleted Resources
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Fuel Consumption
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Life Cycle Costing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Institutional Characteristics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sustainability
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Conservation (Environment)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ecology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Natural Resources
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Switzerland
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Understanding the Environmental Footprint of a Swiss University -- Mobility, Energy and Material Consumption before and during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic
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          Name:
            NameFull: Livia Somerville
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            NameFull: Matthias Stucki
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            NameFull: Regula Keller
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              Type: published
              Y: 2025
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              Value: 1467-6370
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              Value: 1758-6739
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              Value: 26
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              Value: 9
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education
              Type: main
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