Communication for sustainability in the university campus
Cuprins · Versiunea în română

4. Diagnosis: insights on sustainability regarding campus life

Vasile Gherheș, Mariana Cernicova-Bucă, Gabriel-Mugurel Dragomir and Adina Palea

4.1. Awareness and sustainable practices specific to the young generation

In Romania, most universities provide accommodation in dormitories as a means of facilitating access to education for wide categories of youth. At UPT, students pay a flat rental fee, regardless of consumption of utilities, at a reduced tariff, part of the accommodation costs being subsidized by the university. The dormitories have communal laundries equipped with washing machines and communal kitchens equipped with electric hobs. There are refrigerators in each room, and students bring with them portable appliances and devices such as laptops, hair dryers, irons, water heaters, TV screens, fans, etc. Municipal services provide utilities (water supply and waste management). Electricity is provided by specialized suppliers designated under national regulations. Most thermal energy comes from gas boilers, provided by the university.

The sociological inquiry played a key role in observing and studying the behavioral dynamics of students concerning energy consumption The data allowed researchers to have a complex and nuanced picture, contributing to the development of more effective policies and practices of energy resource management within the university. The research focused on the campus of Politehnica University Timisoara, Romania. Out of approximately 13,000 students studying at Politehnica, more than 6,000 opt to live on campus. Of the 16 student dormitories, two were excluded from the study because they are reserved for faculty and doctoral students, who differ from most campus residents by age, professional and financial status, space occupancy and length of lease.

The research team used the sociological questionnaire as a tool for data collection. Questionnaires are frequently used to gather data on energy consumption, as shown by studies conducted by Deme Belafi et al. (Belafi, 2018). In formulating the questions, the research team drew inspiration from both the scientific literature and from the set of questions developed by the World Bank and the World Health Organization to measure the use of the world’s energy resources (Core Questions for Household Energy Use, n.d.; Special Eurobarometer 513: Climate Change – Data Europa EU, n.d.; Debrah et al., 2021; Gherheș et al., 2021; Gherheș & Fărcașiu, 2021). The questionnaire allowed not only to identify the frequency of use of electrical appliances, but also to deeply analyze attitudes and perceptions related to energy and water consumption, waste management and other practices which bear an effect on sustainable housing. Special emphasis was placed on students’ awareness of the impact of their actions on energy consumption and on their strategies to minimize energy costs and reduce their environmental impact. The questionnaire included questions that rated the frequency of certain behaviors on a scale from 1 (“never”) to 6 (“daily”), with option 7 allowing for non-response, rated 0. Environmental behaviors were measured on a 5-point Likert scale, from 1 (“never”) to 5 (“always”). The questionnaire ends with a set of socio-demographic questions regarding the age, gender, and residence status of the participants.

To ensure the validity of the questionnaire, the Cronbach Alpha coefficient was calculated on a test sample. Cronbach’s alpha quantifies the level of agreement on a standardized 0 to 1 scale (Cronbach – 1990 – Essentials of Psychological Testing, n.d.). Higher values indicate higher agreement between items, proving the reliability and internal consistency of the questionnaire (Howitt & Cramer, 2008; Tabachnick et al., 2013). The Cronbach Alpha coefficient for the created questionnaire indicated values above 0.7, which is considered acceptable for research (Tabachnick et al., 2013), indicating a solid internal consistency of the selected elements and facilitating the performance of factorial analyses.

To pursue the goal of determining energy consumption and student behavior, it was essential to create a balanced and representative sample. To this end, the research team chose to distribute the questionnaire through a method that maximizes participation and ensures diversity of responses. The questionnaire was disseminated online, using the online communication channels of administrators and student representatives in dormitories (heads of dormitory or floor), who are in direct and constant contact with students residing on campus. They have direct access to each dorm’s WhatsApp groups, which function as primary communication platforms for student announcements and discussions. The use of these groups allowed the questionnaire to be disseminated quickly and efficiently, thus ensuring that it reached many students in a relatively short time. In addition, this method also facilitated a higher response rate, since students tend to be more receptive to information distributed through familiar and trusted channels.

In addition, to expand the coverage and to ensure the demographic diversity within the sample, the link to complete the questionnaire was also distributed through the communication networks of the university’s 10 student leagues. These leagues, representing different faculties and academic interests, have their own communication channels and social network accounts, used to engage students in various activities and initiatives. By accessing these channels, the research team was able to reach diverse segments of the student population, from newcomers to doctoral students, each with potentially different energy consumption behaviors.

The direct and personalized approach in communicating with students has improved the level of involvement and their interest in participating in the survey, thus increasing the quality and accuracy of the obtained data. In the end, a number of 1023 students from the Politehnica University of Timisoara, coming from all years of study, participated in the study. Since the university schools approximately 13,000 students, the calculated margin of error was ±3.3%. Participation was voluntary and measures were adopted to protect respondents’ confidentiality.

Starting from the premise that students are not only participants in the educational process, but also actors in a university ecosystem that promotes sustainability and responsible management of resources, this study aimed to assess to what extent student behavior influences and reflects sustainability principles applied to campus life. Focusing on various aspects of daily life in student dormitories, the research aimed to identify and analyze efficient practices and possible areas for improvement.

The objectives of the study were:

• To investigate students’ perceptions and behaviors related to environmental protection and to identify the factors that influence these attitudes;

• To analyze electricity consumption management practices in UPT dormitories;

• To define electricity saving behaviors in UPT student dormitories;

• To investigate water saving behaviors in UPT student dormitories;

• To study waste management behaviors and practices, including waste sorting and disposal techniques in UPT student dormitories;

• To examine recycling practices in UPT student dormitories;

• To analyze the integration of ecological practices into students’ daily routine and in their educational environment;

• To investigate the ways in which students contribute to resource conservation and environmental protection.

The results of the sociological study, corroborated with the monitoring of electricity, heat and water consumption in dormitories (based on consumption records, but also on the invoices issued by suppliers) allowed the creation of a profile of the student-consumer of household utilities, which was the basis of the transformative intervention, set as the main objective of the project (Cernicova-Bucă et al., 2024 a). In summary, the research approach is represented as follows:

Figure from the book

Figure 1. Conceptual design of research

The described approach created the possibility of accumulating a rich pool of data, which allowed a data-driven design of the campaigns aimed at influencing behaviors and the elaboration of information and persuasive messages tailored for the purposes stated as pertaining to the project.

The detailed sections below present the results of the survey. Each section reflects a specific aspect of students’ sustainable behaviors and practices, from managing energy consumption to active involvement in environmental protection.

1. Awareness and action: perspectives and commitments of students from the dormitories of Politehnica University of Timișoara (UPT) regarding environmental protection

The section contains information on:

4.2. Technical measurements — basis for strategic decisions

Universities, as institutions at the forefront of promoting sustainability, should also provide models for calculating, monitoring, reporting, reducing or even offsetting their impact on the environment, or in other words, their carbon footprint. Some of the rankings attesting to the sustainability of universities explicitly require that institutions entering the evaluation also publish reports on their carbon footprint (STARS 2024). However, as Helmers et al. note, there is no specific standardized methodology for inventorying the sources responsible for producing carbon emissions and for objectively calculating the carbon footprint of universities (Helmers et al., 2021). The task of calculating the carbon footprint is all the more difficult, as a complex set of elements that depend on the university must be taken into account, such as investments in buildings, resource management, the balance between built heritage and green spaces, the types of activities that take place on campus, but also elements related to the geographical area and climate of the region where the university is located. The type and size of the institution are also relevant in calculating the carbon footprint. Santovito and Abiko provided recommendations on how to prepare the inventory of emission sources leading to the carbon footprint, identified relevant sources of emissions, and allowed better visualization of mitigation opportunities (Santovito and Abiko, 2018). Universities can reach zero carbon emissions, as proven by Leuphana University in Germany, which achieves this goal through maximum use of modern technology and overproduction of renewable energy on-site (Helmers et al., 2021), but, researchers warn, this effort moves the carbon footprint issue upstream, because of the materials incorporated into applied technologies. This can lead to long payback periods and unquantified effects for universities. Helmers et al. appreciate that almost every university in the world, regardless of its climate, focus and profile, can reach very low carbon footprints, based on political will, necessary investments and creativity (Helmers et al., 2021). But the target can only be achieved if it is pursued systematically, coherently, and strategically.

Most universities either assess the energy performance of built space, or infer their carbon footprint based on mathematical models, taking into account students’ consumption habits or, more broadly, the type of sources that impact the environment (Rodrigues-Andara et al., 2020; Valls-Val and Bovea, 2021; Sippel et al., 2018; Xiwang Li et al., 2015; Ozawa-Meida et al., 2013).

The USE-REC project aimed to implement innovative strategies for collecting and analyzing data on students’ energy consumption in the university campus environment, but also to establish reference points to substantiate efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of the campus as a whole. The collected data and the established correlations can serve as a foundation for the development of educational initiatives and practical actions to reduce the environmental footprint of the university community of the Politehnica University of Timisoara.

Timisoara is located in the western part of Romania, close to the borders with Serbia and Hungary. It has a temperate-continental climate with cold winters and hot summers. Over the past two decades, extreme records have reached -24 °C in January 2003 for cold and +41 °C, set in July 2007 for heat. Such a variation in outdoor temperature puts pressure on energy consumption, since in winter it is necessary to heat the spaces, and in summer – to cool them, to ensure the necessary thermal comfort. Under these circumstances, consumption control strategies must take into account the environmental factor, not only the technical characteristics of the buildings or the behavior of the occupants of the respective buildings.

Along with the point of view of the institution’s management representatives, dormitory administrators and students, aspects collected through individual and group interviews, results described in the specific chapters, we completed the starting point database of the project with a monitoring of student consumption in three areas: water consumption, electricity consumption and thermal energy consumption. The data were provided by the relevant technical service of UPT during the project months, compared to the consumption data of the previous year, to allow the evaluation of changes in the behaviors of residents in the dormitory (if they occurred). This monitoring of consumption and comparisons with the year prior to unfolding the project allowed the project team to create a profile of the student as a consumer of utilities. Also, these activities helped establish a ranking of dormitories according to the saving of resources reflected in consumption, as a result of the information and persuasion campaigns.

The communication of these data made students more aware of their personal carbon footprint (Sippel et al., 2018) and understand the consequences of everyday habits, which can be steered towards a more judicious use of resources.

The data from the monitoring of consumption was completed by an assessment of energy losses in the UPT student complex, by thermal scanning of residential buildings. Literature appreciates this method as non-destructive and non-invasive, capable of detecting potential problems in built structures, machinery, or infrastructure. In the case of the Politehnica campus, the use of thermal scanning provided data on irregular heat distribution, identified potential insulation defects and loss points, allowing the elaboration of an intervention plan based on a thorough documentation of the situation in the field, adapted to the specific features of the buildings concerned (Fishermen et al., 2016). The main disadvantage that makes this method rarely employed in the process of assessing the sustainability of universities is the relatively high cost of the procedure, correlated with the necessary logistics (approvals related to the use of airspace, temperature conditions, vegetation, presence of ample glazed surfaces). For the scanning performed within the project, the team in charge of the process undertook the steps described below.

Selection of dormitories for thermal scanning and field data collection

The purpose of the project was also to identify energy losses, propose solutions for energy efficiency and to reduce the carbon footprint of student dormitories in the Student Complex in Timisoara.

The methodology for selecting the dormitories for thermal scanning involved a careful and rigorous approach, considering the use of both terrestrial and aerial measurements. The main aspects taken into consideration were the analysis of airspace flight restrictions and the identification of an optimal area for scanning, in line with the objectives of the project. Also, the diversified choice of dormitories allowed the team to obtain representative data for different types of construction and uses, thus supporting the objectives of energy consumption analysis.

The technical team performed thermal scanning operations with both the terrestrial scanner and the drone equipped with a thermal camera, depending on the technical specifications of the equipment. The process also included precise measurements using the Leica TS1205 Total Station and the South G1 Plus GNSS receiver to ensure precise geographic control and reference of collected data. This approach ensured efficient data collection in line with the objectives of the project, in compliance with safety rules and regulations in force in the field of air drone operations.

Aerial measurements and data processing

In the first stage of the project, a flyover of the Timisoara Student Complex was conducted, using the drone’s RGB camera. This overview provided a detailed picture of the entire complex, allowing the team to identify the general characteristics of the infrastructure and obtain a global perspective on the area of interest. The photos captured with the RGB camera provided clear and detailed visual information about buildings, green spaces, and other elements of the complex, thus preparing the ground for a comprehensive assessment of energy efficiency. Once the team completed the overall analysis, attention moved to the detailed flyover of the target dormitories, using the drone equipped with the Flir Vue Pro 640R thermal camera. This phase allowed the exploration of specific thermal aspects of buildings, highlighting temperature variations and identifying potential heat loss or thermal anomalies. The high-resolution thermal camera provided accurate and reliable data, helping to assess energy efficiency and identify possible areas for improvement in thermal insulation or heating systems. The combination of RGB and thermal visual data provided a holistic perspective, consolidating the information needed to develop effective strategies for assessing the energy efficiency of campus buildings and designing future interventions.

Conclusions of the thermal imaging action performed with the thermal camera FLIR VUE PRO R (UAV)

The scanning showed that there are no large areas with significant heat loss on the roof frames of the analyzed buildings. The most significant heat loss was in a roof area at dormitory 23C. The technical team recommended checking the area and repairing it. In the other areas, with thermal leaks of 1–2 degrees Celsius, intervention can be made to reduce them by applying cotton wool insulation on the inside of the roof, thus contributing to the overall improvement of the energy efficiency of the structure.

Terrestrial laser scanning and data processing process.

The technical team processed the data acquired in the field and obtained the final products from terrestrial laser scanning with two specific software: Z+F LaserControl and CloudCompare. The Z+F LaserControl allowed for generating point clouds. Their coloring in RGB format was also generated and temperature attributes specific to each point were added, as can be seen from the figure below.

Figure from the book

Figure 1. Facade with temperature attributes obtained from final processing

For each dormitory, scans were made by performing multiple stops so that all the details of the building could be captured, resulting in between 6 and 11 scans for each building. For georeferencing point clouds and translating them into a unitary system, fixed targets were used and measured using the Leica TCR 1205 R400 total station. The technical team made sure that at least 3 targets were measured for each scanning station, so as to ensure a good alignment on all three dimensions X, Y, Z and the possibility of additional checks.

Conclusions of thermal scanning actions

Following the scanning process and the detailed analysis of the point clouds obtained both in RGB format and with temperature attributes, the following aspects were highlighted:

• Heat losses within all scanned objectives have low values and are unitary, being mainly caused by thermal losses at the level of the building foundation, door, and window gaps.

• A greater loss of heat in the area of the foundation can be explained by several factors. The foundation is in direct contact with the ground, which may have a lower temperature than the temperature inside the building. Also, the foundation can suffer heat loss through convection and thermal conduction.

To reduce these heat losses and contribute to energy efficiency, the following measures can be taken:

• Thermal insulation of the foundation: Adding a layer of thermal insulation around the foundation can help reduce heat loss. Insulating materials such as polyurethane foam or expanded polystyrene can be used to create a thermal barrier between the foundation and the ground.

• Underground insulation systems: Underground insulation systems consisting of special insulating materials or piping systems that reduce heat transfer between the foundation and the ground can be used.

• Proper ventilation: Good ventilation under the floor can help maintain a constant temperature and prevent moisture buildup, which can contribute to heat loss.

• Assessment and repair of cracks: Any cracks or crevices in the foundation can allow significant heat loss. It is important to conduct regular inspections and perform the necessary repairs.

• Underfloor heating systems: The use of underfloor heating systems can help maintain a more constant temperature inside the building, helping to reduce the need for foundation heating.

• By implementing these measures, heat loss at foundation level can be reduced and a significant contribution can be made to improving the energy efficiency of the building.

• When the windows are closed, heat loss can be observed especially in the upper areas, but also in the lower areas in situations where the radiators were operating:

Figure from the book

Figure 2. Example of heat loss when the windows are closed.

When the windows were open, the temperature differences between the wall area and the glazing were significantly greater:

Figure from the book

Figure 3. Example of heat loss when windows are open.

The heat losses were similar on the long and short sides of the dormitories, the temperatures varying only depending on the ambient temperature that changed during the measurements. However, one can observe in detail the areas where heat loss occurs. A special case could be seen on the west side of the 22C dormitory, with exposed brick elements on the façade. In this area, higher heat losses can be observed compared to areas with insulation, with heat losses especially in the area of the slabs between floors, but also on a large area in the basement / foundation area:

Also, heat losses were recorded at the foundation level, this observation being valid for all scanned dormitories.

All the presented data can be analyzed in detail with the help of the open program CloudCompare, which is a software specialized in visualizing point clouds.

The action of thermoscanning the buildings on the student campus was a useful action for the project and for the university in outlining future actions for adequate insulation of buildings and their foundations, respectively other actions to reduce heat loss. For the coming years, the technical team recommended a periodic repetition of thermoscanning actions to timely correct the energy losses of the buildings on the student campus, which may still occur. It also recommended to extend thermoscanning actions to all buildings of the Politehnica University of Timisoara.

Figure from the book

Figure 4. Example of heat loss on the west side of the dormitory 22 C

In addition to the technical diagnosis, thanks to which an intervention plan can be made for the building enveloping, a significant method of reducing the carbon footprint of the campus, also revealed by the specialized literature, is to change the used energy source. In 2024, UPT accessed a project financed from the funds of the Ministry of Energy, aimed at installing a photovoltaic system at 17 buildings of the Politehnica University of Timișoara (student dormitories, faculty buildings, administrative buildings), with an installed capacity of 1.5 MWh. The path to ensuring the sustainability of the campus is ready, in all its components.

Figure from the book

Figure 1. Average monthly consumption per student on UPT campus

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