Solar panels in place on the roof

The installation of solar panels on the University’s buildings is an effort to reduce the University’s carbon footprint. A carbon footprint that has now been calculated in a new climate inventory.

Akademiska Hus has invested SEK 15.5 million in a total of seven solar panel arrays with a total area of approximately 4,200 m2 installed in Uppsala. The solar panels have mainly been installed on the roofs of the University’s buildings, including Building 16 in Engelska parken, Blåsenhus, Campus 1477 and Ekonomikum. The four arrays produce around 520,000 kWh per year and make it possible to supply some of the buildings’ electricity needs with environment-friendly solar power.

Part of a collaboration

This investment in solar panels at the University is part of the partnership agreement with Akademiska Hus that was entered into in 2019 and means that the parties will jointly develop projects to improve the University’s physical environment in concrete ways while also focusing on making its campuses even more sustainable.     

“Our biggest contribution to a sustainable future is to utilise our research and education to help solve the big societal challenges we have. But we also intend to work to improve sustainability within our own organisation, and this project is part of that work. “We are very pleased with our collaboration with Akademiska Hus on sustainable campuses,” says Anders Hagfeldt, Vice-Chancellor of Uppsala University. 

Toward a vision zero

Akademiska Hus has decided on a vision zero goal for its carbon footprint. Important elements in the company’s sustainability efforts are reducing the amount of energy supplied and investing in renewable energy sources.

“Together with our customers, Akademiska Hus is putting a great deal of effort into achieving a more sustainable energy supply and strengthening the green profile of our campus areas. With more solar panels on roofs, we are creating energy-smart buildings as we contribute to the transition to a fossil-free society. In addition, we are ensuring that electricity production and electricity use happen close to each other, which reduces transmission losses in the grid,” says Magnus Öhrman, Group Manager for energy and technology at Akademiska Hus.