Sustainable campus

Our campus is the heart of the university, bringing together students, staff and visitors. On campus, we prioritise community and an engaging and inclusive environment. Sustainable campus development is essential, and our campus projects consider economic, social and environmental sustainability.

Climate-friendly transition

The students have always been an important driving force in creating progress and development at Roskilde University. Therefore, it is not surprising that it was a student initiative in 2008 that gave extra incentive to the sustainable ambitions for the campus. The ambitions were quickly scaled up and driven centrally at Roskilde University. Several projects on campus have focused on climate and the environment, including a major ESCO project, the installation of solar panels, a new low-energy laboratory building and an extensive paving project.

Social equality

Social sustainability is just as important an ambition at Roskilde University as running a financially sustainable university that takes responsibility for the climate. Therefore, we want to emphasise that RUC is a university for people who embrace and care for each other. This is reflected in a study environment that is driven by our students, the opportunity to talk to a student chaplain, psychologist and social worker, and that people with disabilities can get guidance on support options. In addition, we have zero tolerance for abuse of any kind, and reports of abusive behaviour are treated confidentially.

RUC through a SDG lens

Roskilde University wants to be a driving force in sustainable development, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals are an important tool for understanding and framing global challenges. At the same time, it is important for us to ensure freedom and integrity of research, which is why we are increasingly working with the SDGs as themes rather than clear goals.

Since 2020, Roskilde University has prepared a catalogue of a number of the university's activities linked to the UN's SDGs, showcasing examples within research, education, collaboration and university administration and operations categorised according to the SDGs. The catalogue is not complete, but a comprehensive presentation of SDG activities at RUC.

SDG Report 2023 - in Danish (pdf)

Roskilde University shall be a pioneering university for sustainable institutional and campus operations: Economic, social and environmental considerations are always part of the university's long-term priorities.

From our strategy "RUC 2030: Interconnected"

Significantly reduced energy consumption at RUC

The Danish Energy Agency calculates savings for Danish universities. Roskilde University has achieved the following savings on energy consumption from 2006 to 2022:

Electricity 51%
Heating 56%
Water 56%

In total, the energy savings are 54% at Roskilde University. Measured per full time employee, the saving is 59% and measured per m2 of building mass, the saving is 42% in 2022 compared to the energy consumption in 2006.

In 2020, NIRAS prepared a climate and environmental report for Roskilde University, which forms the basis for our future initiatives towards a more sustainable campus.

Climate and environmental report 2019 - in Danish

Campus projects

Ny mellembugning på RUC giver sammenhæng

Roskilde University develops campus

Roskilde University is developing new teaching and working environments on campus that can provide a framework for interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative teaching methods. Therefore, a large part of the existing buildings from the 1970s in the central part of the campus - also known as the Pergola - will be transformed and completely renovated. The new attractive buildings will contribute to a good and active study environment.

About the campus renovation

Biodiversity and a more environmentally friendly paving

Roskilde University is committed to creating a sustainable and diverse campus where nature thrives alongside our activities.

About paving and biodiversity

Ambitious ESCO project

In 2015, Roskilde University, in collaboration with the Danish Building and Property Agency and Siemens, launched the state's largest energy optimisation project at the time, using ESCO as the project form. The project led to new plumbing installations, a new ventilation system, new district heating centres and 6,500 m2 of solar panels were installed on all flat roofs on campus. This has resulted in a significant reduction in RUC's total energy consumption.

About the ESCO project

Fronten til naturvidenskabelige lokaler om aftenen

Low-energy laboratory building

Laboratory work traditionally has a high energy consumption, but Roskilde University's laboratory building (building 28) from 2014 was built to meet the requirements for low energy class 2015. The amount of energy used for process ventilation has been reduced by optimising fume cupboards, central control of light and temperature and 265 m2 of solar panels.

About the laboratory building

Waste sorting facilities

At RUC we sort our biowaste, plastic, food and drink carton waste, glass and metal in most kitchens on campus, as well as cardboard, paper and batteries in all printing rooms. In addition, there are several waste disposal facilities in the university's outdoor areas where all types of waste can also be sorted.

Waste sorting at RUC

RUC increases the number of electric charging points

In 2022, RUC decided to expand the existing electric charging capacity in the university's car park, and just before the end of the year, 12 electric charging points with 24 outlets were ready for use. The new EV charging stations are located in RUC's P3 car park east of building 03 and are operated by OK. With the new electric charging points, the university has increased its charging capacity from eight to 32.

Electric charging points

RUC's canteen is first mover when it comes to fighting food waste

In 2022, the canteen at Roskilde University launched a major project to ensure that good food close to its expiry date gets a new life instead of ending up in the rubbish bin.

Upcycled food in the canteen

Study environment on campus

Life at the university is more than attending classes and doing research work.

On campus, there are many facilities for sports and socialising, both indoors and outdoors.

Read about the facilities

Roskilde University's campus is a vibrant research, study and work environment where students, employees, alumni and external partners thrive and can combine their academic strengths and interests.

From our strategy "RUC 2030: Interconnected"

Solar panels on the roofs

Roskilde University has installed solar panels on a large part of the roofs on campus. The university has approximately 6,000 m2 of solar panels, and they produced 670 MWh in 2022, which corresponds to the annual electricity consumption of around 418 average Danes (source: SparEnergi.dk).

Of the 670 MWh, Roskilde University used 546 MWh itself and sold the remaining 124 MWh to the common electricity supply network.

Current energy production from solar cells