Welcome to the VILNIUS TECH Sustainability Center. Our mission is to inspire and educate the university community about sustainability and to contribute toward a more sustainable future for both the university and Lithuania. Whether you’re a student or staff member, everyone can play a role in achieving this important goal.

VILNIUS TECH has established the Sustainability Center, which integrates education, business, and research to promote sustainable development. Founded on April 3, 2023, the center includes three dedicated laboratories: the Data Modeling Space, the Eco-design Lab, and an Experimental Zone for Sustainable Consumption. These facilities allow researchers and students to conduct comprehensive studies and practical experiments, addressing real-world sustainability challenges.

The university’s Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions for 2024 have been calculated at 545 tCO₂e/year and 3,062 tCO₂e/year respectively (Fig.). The carbon footprint is expressed in terms of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e). These calculations were based on consumption data collected from relevant university departments and suppliers, and emission factors obtained from scientific literature and official documents (e.g., technical regulation AR_2024-05-01). A detailed webpage has been developed using PowerBI, showing the consumption distribution of fuel, water, heat, and electricity. Based on these emission results, recommendations will be made to reduce emissions and costs while promoting sustainable consumption. The university aims to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

 

Fig. University resource consumption and generated Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions.

 

On the rooftop of the VILNIUS TECH laboratory building (Plytinės g. 25), the university has installed a photovoltaic solar power plant with a capacity of 39.6 kW. It is estimated that this installation will produce at least 39,971 kWh of electricity annually. In total, photovoltaic power plants with a combined capacity of 429 kW are planned to be installed on various university buildings.

 

Additionally, a Food Laboratory (Sustainable Consumption Space) has been opened, allowing visitors to bring their own food, and utilize herbs grown in the sustainable garden within the lab.

 

Regular workshops are held at the Eco-design Lab, introducing students, pupils, teachers, and employees to different recycling techniques, methods for sorting waste, and sustainable reuse practices.

 

A Dėk‘ui Station has been set up, where people can leave items they no longer need, enabling others to take them free of charge.

 

Professional development courses for university staff, such as “Life Cycle Thinking: Opportunities for Integration into Study Programs,” have been introduced to help educators incorporate sustainability themes into their teaching.

 

Innovative courses such as “Life Cycle Thinking” have also been launched. This course provides a holistic understanding of the environmental, social, and economic impacts of products or processes throughout their entire lifecycle—from conception and raw material extraction to disposal or recycling. The course emphasizes interconnectedness and the importance of considering every stage in the lifecycle of products or services, aiming to avoid unintended negative consequences.

 

The VILNIUS TECH Sustainability Center illustrates the university’s commitment to integrating sustainability into its core functions, serving as an example for other institutions aiming to strengthen their own sustainability initiatives.