Part of the ecological balance: Graphical representation of ZHdK’s 2019 greenhouse gas balance. Photograph: Bivgrafik, Zürich

Nadja Fässler-Keller, what is ZHdK’s ecological balance?

Our ecological balance records and evaluates resource consumption and emissions at ZHdK. The focus is on the greenhouse gas balance (GHG). This provides basic information for planning and prioritising climate protection measures. In 2019, ZHdK’s total GHG was 3477 tons.

Heating and cooling, followed by air travel and catering, are the largest sources of greenhouse gases at ZHdK. This is consistent with the environmental impact of Swiss consumption as a whole: building/housing, mobility and food are the leading factors.

Switzerland is meant to become climate-neutral by 2050. By signing the Climate Emergency Letter, ZHdK has committed itself to achieving this goal already in 2030. Compared to 2018, we have reduced our GHG by 10 per cent. This reduction was mostly achieved by lowering our air travel emissions. We have had monitoring including individual departmental targets in place for several years. The successes we have achieved in a short period of time are exemplary and point the way for optimisation in other areas. We next aim to outline ZHdK’s path to climate neutrality by 2030.

zhdk.ch/en/sustainabilityreport2019