Objectives per topic

The EPFL’s 2030 Climate & Sustainability Strategy sets out a series of goals (see below) and actions items (see full document) within the School’s core missions and in its campus operations.

Pictogramme Education Education

  • Help teachers incorporate sustainability into their classes by 2023
  • Introduce a mandatory sustainability class for all Bachelor’s students by 2024
  • Add field-specific sustainability classes to all our degree programs starting in 2023
  • Introduce a full degree program on sustainability by 2027

Picto Outreach Lifelong Learning

  • Position EPFL as a Swiss leader in lifelong learning in sustainability and the energy transition, with programs for experts and  organizational leaders
  • Expand our range of continuing education programs on sustainability and the energy transition
  • Build awareness about sustainability and help train Swiss primary- and secondary-school students and teachers
  • Work with other sustainability stakeholders to make sure our classes have maximum impact

Picto Recherche Research

  • Position EPFL as a leading university in developing science- and engineering-based solutions to sustainability challenges
  • Develop innovative, sustainable systems for reducing our energy dependence and shrinking our carbon footprint, by drawing on our know-how in sustainability, clean energy, power storage, and carbon capture, use and storage
  • Build on-campus demonstrators and turnkey systems in association with local businesses and government agencies, especially in the Swiss cantons where our campuses are located
  • Collaborate with other Swiss and international universities (including those in the ETH Domain) on sustainability-oriented projects and initiatives, anchoring our efforts at the national and international levels
  • Help policymakers better understand sustainability issues and assess different policy options

Picto Green Lab Green Labs

  • Educate our scientists, engineers and research staff on the environmental impact of their activities
  • Obtain a comprehensive view of our research-related carbon emissions by 2026
  • Take part in and promote national and international green lab initiatives and networks

Picto Innovation Innovation

  • Position EPFL as a world leader in technological innovation for climate change and for the benefit of society in general
  • Instill an innovation-driven culture that encourages students and staff to develop solutions through systemic, multi-stakeholder approaches
  • Encourage new business creation in the field of sustainability
  • Support the development of low-carbon, resilient approaches (including low-tech ones) to help build a more resource-efficient society
  • Help drive the paradigm shift towards a circular economy
  • Contribute to the design of new regulations to promote the adoption of sustainable systems and methods

Picto Energie et Bâtiments Energy and Buildings

  • Cut our power use by 15% by 2024
  • Speed the pace of renovation and energy optimization of technical installations
  • Continuously improve our buildings’ energy efficiency
  • Raise awareness within our community about energy saving measures and train people on the necessary skills
  • Prioritize energy sobriety measures at both the overall and individual levels
  • Become completely independent of fossil fuels
  • Expand our on-site production of renewable energy
  • Meet Swiss government’s targets of 50% reduction of energy-related carbon emissions and carbon neutrality by 2030

Picto Numérique responsable Sustainable IT Systems

  • Reduce the environmental impact of our IT systems, working with the EcoCloud center for sustainable computing
  • Train our entire community on digital sufficiency by 2025

Picto Achats et Déchets Procurement and Waste Management

  • Train the EPFL community on sustainability in the purchasing process
  • Add ambitious sustainability criteria to all our tenders by 2025
  • Extend the lifespan of our research equipment and encourage reuse
  • Cut waste by 30% per FTE by 2025
  • Achieve an 80% recycling rate by 2025

Picto Finances et Partenariats Sustainable Finances and Third-Parties Funding

  • Establish a governance system for sustainable investment and financial partnerships, and develop in-house expertise in this area
  • Communicate our ESG criteria to all our financial partners
  • Make sure that all funding we receive is in line with these criteria

Picto Voyages Travel

  • Reduce the number of  flights by more than 30% by 2030
  • Upgrade our videoconferencing systems

Picto Pendularité Commuting

  • Cut our remaining travel-related carbon emissions by over 30% by 2030, such as by making public transportation, walking and cycling more attractive
  • Set up integrated, continuous and safe walking and cycling paths on campus, with connections to adjacent towns
  • Improve campus accessibility and make it easier for everyone to get around safely and independently
  • Encourage flexible working arrangements and online teaching methods
  • Raise awareness further on physically active, low-carbon forms of transportation

Picto Alimentation Food Services

  • Shrink our food services carbon footprint by 40% by 2030
  • Have all campus restaurants serve meals consisting of 70% local products with 100% fresh seasonal products
  • Increase the percentage of organic food from 6% to 15%
  • Cut back on food waste

Picto Campus résilient Resilient Campuses

  • Increase the amount of vegetation and water bodies on our campuses, in order to reduce heat islands and promote biodiversity
  • Convert roads into pedestrian-friendly areas and make all our spaces more attractive
  • Support campus community projects in areas like landscaping, gardening, biodiversity, street furniture and physical fitness

Picto Communauté Community and Awareness Building

  • Further incorporate sustainability into our organizational vision and support community involvement on sustainability issues
  • Foster a respect-based culture across our institution where everyone feels appreciated regardless of gender, sexual orientation, origin, religious affiliation, disability and role within the community
  • Increase the percentage of female Bachelor’s students, especially in fields where they’re significantly underrepresented
  • Substantially increase the number of women in all types of decision-making positions