Far Eastern University (FEU) aims to achieve 50% renewable energy use by 2028, focusing on sustainability and environmental stewardship, as universities are uniquely positioned to tackle global threats of environmental degradation and climate change.
In a recent seminar on “Braving New Heights for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” FEU president Juan Miguel Montinola emphasized the importance of raising awareness about existing environmental issues and how FEU as a university believes in the effectiveness of the United Nations’ SDGs as a framework in tackling these issues.
“It’s not just sustainability alone, but sustainability with a purpose,” said Montinola. “We are talking about the livability of our planet in the present and in the future, and reflecting on this is something that the university must instill upon the youth.”
Montinola also shared how the university’s sustainability drive started over a decade ago. One of these initiatives is the strategic investment in a district cooling chilled water plant system which currently supplies 11 out of 12 campus buildings—a project that encourages responsible consumption and climate action in adherence to SDGs 12 and 13.
Other sustainable operations include a central filtration plant for clean water (SDG 6), the use of a Building Management System in the FEUture Building (SDG 12), and compliance with proper waste management regulations and rainwater harvesting, resulting in substantial cost savings for the university.
With these interventions, the university recorded a 6.99% reduction in power consumption in 2023 compared to the pre-pandemic face-to-face period in 2019. FEU also recorded a significant reduction in carbon emissions, which was found equivalent to the sequestration of 17,074 mature trees.
Moreover, FEU boasts having the first academic building in the country to receive an Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies or EDGE certification.
As FEU approaches its 100th anniversary in 2028, its pursuit for sustainability remains in the agenda of its five-year aspiration plan. Currently, the university is powered by 25% renewable energy, with a goal to reach 50% by 2028, inclusive of the solar energy projects to add 369 KW in the Marikina and Silang campuses. Expanding its program offerings to accommodate the increasing demand for sustainability-related careers is also one of FEU’s strategic targets in the next few years.
With these initiatives, FEU affirms its commitment to help build a more livable and sustainable planet for the next generation.
