At a time when the world is facing a serious energy crisis and Europe is taking major steps to meet its climate goals, our initiative is trying to support cleaner and greener university campuses. The ABCinEnergy project is designed to help universities across Europe become leaders and innovators in sustainable energy use.
Through digital innovation and shared strategies, participating institutions in Austria, France, Italy, Lithuania, Serbia and Spain are developing solutions that help track their energy consumption, promote renewable integration, and motivate lasting behavioural shifts among students, academic staff, and administrators alike.
A key element of this initiative is the Habit Tracker Platform (HTP), a digital tool designed to engage campus communities in everyday sustainability actions. By tracking their habits in terms of heating, electricity, water consumption and mobility, users can see their impact accumulate through an interactive score system. The platform aims to bridge the gap between individual responsibility and institutional management, making sustainability an inclusive, measurable effort.
At the heart of the project is a detailed roadmap that helps universities turn national and European green strategies, based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) on affordable and clean energy, as well as key initiatives like the European Green Deal and the REPowerEU (Renewable Power for the European Union) Plan, into practical, locally relevant actions that can be put into practice on campus. This flexible framework takes into account the different legal and regulatory circumstances of each participating country while promoting proactive leadership that goes far beyond just regulatory compliance.
The journey, however, is far from simple. The consortium’s comparative analysis highlights a variety of challenges. Some countries, like Austria and France, operate within strict climate legislation, while others, including Italy and Serbia, are still developing voluntary frameworks. Financial and infrastructural barriers often hinder renewable energy adoption, and in many institutions, student involvement in strategic planning remains limited despite its critical importance for cultural transformation.
Universities are no longer just places of learning. They are becoming powerful agents in the green transition. Through collective efforts, data-driven innovation and a shared sense of responsibility, ABCinEnergy is working on a more sustainable future for higher education.
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