Together, the reports provide an overview of developments, achievements and initiatives across TU/e and contribute to greater transparency about the university's progress towards its sustainability ambitions.
Reporting our progress
The Sustainability Report 2024-2025 provides an overview of the initiatives and progress made across the university and documents TU/e's ongoing journey towards achieving its Sustainability Vision.
Monitoring and reporting are important tools in this journey. By measuring and reporting our performance in all domains, TU/e can better understand its progress, identify opportunities for improvement and support continuous improvement across the university.
In short | Sustainability at TU/e 2024 & 2025
Education
TU/e is taking several steps to strengthen sustainability in education. The Sustainability Thematic Learning Area helps bachelor's students deepen their knowledge of sustainability and choose courses that fit their interests. At the same time, the annual Sustainability in Education Award highlights inspiring examples of how sustainability is already being integrated into teaching. The Sustainability in Challenge-Based Learning Starterpack provides practical support for bringing sustainability into student challenges and projects.
We also bring teachers, education developers and other colleagues together through the Sustainability Learning Community, where they can exchange experiences and learn from good practices. Alongside these practical initiatives, TU/e continues to explore how education can help students develop the knowledge and skills needed to contribute to a more sustainable future.
Research for Sustainability integration
We are working on sustainability becoming a more integral part of research and education. This includes research into how engineering education can prepare students to become not only technical experts, but also change agents for sustainable change. As part of the University of the Future project, TU/e developed ideas for a future-oriented curriculum, looking at how sustainability can be embedded more systematically in what and how we teach.
At the same time, we are developing practical ways to put these ambitions into action. The Sustainability Self-Assessment Tool helps researchers consider sustainability at an early stage of their projects and was developed together with researchers, experts and professional staff across TU/e. We have also started a Laboratory Sustainability Initiative. With laboratory materials and chemicals accounting for a substantial part of TU/e's carbon footprint, our laboratories offer an important opportunity to reduce our environmental impact and explore more sustainable ways of working.
Valorization & Governance
Research and knowledge should contribute to positive change in society. This includes developing a clearer understanding of valorization: the process of translating knowledge, research and expertise into societal and economic value. By distinguishing this process from its long-term impact, we can better understand how research can contribute to meaningful change.
Currently, we are developing practical guidance to support responsible decision-making. A new guideline on CO₂ compensation helps clarify when compensation may be appropriate and how misleading sustainability claims can be avoided. In addition, we have developed a structured approach to assess the sustainability of research projects and external partnerships, helping us make choices that are consistent with our sustainability principles.
Operations
We are taking concrete steps to make our campus and operations more sustainable. In 2024 and 2025, we continued the transition towards renewable energy and put circularity into practice, for example by reusing materials in the renovation of the Vector building. We also completed our first comprehensive CO₂ footprint, giving us a clearer picture of emissions from areas such as energy, mobility, catering, waste and equipment. This provides a stronger basis for identifying where we can make the greatest difference.
To guide further action, the Sustainability Roadmap Campus & Facilities 2030 sets out our ambitions for the coming years. It helps embed sustainability in decisions about our buildings, campus grounds and facility services, from policy and investments to everyday operations.
Understanding TU/e's CO₂ footprint
Alongside the Sustainability Report, TU/e has published its 2025 organizational CO₂ footprint . Understanding where emissions occur helps identify where action can have the greatest impact.
The footprint is calculated by the TU/e Sustainability Office in accordance with the GHG Protocol and covers activities and operations owned or controlled by TU/e. As this is the second time TU/e has calculated its organizational CO₂ footprint using this comprehensive approach, the 2025 results also provide new insights into the differences compared with 2024.
The results are presented in a CO₂ footprint visual , accompanied by a supporting document that provides more detailed information about the methodology, data and emission categories.
Towards more structured Sustainability reporting
TU/e's Sustainability reporting is evolving towards a more structured and consistent approach. In 2025, TU/e formally approved the implementation of structural Sustainability Monitoring and Reporting. Future reports will gradually align with the Dutch higher education Sustainability reporting guideline and the European Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). This will help TU/e strengthen transparency, improve data quality and monitor progress towards its Sustainability ambitions.
Curious about TU/e's 2025 CO₂ footprint?
Want to learn more about the results, the main emission drivers and the methodology behind the calculations? Join the TU/e CO₂ Footprint Walk-in Lunch on Tuesday 6 October between 12hrs and 13:30hrs.
The 2025 CO₂ footprint will be displayed in the Green Room on the ground floor of the Atlas building, where colleagues from the TU/e Sustainability Office will be available to explain the results and answer questions. A light lunch will be provided.
The Sustainability Report 2024-2025, TU/e CO₂ Footprint 2025 and CO₂ Footprint supporting document are available on the TU/e Sustainability website .
