Riga Technical University (RTU) has been recognised as the 128th world’s most sustainable university in the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings. Compared to the previous year, RTU has climbed 20 places this year and shows the best results among the Latvian higher education institutions. In the GreenMetric Rankings, world universities are ranked according to their commitment to reducing environmental impact.
Performance of higher education institutions is assessed according to six categories: setting and infrastructure, energy and climate change, waste, water, transportation, and education. Holding 49th position, RTU shows the highest performance in terms of energy efficiency and climate change mitigation. RTU activities in waste management and environmental education, as well as other areas, are also highly ranked.
Director of RTU Quality Management and Document Processing Department Juris Iljins emphasises, «Strategic goal of RTU is to create an environmentally friendly technology campus and already now it is rated as one of the most sustainable and environmentally friendly campuses in the world. The main success factors are the construction of modern and energy efficient buildings as well as renovation of existing buildings in Ķīpsala, the gradual abandonment of the use of plastic water bottles, by creating drinking water filling stations, waste sorting, efficient solutions to the circulation and disposal of inorganic and chemical waste. That is why we are also highly rated in the energy and climate change, infrastructure and waste categories».
UI GreenMetric World University Rankings was established in 2010, and year by year the number of participating higher education institutions is increasing – in 2010 95 institutions and at present 719 higher education institutions from 81 countries. Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands was ranked first, the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom – second, and the University of California, Davis, in the USA was ranked third.
RTU has been participating in the Rankings since 2012. From Latvia, Rezekne Academy of Technologies, Daugavpils University, University of Latvia and Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences also participate in the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings.
By reducing human impact on the environment and climate change, last spring, RTU undertook to implement the concept of Green Kipsala at RTU campus by 2023. To achieve this goal, RTU works purposefully to improve infrastructure in accordance with the principles of sustainability, changing habits of students and employees, as well as using innovative green products and technologies created by RTU scientists in Ķīpsala campus infrastructure.
