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Universities as Models of Sustainable Energy-Consuming Communities? Review of Selected Literature

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  • Milad Mohammadalizadehkorde

    (Department of Geography, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA)

  • Russell Weaver

    (Department of Geography, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA)

Abstract

Given the prominent position of academia in sustainability studies and sustainability science, it is natural to want to look to universities as models of (or keepers of knowledge about) sustainable practices—including practices related to energy consumption. Nevertheless, there is a long history of and literature on universities failing to implement their own sustainability initiatives. Apart from typical justifications for implementation failure that include budget constraints and financial infeasibility, one of the main obstacles that consistently keeps universities from achieving their own sustainability-related goals is a lack of enforcement. More precisely, universities tend to codify their sustainability-related goals in non-binding declarations that are voluntary. In that respect, failure to achieve a goal does not result in any sort of formal sanction. As such, universities are free to claim a commitment to sustainability in their public communications, without having to consistently and persistently demonstrate that commitment in practice. Situated on this backdrop, the present review paper aims to concisely and selectively stitch together three streams of literature: (1) the rationale for sustainability and, by extension, sustainable energy consumption, in higher education; (2) the current state of sustainability planning and its (in)efficacy in institutions of higher education; and (3) effective practices for reducing energy consumption at scales comparable to university campuses.

Suggested Citation

  • Milad Mohammadalizadehkorde & Russell Weaver, 2018. "Universities as Models of Sustainable Energy-Consuming Communities? Review of Selected Literature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-17, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:9:p:3250-:d:169258
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. World Commission on Environment and Development,, 1987. "Our Common Future," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780192820808.
    2. Zhao, Hai-xiang & Magoulès, Frédéric, 2012. "A review on the prediction of building energy consumption," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(6), pages 3586-3592.
    3. Saidur, R., 2010. "A review on electrical motors energy use and energy savings," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(3), pages 877-898, April.
    4. Richard S. J. Tol, 2009. "The Economic Effects of Climate Change," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 23(2), pages 29-51, Spring.
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    Cited by:

    1. Thomas Hoppe & Gerdien De Vries, 2018. "Social Innovation and the Energy Transition," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Elena-ClaudiaSerban & Anca-Maria Hristea & ?tefania-Cristina Curea & Raluca-Florentina Cretu, 2020. "Sustainable Universities, from Indifference to Joint Action – A Panel Data Analysis," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 22(54), pages 376-376, April.
    3. Magdalena Iordache Platis & Joanna Romanowicz, 2020. "Integrating Energy Saving Awareness into Student Engagement-Based Teaching and Learning Process," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-18, November.
    4. Kourgiozou, Vasiliki & Commin, Andrew & Dowson, Mark & Rovas, Dimitrios & Mumovic, Dejan, 2021. "Scalable pathways to net zero carbon in the UK higher education sector: A systematic review of smart energy systems in university campuses," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    5. Anirban Chakraborty & Sumit Kumar & L. S. Shashidhara & Anjali Taneja, 2021. "Building Sustainable Societies through Purpose-Driven Universities: A Case Study from Ashoka University (India)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-20, July.

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