Drastic measures: energy-saving in the largest Hungarian universities

Winter is coming and universities still have to go through the worst parts of the year energy-wise. It is not new that educational institutions, especially state-financed ones have to cut back on energy usage. Due to government measures, every state-financed institution, excluding some exceptions, has to implement energy-saving measures. This includes the largest universities in the country.

Telex.hu made a list of the implemented energy-saving measures of each state-financed university. The most obvious answer would be to switch to e-learning, but after two years of Covid, the government wanted to keep lectures on the ground. By law, every institution has to have a temperature of 18 degrees at max.

Mild measures

As the total closure of the institution was out of the question, the Eötvös Lóránd University (ELTE) created a commission responsible for energy saving, as a first step. By introducing electric water heaters alone, they will be able to reduce energy usage by about 5 percent. The autumn break was moved to December, which reduces the operation time of the institution in the winter months. Therefore, the more severe measures will only really affect the exam period and the winter break.

The Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) announced that the energy-saving measures would remain in place up until 15 April. The heating of the buildings will be limited and periodical and no other heating appliances are allowed on campus. The intensity of lighting in the buildings will also be limited. Every AC that serves no technological purpose will be turned off. Also, no warm water will be allowed outside of social facilities and dormitories.

Semmelweis University may change the date of the spring break, but other than that no changes were announced.

More drastic measures

The University of Pécs heats up classrooms to 20 degrees while passages and corridors will be heated to 18 degrees. Similarly to other universities, they will not allow heating appliances either. As an added measure, it is prohibited to use floodlights, lighting in the parking area and lighting of public spaces outside. Electric car charging stations will be shut down. Other than the elevators required for accessibility, everything else will be turned off. Also, the winter break will start at the beginning of December.

The University of Debrecen chose quite unusual methods to tackle difficult times. They distributed waist warmers. Some of the campus buildings will not be used either to save energy. Other than this, the measures are similar to previous examples.

The most drastic measures were probably taken by the University of Public Service. They opted for the closure of many campus buildings and other energy-saving practices. You can read more about it in one of our previous articles.

• Read also: Hungarian universities must save money: 18°C inside, dormitories close

The Pázmány Péter Catholic University will close down many buildings as a way to reduce operating costs. There will be neither hot water nor air-based hand driers. Also, the spring break will be completely cancelled.

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Source: Telex.hu