Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal is an ISO 9001:2015, 14001:2015 & 50001: 2018 certified campus, following a series of voluntary ISO standards on Quality and Environmental and Energy Management Systems. The Environment and Energy Policy is our guiding document that enables the University to achieve continual improvement over time.

MAHEs NET ZERO commitment

The world in the past three years has seen unprecedented challenges that was never experienced in the last century. All of our lives have been changed due to the after effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Added to this, global events like the conflict in Ukraine and disturbances in the South China Sea, has led to far reaching economic and social impact.

Yet amidst the public health crisis, the ongoing war and economic turmoil, it is essential that we do not forget our responsibility to future generations by tackling the potentially catastrophic impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss. In our journey, we are clear that we want to be a university with a reputation for outstanding performance on sustainability, one that challenges the status quo and is renowned for its open, welcoming environment. This remains at our core, and consistent thought, efforts and actions are deployed in our day-to-day operations.

In the past decade, the University has been consistently ranked within the top three universities in the India by the UI green metric world university ranking. We are proud of the environmental progress made so far on campus. Most notably, the retrofitting and creation of new sustainable buildings and processes across campus. However, the journey that began decades ago now shall move forward with renewed vigour with higher reliance on science and technology-based interventions. Hence, a comprehensive annual sustainability report 2021-2022 on university operations was prepared highlighting the progress made so far in alignment with the applicable UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Building a greener and better world is this generation's biggest challenge. MAHE will play a unique role in addressing the challenges posed by climate change by imparting knowledge and values to future decision-makers. It is with that in mind that MAHE declares that it is committed to meeting NET ZERO by the year 2040 and will continue to strive to take measures to become a carbon neutral University campus.
 

Achievements for the year 2021-2022

Within the University's boundary of MAHE, the carbon emissions under Scope 1 and 2 are mapped for the financial year 2021-2022.
 

Scope 1 emissions include emissions caused by the burning of fuel or the use of certain gases on site. They include emissions from institute-owned vehicles, cooking gas in the mess and food courts, fuel combustion due to energy backup systems – generators, Refrigerant losses, and Fugitive emissions due to medical gases as the campus has hospitals included.

Total Carbon Emissions under scope1 for the campus is 41,95,434 Kg CO2e.
 

Scope 2 carbon emissions included the emissions from electricity consumption. MAHE has a total energy consumption of 5,64,40,121 kWh for the entire campus.

Total Carbon Emissions under scope 2 of the campus is 4,62,80,899 Kg CO2e.

Thus, the Total carbon emissions for the campus (Scope 1 and Scope 2) is 5,04,76,333.3 Kg CO2e.
 

The Carbon offsets on campus are also mapped. They include Onsite and offsite procured renewable energy, use of Electrical vehicles and Solar hot water, Onsite organic waste conversion through Vermi-composting and use of Organic waste convertor, Sewage treatment and reuse of sludge as manure and Presence of Tree cover/ green cover on campus. These measures and initiatives help in reducing the carbon impact within the University's boundary.
 

The total carbon offset generated is 3,23,84,545 Kg CO2e leading to a Net Carbon emission for MAHE Campus of 1,80,93,788.5 Kg CO2e.
 

Environment, Energy Policy
 

Manipal Academy of Higher Education endeavours to promote community welfare, environmental protection and efficient energy use to a level of performance that moves “beyond compliance”. Striving to set a benchmark on a National and International level for education, healthcare, environment and energy management. MAHE is committed to cleaner and greener campuses. To realize this vision, the University commits to:

• Institutionalize best practices, comply with applicable laws, regulations, and other recognized requirements related to environment and energy use and where practicable exceed them.
• Preventing pollution by continually monitoring and improving its environmental and energy performance by provision of resources to achieve set objectives and targets.
• Establish and maintain management systems to improve energy performance and to minimize harmful effects on environment, human health and safety.
• Promote use of clean, safe and energy efficient technologies in order to utilize natural resources efficiently.
• Encourage transparency and communication of its commitment to sustainable development, simultaneously increasing awareness amongst its stakeholders as well as the community at large.
• Foster education, research and information exchange on energy and environmental development to move toward global sustainability.
   

 Environmental best practices within MAHE campus

We work within the framework of the Energy & Environment Policy and consider the environment as a ‘living’ entity that we sustain and protect even as we go about our daily activities.

So, what are the concrete steps we need to take to actually make this Policy work on the ground in MAHE?

 Key focus areas

• Waste management
• Water management
• Energy management
• Air quality, Green cover and green transportation
   

 Solid waste management

• Domestic Waste: This is collected from homes, hostels and residential facilities on the campus.
• Garden waste: This includes trimmed away branches, dried leaves, and all manner of garden waste – composted in gardens
• Wet waste: from residences, cafeterias and eating joints is composted seperatly.
• Paper, metals, plastics and glass are recycled by giving them to approved scrap vendors.
• Biomedical waste: This is generated in the hospital and nursing facilities within the campus and is handled as per the Statutory requirements.
• Hazardous waste: The major component in this category is generated out of the maintenance activity of vehicles & DG Sets – disposed to Authorized recyclers. Thermocol generated on campus is recycled.
• E-waste: including desktop computers and accessories, compact fluorescent lights, printer cartridges are collected through separate waste streams and disposed to Authorized recyclers

Education and training form an important part of the effective implementation of disposal processes; they are also a critical indicator, not only from the environmental point of view but also from the standpoint of employee and patient safety.
 

Waste water management

For management of our water resources, we scrupulously adhere to the 3 R’s: Reduce, Recycle, Reuse. Three sewage plants set up and maintained by MAHE treat the waste water generated in the campus. These have a combined capacity to treat 6,500 cubic meters per day. Treated water from these plants are fully utilized for gardening and arboriculture. In addition grey water treatment plants of 330 cubic meters per day capacity, treats grey water which is re-circulated to the flush system in few hostel blocks.
 

Rainwater harvesting

For recharging ground water, a percolation pit is excavated and filter medium is filled into the pit. Drains and roof top rainwater pipes are diverted into this pit. The water gets filtered and recharges the ground water. This is leading to increase in water table. An artificial pond has been created on campus to further aid in ground water penetration.
 

Air quality

The air we breathe in the campus is clear and that is the way we like it. This is how we do it,
we ensure the emissions from diesel generators are tested at regular intervals to ensure conformity to environmental limits. Vehicle emissions are kept in check. Introduction Of fleet of electric vehicles has further reduced our carbon emissions.

Trees and shrubs are the ‘environmental lungs’ of the campus. These lungs soak up harmful carbon dioxide and convert it to oxygen. We try to develop all available open spaces through arboriculture and greenery.

EXAM PADS: MAHE now conducts the examinations by using Exam pads which has significantly reduced paper consumption effectively preventing trees from being felled.
 

Energy conservation

Energy conservation is an ever-present theme in the planning and developing of all our campus facilities. We are also increasing our energy procurement mix with an increase in renewable sources like solar energy.

A few of the measures taken by us to make the Manipal campus energy efficient:

• Upgrade of the air-conditioning systems. This is achieved by replacement of dated air-conditioning units with power-efficient star rated units. Central air conditioning systems adopting state of the art water cooled screw chillers, and unitary air-conditioner controls with automation system for buildings with sensors for efficient cooling and automatic switching on and off depending on occupancy and fixed time schedule are installed replacing old systems.  Environment-friendly gas systems are used in all cooling systems.
• Energy efficiency measures. Few measures undertaken are: reduce maximum load, and introduction of measures to improve quality of power by exchanging energy efficient transformers, pumps, detuned filters for capacitor banks, and CFL /LED lighting. auto synchronization panels for load optimization and energy efficient power equipment as certified by Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).
   

Solar Water heaters

Manipal, on coastal Karnataka, has an abundance of sunny day’s right through the year, except during the monsoons. Thus solar powered heaters are exclusively used for our heating requirements. Currently, the total installed capacity of solar heaters is four lakh liters per day thus reducing conventional energy use for heating.
 

Roof top Solar PV systems

Manipal Academy of Higher Education has recognized this aspect as an important facet of its operation and has adopted an energy policy supplementing the existing environment policy. In line with this, MAHE has partially shifted from conventional energy use to renewable energy use and sourcing. These rooftop systems are however limited by the availability of shadow free area on existing buildings as ascertained in the initial survey conducted during proposal stage. This, in addition to already occupied roof tops for solar water heating systems leaves us with a comparatively smaller area that could be retrofitted with roof top PV systems. Recognizing this, to further boost MAHEs energy mix, green power procurement was put in place in August 2015. This substantially reduces MAHEs dependence on conventional energy sources thus mitigating carbon emissions as well as a shift towards sustainable energy use. 
 

Significant Awards and recognitions

• Golden peacock award for environmental management for the years 2012, 2013, 2014 -MAHE.
• Third most clean campus in India & Most clean campus southwest region–Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal by AICTE clean campus award 2017.
• Green Apple International silver award, for environmental best practices -2018 & Green World Award 2019 –Gold -MAHE.
• APHI Health care excellence award 2019 – Kasturba Hospital, Manipal- for Green Hospitals.
• Ranked No 1 in India and 121 in the world by the UI GreenMetric World University Ranking 2022.