A modern university is not only an educational and scientific space but also a complex infrastructural system whose functioning requires substantial volumes of energy, water and other natural resources. For this reason an important component of the development of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute is the introduction of the principles of sustainable development, energy efficiency and environmental responsibility into the management of the university campus.
The development of university infrastructure is not limited to the construction of new facilities or the modernisation of existing buildings. It is about creating a comfortable, safe and resource-efficient environment for learning, scientific activities and student living. Such an approach encompasses the entire life cycle of infrastructural objects ranging from design and construction to operation, maintenance and waste management.
At Kyiv Polytechnic, this work is carried out along several interrelated directions: increasing the energy efficiency of buildings, rational use of water, responsible planning of campus territory, preservation of green zones and the introduction of a modern waste-management system.
Energy efficiency and environmental requirements — the basis of infrastructure development
The environmental responsibility of the university begins at the stage of designing buildings and engineering systems. It is then that the principal characteristics of the future facility are determined: the characteristics that will influence energy and water consumption, operating costs and environmental impact for many years ahead.
During the implementation of construction and infrastructure projects Kyiv Polytechnic takes account of the requirements of Ukrainian legislation, particularly the Law of Ukraine “On the Energy Efficiency of Buildings” No. 2118-VIII, as well as the state building norms DBN V.2.6-31:2021 “Thermal Insulation and Energy Efficiency of Buildings” and DBN V.1.2-11:2021 “Basic Requirements for Buildings and Structures. Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency”.
This involves the application of modern solutions for the thermal insulation of enclosing structures, the improvement of the efficiency of heating, ventilation and hot-water systems, and the reduction of energy losses during the operation of buildings. An important benchmark is the achievement of high energy-efficiency classes, especially class “C” and higher, where required for the respective facility, with the prospect of gradual approximation to the standards of nearly zero-energy buildings (NZEB).
No less important is consideration of the environmental consequences of construction. When drawing up project documents, the requirements of DBN A.2.2-1:2021 concerning the composition and content of materials for the assessment of environmental impacts (OVNS) are applied. The procedures, expert examinations and registration of relevant documents in the Unified State Electronic System in the Field of Construction (EDESSB) prescribed by legislation ensure proper control over the implementation of infrastructure projects.
Such an approach is significant not only for the university. Energy-efficient buildings enable a reduction in the costs of maintaining infrastructure, decrease in the consumption of energy resources and greenhouse-gas emissions, and the lowering of the load on Ukraine’s energy system. These solutions acquire particular relevance under the conditions of country’s recovery and a need to strengthen its energy independence.
Rational use of water and modern water technologies
Water resources form an integral part of university campus operations. The daily water consumption of academic buildings, laboratories, sanitary facilities and student dormitories creates a significant cumulative load on the city’s water-supply system.
That is why, during major repairs and reconstruction of internal water-supply and sewerage systems Kyiv Polytechnic is guided by the requirements of DBN V.2.5-64:2012 “Internal Water Supply and Sewerage” and provides for the use of modern water-saving equipment. In particular, this includes economical aerators, sensor mixers and flush systems with adjustable water volume.
The use of such technologies enables a reduction in unproductive water consumption without diminishing user comfort. Aerators decrease water flow by saturating the stream with air, sensor mixers supply water only when needed, and economical flush systems allow the necessary volume of water to be used according to the situation.
The effect of such solutions can be especially noticeable in student dormitories, where a large number of people reside simultaneously. Even a small reduction in average water consumption per person, scaled across the entire university, turns into a substantial saving of resources and funds.
At the same time, an important direction of university’s operations is the development of scientific research in the area of water technologies. Relevant work is carried out by the Modern Water Technologies Centre of Kyiv Polytechnic, whose activity is aimed at the research and introduction of modern technological solutions in the water sector.
An important feature of the functioning of university infrastructure is that water use is mainly connected with domestic and household needs, and wastewater is discharged into the city’s centralised sewerage system. Direct discharge of the university’s wastewater into natural water bodies is not practised. Thus, Kyiv Polytechnic operations do not involve a direct impact on natural waters through organised wastewater discharge.
Development of infrastructure while preserving green zones
The expansion and modernisation of the university campus must take place with due regard for a need to preserve the natural environment and for the rational use of territory.
When planning new infrastructure facilities, particularly dormitories, priority is given to already built-up and technically prepared areas of the campus. Such an approach makes it possible to use the existing infrastructure more efficiently and to avoid unjustified interference in natural zones.
At the same time, the development of the campus is not limited to the construction of buildings. An important component of infrastructure projects is the landscaping of adjacent territories, the creation of green zones and comfortable public spaces for students and staff.
During the construction of previous infrastructure facilities near dormitories, new green squares were arranged. This practice enables the combination of the development of residential infrastructure with the improvement of the quality of the university environment. The same principle is provided for in the planning of new facilities: specifically, the development of the territory of a new dormitory is accompanied by the provision of space for the arrangement of a square.
A separate direction of environmental work is the introduction of nature-oriented practices for the care of green territories. In particular, the university is implementing an eco-initiative to create areas of natural mixed grasses that do not require frequent mowing.
Unlike traditional intensive lawn mowing, the preservation of natural plant cover contributes to the retention of moisture in the soil, reduces its drying out and creates favourable conditions for pollinating insects. Such areas also support biodiversity, while a reduction in the frequency of mowing makes it possible to cut the costs of maintaining green territories.
Therefore, even a change in approaches to lawn care can become part of the university’s systemic environmental policy and make the campus more resilient to climate change.
Responsible waste management
Another important direction of Kyiv Polytechnic’s environmental policy is the organisation of proper management of the waste generated during educational, scientific, economic and administrative activities.
The university has an approved Waste Management Plan, put into effect by Act No. NAH/195/25 of 19 May 2025. Work in this direction is systematic in character: the relevant policy was initiated at the university in 2019 and updated in 2025 to take account of current legislative requirements and tasks in the realm of environmental protection.
Waste management is carried out in accordance with the Law of Ukraine “On Waste Management” and university’s internal regulatory documents. Particular attention is paid to hazardous waste that may be generated in laboratories, workshops, technical premises and other units.
Such materials require special conditions of handling, storage and subsequent transfer. Hazardous waste is temporarily stored in relevant units in compliance with established instructions and safety requirements, thereafter it is transferred to specialised companies that hold the necessary permits and licences for relevant hazardous-waste management operations.
This makes it possible to minimise the risks of hazardous substances entering the environment, to protect human health and to exercise control over the handling of such waste.
Importantly, an effective waste-management system depends not only on regulatory documents and organisational procedures but also on the responsible attitude of every staff member and student towards resources and the environment.
Environmental responsibility — investment in the future of university, Ukraine
The energy efficiency of buildings, thrifty use of water, development of modern water technologies, preservation of green zones and responsible waste management are not isolated measures but interrelated components of the sustainable development of the university campus.
Their introduction enables the achievement of several important goals simultaneously: to reduce operating costs, to decrease the consumption of natural resources, to minimise negative impact on the environment, and to increase the comfort and safety of the university environment.
At the same time, Kyiv Polytechnic has great potential for combining practical activity with educational and scientific research. The university campus can be a space where modern technologies of energy and resource efficiency are not only introduced but also explored, improved and applied as practical examples for the training of future specialists.
For Ukraine, which is following a complex path of recovery and modernisation of infrastructure, such experience is of particular value. For reconstruction must be based not only on the restoration of what has been lost but also on the creation of a more efficient, resilient and environmentally responsible infrastructure.
Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute consistently develops approaches in which technological modernisation, the rational use of resources, human comfort, and the preservation of the natural environment are inseparable components of a single process. It is in this way that the university campus of the future is being moulded — a space in which innovations work not only for the development of education and science but also for the well-being of society and the sustainable development of this country.