FOREWORD
Florin DRĂGAN, PhD Rector of the Politehnica University Timisoara
“Our biggest challenge in this new century is to take an idea that seems abstract – sustainable development – and turn it into a reality for all the world’s people.”
– Kofi Annan, Former United Nations Secretary-General
The undertaking of sustainability and sustainable development as a priority policy of the university is announced in the strategic plan for the 2024–2029 mandate. The concept of sustainability that we want to implement at the university level addresses a comprehensive approach, which aims to achieve the sustainability indicators provided by international rankings, to develop human resources in accordance with the needs of society and the trends of the economic market, to guide administrative activities in accordance with the objectives of sustainable development, to create a safe space that encourages the “green” initiatives of members of the academic community, but also of external partners, such as local and regional institutions or companies.
The year 2023, which marked the 100th anniversary since the inauguration of the first building built and owned by the university, was a good opportunity to rethink the entire campus of the Politehnica University Timisoara and transform it in accordance with the principles of urban sustainability. The idea of a smart green campus of the future appeared even before the beginning of the year when Timisoara was one of the European Capitals of Culture. At the time students from Politehnica’s Faculty of Architecture and City Planning came up with a new vision for campus development, in tune with today’s youth aspirations. The urbanism project establishes two fundamental transversal directions, through the “smart” and “green” themes, required to be applied to each proposal. The proposals target interventions at the level of the entire campus, including the dormitories’ area.
We currently have several projects underway aimed at modernizing the UPT campus. One of them deals with the installation of a photovoltaic system for 17 buildings of Politehnica University Timisoara, with an installed power of 1.5 MWh, 1.8 million euros worth, financed through a project supported by Ministry of Energy funds. The respective buildings will ensure the renewable electricity production needed to cover the consumption needs of the campus. Another project, financed by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), aims at the complete modernization of two student dormitories, through interior remodeling, increasing the living space, transforming the rooms into apartment-type modules consisting of two rooms, two bathrooms and a kitchenette, modernizing the HVAC installation systems (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) and electrical installations, restoring the heating system in order to reduce energy consumption and installing renewable energy sources. At the same time, in the heart of the campus, the works on the tribune of the „Science” Stadium are being carried out at a sustained pace, the future tribune also being designed with a multi-storey car park, which represents a first stage in the long-term plan to transform the campus into a completely pedestrian space meant to meet the current needs of the community.
In addition to the investments in the physical infrastructure, Politehnica University Timisoara emphasizes the importance of lifelong education, creating tools to facilitate learning (informal and non-formal) also outside the classrooms. Against this background, the UPT Creative Campus program emerged, a platform that lays the foundation for social, cultural, and urban regeneration, the campus thus becoming a space of innovation and creativity, where young people create their own identity in the structure of the city.
We address, therefore, the process of transforming the campus as a whole and encourage projects such as University Students Engaging in Responsible and Sustainable Energy Consumption (USE-REC), concerned with changing mentalities and strengthening pro-active behaviors to save the environment. Through its educational programs, through theoretical and applied research, through its commitment to the life of the city, the region, even the country, the Politehnica University Timisoara is at the vanguard of systemic changes towards sustainability, which is urgently needed in the 21st century. We support the culture of learning, critical thinking and curiosity, we encourage scientific and applied initiatives, as the one presented by the project described in this volume, and we are convinced that those who will have the curiosity to travel, together with the authors, the journey of knowledge, they will find sources of inspiration for new projects promoting sustainability.