Azerbaijan State
Oil and Industry
University
We are committed to raising awareness among staff, students, and the general public about a variety of environmental issues and wicked problems, including energy conservation and renewable energy, water scarcity and management, resource depletion, food waste, sustainable cities and infrastructure, pollution, and climate change. We created the sustainable development unit (the green transformation unit - the sustainability support unit) in Delta University's college of engineering to serve as the focal point for the university's involvement in and response to environmental challenges. We are committed to raising awareness among staff, students, and the general public about a variety of environmental issues and wicked problems, including energy conservation and renewable energy, water scarcity and management, resource depletion, food waste, sustainable cities and infrastructure, pollution, and climate change. We created the sustainable development unit (the green transformation unit - the sustainability support unit) in ASOIU WARWICK to serve as the focal point for the university's involvement in and response to environmental challenges. This unit has several sub-committees made up of specialized academics and research staff, as well as consultants from NGOs and the industry sector, who engage in a variety of environmental activities both on and off campus to find long-term solutions to Azerbaijan's societal problems. Examples of the subcommittees are mentioned below.
As a part of Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University's 2026 strategy, the
university aims to reduce its carbon footprint with the goal of becoming carbon
neutral by 2040. In line with this goal, the university invests its portfolios in
accordance with the highest standards.
Towards a sustainable university campus
Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University is becoming increasingly interested in lowering the environmental effect of its campus as a means of actively addressing the concerns of climate change.
The university's vision:
Our vision is to be an educational institution that addresses, collaborates, and promotes, on a regional or global scale, reducing the negative environmental, economic, social, and health impacts of its resource use to perform its teaching, research, awareness, partnership, and supervision functions in ways that assist the community in transitioning to sustainable lifestyles.
Every product and service has an influence on the environment. Such effects can occur at any point of the product or service life cycle, from inputs to processing to ultimate outputs. Universities are systems that engage in a wide range of complicated scientific activities (lab experiments, agricultural operations, workshops, and so on), as well as social and educational activities (teaching, learning, and research), energy supply and consumption, transportation and interaction, and sports and entertainment.
The university's physical activities and buildings can have a considerable environmental impact, thus it is critical to establish methods for organizing activities, identifying and reducing their negative environmental effects. Over the last decade, several institutions have adopted a more responsible approach to maintaining and improving their environmental performance.
Current sustainable research trends on campus must be identified, and essential metrics and activities must be defined based on energy, buildings, water, waste, transportation, land, air, climate, and food. According to the findings, increasing energy generation on campus and lowering energy usage in buildings are by far the most often implemented initiatives, although their impact has received little attention.
Campus Sustainability Strategies.
Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University recognizes the significance of decreasing its activities' impact on the climate and the environment, and has taken several proactive initiatives to address this issue. The institution has created policies and initiatives to address this issue, including a variety of measures targeted at lowering greenhouse gas emissions, saving energy and water, decreasing waste, and encouraging sustainable habits.
The reduction policy includes:
1. Performing an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions to determine the sources and quantities of emissions related with its activities.
2. Using this inventory to define emission reduction objectives and create a plan to meet them.
3. Committing to carbon neutrality, which implies that any residual emissions will be offset with carbon credits or other ways.
4. Implementing energy and water conservation measures, such as improving building systems and fixtures, encouraging students and workers to save energy, and employing renewable energy sources.
5. Implementing waste reduction initiatives, such as recycling and composting programs.
6. Promoting sustainable modes of transportation, such as biking and public transit.
7. Setting up sustainability committees to supervise implementation and track results.
8. Working with students, professors, and staff to increase understanding and engagement in sustainability projects.
There is a need to take significant considerations to achieve effective physical planning and sustainability for the campus and manage the impacts of daily operations and university activities. Suitable environmental and sustainability concerns should be integrated into physical and academic planning processes on campus. Therefore, when formulating university policies, visions, and objectives, ASOIU has developed a more suitable integrated approach to achieving campus sustainability that can address current constraints of environmental management practices in universities and ensure more sustainability through the integration of three strategies:
1. Environmental management system at the institution.
2. Public engagement and social responsibility.
3. Promoting sustainability in education and research.
The challenges that the University faces in achieving its sustainability goals.
While ASOIU is devoted to sustainability, it confronts various hurdles in meeting its objectives. Some of the problems include:
• Behavioral change: Changing behavior and encouraging sustainable practices among students, professors, and staff may be difficult. It necessitates an adjustment in mentality and behaviors, which may take time and effort.
• Infrastructure limitations: Some older buildings and infrastructure may not be constructed to satisfy sustainability standards, and adapting them can be expensive and difficult.
• Collaboration and coordination: Sustainability necessitates collaboration and coordination across many departments and stakeholders inside the institution, as well as with external partners and the larger community.
• Timeframe: Achieving meaningful and verifiable sustainability objectives may take time and need long-term strategy and dedication.
Despite these problems, ASOIU has chosen a proactive approach to sustainability and is trying to solve them in order to reach its goals. The institution understands that sustainability is a worldwide problem and is committed to making a positive difference in the environment and society.
Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University action plan to reduce its carbon footprint and promote sustainability.
• Energy efficiency upgrades: The University makes energy-efficient renovations to its buildings, such as adding LED lighting, updating HVAC systems, and enhancing insulation. These changes can help to minimize energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Renewable energy installations: To create sustainable energy on campus, the University implemented devices such as solar panels. This can help the institution reduce its dependency on fossil fuels and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
• Waste reduction and diversion: The University launched a comprehensive trash reduction and diversion program, which included recycling, composting, and minimizing waste output. This may lower greenhouse gas emissions related with trash disposal.
• Education and awareness campaigns: The University conducts education and awareness efforts to encourage sustainability among students, professors, and staff. This can assist to foster a sustainable culture on campus and inspire people to take steps to decrease their carbon impact.
• Green building design: The University implemented green building design concepts in new construction and restoration projects, such as employing sustainable building materials, optimizing natural light, and adding energy-efficient design elements.
• Sustainable procurement: The University has implemented sustainable procurement rules that prioritize the purchasing of ecologically friendly items and services, such as recycled paper and energyefficient office furniture.
• Water conservation: To minimize water usage and related greenhouse gas emissions, the institution undertakes water conservation techniques such as low-flow fixtures and drought-tolerant landscaping.
• Carbon offsets: The University might buy carbon offsets to compensate for greenhouse gas emissions that cannot be decreased through other means, such as air travel for university-related purposes.
• Community engagement: The University interacts with the local community and collaborates with local groups to promote sustainability, such as by participating in community clean-up programs or offering sustainability education tools.
• Research and innovation: The University performs sustainability research and innovation, such as developing new technologies or policies to improve sustainability and disseminating this knowledge to the larger community.
Overall, these measures assist ASOIU minimize its carbon footprint and promote sustainability around campus. By adopting a thorough sustainability strategy, the university can demonstrate its commitment to environmental responsibility while also contributing to global efforts to combat climate change.