Energy Efficiency in Real Estate in the Tertiary Sector : Managerial Strategies for Universities

Details

Supervisors

Willems, Bert

Faculty

Louvain School of Management

Degree label

Master [60] en sciences de gestion

Abstract

enRegarding climate issues and new European regulations, universities are facing the challenge of having to change significantly the way they manage the energy use of their buildings. This thesis explores how these institutions can balance energy efficiency, financial feasibility and their educational purpose. Based on a qualitative study of four European case studies — Exeter, Aarhus, Coimbra and Santi Romano — the thesis outlines the managerial levers and constraints of this transition, including strategic governance, budget management, technical coordination, stakeholder participation and internal capacity development. While some universities manage to offer both sustainability and performance, others find the changes too far-reaching. It emerges that the difficulties are more structural than technical, and the thesis presents recommendations for making energy efficiency a genuinely shared project within the framework of a network of universities.