Through a combination of various technical, structural, organizational, and behavioral measures, Freie Universität Berlin reduced the university’s annual energy consumption by more than 26 percent—or approximately 41 million kilowatt-hours—between 2000/2001 and 2011, while maintaining a stable total floor area. Since 2012, energy consumption has remained roughly at this level, with minor fluctuations and a slight increase in building floor area, and has most recently declined again.

Energy

In 2025, Freie Universität consumed approximately 109.5 million kWh of electricity and heat. This was one of the lowest consumption levels in the past 25 years and represents a 32 percent decrease. Excluding the increase in floor space since 2012, the university’s energy consumption actually decreased by 37.5 percent between 2000/01 and 2025. Given the significant rise in student enrollment and third-party funding expenditures since 2010, this development sets an example within the German higher education landscape.

Emissions

Taking into account the university’s use of CO₂-free electricity since 2010, CO₂ emissions for the period from 2000/2001 to 2025 have decreased by 88 percent, from 57,200 metric tons to 6,850 metric tons, even when accounting for the increase in floor space.

The current energy consumption balance and CO₂ balance are as follows:

Energy: Consumption and Costs in 2025

• 109,503,000 kWh (-32.2% compared to 2000/01, weather-adjusted, including area expansion)
• 100,895,000 kWh (-37.5% compared to 2000/01, weather-adjusted, excluding expansion in floor space)
• 17.63 million € in energy costs
• Energy cost savings since 2002 (cumulative): 91,666,000 € 

CO₂ Emissions in 2025 (Scope 1 & 2 plus business travel and paper consumption)

• 6,853t of CO2 (-88% compared to 2000/01, including increase in floor space)
• 6,328t of CO2 (-89% compared to 2000/01, excluding increase in floor space)

Water: Consumption and Costs in 2025

• 217,307 m³ (-10% compared to 2024, -23% compared to the 2004 baseline)
• 1.32 million €

Waste: Volume and Costs in 2025

• x tons of residual waste (data not yet available)
• 58.3 tons of hazardous waste
• approx. 578,000 €, of which 244,000 € is for residual waste

The data presented here refers to the entire building stock of Freie Universität, including the Botanical Garden. The heat consumption included in the data has been weather-adjusted based on heating degree days.

CO2 factors for 2025 according to energy supply contracts: Electricity: 0 g/kWh (CO2-free electricity since 2010), district heating: 40.2 g/kWh, natural gas: 185 g/kWh (8% biogas content), heating oil: 266 g/kWh.

Further data can be found in our reports.

If you have any questions about the data presented here, please feel free to contact the Unit for Sustainability & Energy Management team: nachhaltigkeit@fu-berlin.de