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A. L. Salvia and L. L. Brandli
of local realities). Research on building efficiency, energy efficiency and renewable
energy is also a positive approach, since these could lead to more efficient and maybe
cheaper ways to provide energy infrastructure and clean energy technology.
The last target, namely 7b, focuses on expanding energy infrastructure and upgrading the technology used, and is also measured by financial investments. The role of
universities in this context is the same as described for the previous target. Besides
these actions, investment in campus operations is also a positive way to contribute,
since academic buildings with good energy plans could represent models to define
related strategies to cities and buildings of other sectors.
4 Conclusions
The aim of this paper was to perform a systematic review of the literature on energy
efficiency and energy sustainability at universities and relate their role to SD and its
contribution to SDG 7. The databases used were ScienceDirect and Web of Science.
The research question was “what is the state of international scientific literature on
the theme of energy efficiency and sustainability from the perspective of universities’
role?” A group of 545 articles was analysed in this review, representing examples of
the university role in energy efficiency and SD.
According to the results of this analysis, research is the main area that universities
have been using to contribute to sustainable development in the energy context.
Although this type of research is not always implemented rapidly and does not
always lead to direct results, it is constantly working toward improved results and
better learning. This kind of systematic review is also important to show the extent
in which the researches are working, so that university teams can be aware they
integrate a whole community that works with this subject around the world.
Regarding the role of universities, it is important to note that this review points out
that not only energy efficiency and sustainability could be improved, but that more
attention should be paid to other areas as well, such as curriculum greening, campus
operations and extension. It indicates that universities could engage more, for example, in capacity building courses, mobilising young people, aligning sustainability to
its governance, promoting more actions outside campuses, public engagement and
policy development for SD.
There are many published articles using systematic reviews on energy, but this
paper intended to contribute to this field of research by connecting energy publications about the role of universities in promoting SD and to explicitly show how
university actions can contribute to achieve SDG 7 targets and consequently their
potential to help meet this goal.
A. L. Salvia and L. L. Brandli
of local realities). Research on building efficiency, energy efficiency and renewable
energy is also a positive approach, since these could lead to more efficient and maybe
cheaper ways to provide energy infrastructure and clean energy technology.
The last target, namely 7b, focuses on expanding energy infrastructure and upgrading the technology used, and is also measured by financial investments. The role of
universities in this context is the same as described for the previous target. Besides
these actions, investment in campus operations is also a positive way to contribute,
since academic buildings with good energy plans could represent models to define
related strategies to cities and buildings of other sectors.
4 Conclusions
The aim of this paper was to perform a systematic review of the literature on energy
efficiency and energy sustainability at universities and relate their role to SD and its
contribution to SDG 7. The databases used were ScienceDirect and Web of Science.
The research question was “what is the state of international scientific literature on
the theme of energy efficiency and sustainability from the perspective of universities’
role?” A group of 545 articles was analysed in this review, representing examples of
the university role in energy efficiency and SD.
According to the results of this analysis, research is the main area that universities
have been using to contribute to sustainable development in the energy context.
Although this type of research is not always implemented rapidly and does not
always lead to direct results, it is constantly working toward improved results and
better learning. This kind of systematic review is also important to show the extent
in which the researches are working, so that university teams can be aware they
integrate a whole community that works with this subject around the world.
Regarding the role of universities, it is important to note that this review points out
that not only energy efficiency and sustainability could be improved, but that more
attention should be paid to other areas as well, such as curriculum greening, campus
operations and extension. It indicates that universities could engage more, for example, in capacity building courses, mobilising young people, aligning sustainability to
its governance, promoting more actions outside campuses, public engagement and
policy development for SD.
There are many published articles using systematic reviews on energy, but this
paper intended to contribute to this field of research by connecting energy publications about the role of universities in promoting SD and to explicitly show how
university actions can contribute to achieve SDG 7 targets and consequently their
potential to help meet this goal.