VIA University College
VIA University College
Higher Education
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About
VIA University College, founded in 2008, is Denmark’s largest university college and third-largest higher education institution. It offers over 40 degree programmes in areas including health, teaching, design, and business, across its eight campuses in Jutland, in the west of Denmark. The university college also has 18 research centres, and are part of the Danish Resilience Lab partnership, which brings together researchers, business and education institutions to discover new ways to make Danish cities more climate resilient.
VIA University College has a strong emphasis on fostering entrepreneurship amongst its students and researchers. In fact, in 2018, it was named Denmark’s most entrepreneurial institution of higher education, by the Danish Foundation for Entrepreneurship. One of its many initiatives includes a start-up incubator for students, whereby aspiring innovators can receive mentorship, funding and other support from the university to help their ideas turn into reality.
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The Road to Climate Protection and Heat Production
A newly established "climate road" not only accumulates rainwater, but also exploits the water’s heat potential to heat a nearby public institution.
The Climate Road (Klimavejen), established in collaboration between VIA University College in Central Denmark Region and Hedensted Municipality, both collects rain and reaps the benefits of the stored heat of the water. The road is built of permeable asphalt, which lets water seep down through 800 meters of geothermal heating tubes. The tubes collect the water’s heat energy before redirecting the water to a nearby rainwater reservoir. Climate Road’s geothermal plant is connected to a local daycare center and is able to satisfy its annual heating needs – equivalent to approximately 75,000 kWh annually.
50%
REDUCTION OF CO2 EMISSIONS RELATIVE TO HEATING WITH OIL
REDUCTION OF CO2 EMISSIONS RELATIVE TO HEATING WITH OIL
With this heating boon, Climate Road is helping to climate-proof the area as well as reducing the daycare center’s heating bill through sustainable heat energy. The project will be monitored by VIA University College and will be used for teaching at the institution. The project will also become part of a teaching plan on sustainable urban development at schools.
800 meters of geothermal heating tubes run under the permeable asphalt road and accumulate heat energy absorbed by the rainwater.
800 meters of geothermal heating tubes run under the permeable asphalt road and accumulate heat energy absorbed by the rainwater.
How the Global Goals are addressed
Quality Education
As an integral part of the project, Climate Road is part of a teaching process for sustainable urban development in the municipality and at VIA University College.
Affordable and Clean Energy
The geothermal heating tubes make use of a natural heat source and the heat-storing capacity of rainwater in order to heat the local daycare center.
Sustainable Cities and Communities
The project will investigate whether heat supply through the road network can supply the surrounding dwellings with heat in the future, and make the city self-sufficient when it comes to heating.
Hedensted Municipality
Hedensted Municipality is a municipality located on the Jutland peninsula in central Denmark.
Global Goals addressed