With the national target of increasing the share of renewable energy in the Philippines’ power generation mix to 35% just four years away, Foundation University in Dumaguete City has been developing a blueprint on reducing carbon emissions and switching to cleaner energy sources.
Twice named by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as one of the Most Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools in the Philippines, Foundation University is hoping the holistic model it has been developing can be adopted nationwide.
Under the leadership of University President Victor Vicente “Dean” Sinco, Foundation University’s framework moves from basic renewable energy transitions toward deep-rooted environmental stewardship while integrating sustainability in all aspects, from facilities to its faculty and students.
“As with our pursuit of being the training ground for future Filipino innovators, our commitment to becoming a sustainable and eco-friendly campus is anchored on how we can create a lasting impact beyond the communities we serve and become the blueprint for the future of not just tech education but also in implementing renewable energy in the Philippines,” Sinco said.
Sustainably powered
Among the efforts to make Foundation University a green campus was the installation of over 1,000 solar panels across key campus facilities. The project was originally meant to reduce dependence on conventional energy sources and lower the carbon footprint.
Now with around 80% of the campus powered by the 300KW solar power facility, the significant cost savings, averaging Php 200,000 monthly, enabled Foundation University to reinvest in other institutional pursuits, such as improvements to its academic programs, additional support for student services, instructor training, and salary adjustments.
The university has also transitioned to LED lighting across its offices, classrooms, and outdoor areas, upgraded its air conditioning systems with more energy-efficient units, and utilized an air quality monitoring system that can track formaldehyde, total volatile organic compounds, humidity, and temperature. These combined efforts have enabled Foundation University to be a carbon-neutral campus for over five years.
Apart from these systems, Sinco said the university is studying the feasibility of adding wind power into its energy mix to reach its goal of fully powering the campus with renewable energy in the next 10 years. Foundation University is also eyeing to expand its renewable energy capabilities to benefit not only the campus, but also the surrounding communities.
“Shifting towards sustainable energy goes beyond the systems, tools, and technologies. One important thing we’ve learned about integrating renewable energy is that it begins by approaching it from the lens of an ecosystem, and how it could benefit the community as a whole,” Sinco said.
A sustainable mindset
Sustainability is also ingrained among Foundation University’s faculty and students. The campus-wide Way Plastikanay initiative restricts the bringing in and use of plastic and single-use disposable materials every Tuesday. The program is part of the university’s Zero Waste Initiative, which also encourages offices to go paperless and departments to develop a monthly waste audit to track consumption patterns and propose possible changes.
Environmental stewardship is also taught in the university’s Technology, Environment, and Entrepreneurship course, a required elective throughout all of its programs. In this course, students are empowered to craft innovative projects that can address the pressing needs of the local community while also contributing to the realization of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
These systems, projects, and initiatives remain implemented to this day and have been recognized nationally and globally. Apart from being two-time national champions (2015, 2026) in DENR’s National Search for Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools, Foundation University was recently included in the Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Rankings 2026, which evaluates universities around the world for their contributions to the SDGs.
“While it’s good to be recognized, we know that there is still work to be done. The evolving challenges posed by climate change motivate us to find new and innovative solutions that we can share with other learning institutions in the region, to the communities we serve, and to the rest of the Philippines,” Sinco said.
Learn more about Foundation University’s commitment to sustainability and its projects by visiting https://www.foundationu.edu.ph/ or following Foundation University on Facebook.
