TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A smart energy-saving drive has helped Da-Yeh University slash carbon emissions and save NT$7.8 million (US$250,000) in electricity costs over the past three years.

The Changhua County school has won the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Energy Saving Benchmark Award six times, including the Gold Award last year, per CNA. DYU has become a model for how higher education can tackle climate change and advance the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

DYU dean of general affairs Wang Han-ying (汪漢英) said the university cut power use by 2.24 million kWh and reduced over 1,000 metric tons of carbon emissions — roughly the annual absorption of nearly three Daan Forest Parks. A smart power-management system now ensures unused classrooms shut down automatically, while server rooms use efficient hot- and cold-aisle cooling.

Upgrades include LED lighting and high-efficiency chillers, lowering electricity use to 44 kWh per square meter, well below the national university average of 66.3 kWh. The library has automated lighting, motion sensors, and demand control to cut waste further.

Water-saving measures include monitoring that flags abnormal usage and rainwater recycling for irrigation and cleaning. Green transport is also a focus: campus shuttle buses are offered to reduce scooter commutes.

Dayeh has embedded sustainability in teaching, developing Taiwan’s first SDG-focused “living lab,” where wetlands and solar-energy projects serve as hands-on classrooms. An SDG exhibition center showcases these projects to students and the wider community.

DYU President Fang Wen-chang (方文昌) said campus green coverage has reached 82.7% and the university aims to reach net zero by 2048, two years ahead of Taiwan’s national goal. “I hope every corner of the campus is filled with trees so that the learning environment coexists with nature,” he said.