FOREWORD
Palestine Polytechnic University is a key actor in the field of environmental protection, fighting climate change and creating sustainable energy solutions through the various services delivered by staff and students. PPU provides academic programs, scientific research, technical and scientific solutions and consultations, in addition to awareness services in the fields of fighting climate change and sustainable energy. PPU provides awareness, training, and consultations in the fields of environment; e.g. establishing the environmental clubs at 20 middle schools in Hebron, holding energy audits and clean production consultations for local factories and enterprises, in addition to holding an annual international conference on Energy & Environment Protection (ICEEP).
PPU also adopts a clean in house policy by adopting real life models of clean energy on campus such as installing green building models for small sales kiosks, and installing a solar PV system that produces 40% of PPU energy consumption.
PPU states actions towards the climate, environment, and energy through its contribution to the relevant SDG’s as follows:
SDG Six: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
PPU provides applied research in the fields of water and environment health through the Centre of Excellence in Water, Environment and Energy Research and Services. One of the main research areas in the center is water and sanitation represented by various projects in partnership with international and local communities and industries. The center provides the necessary technical solutions and testing for water quality and provides technical solutions especially for industrial and domestic sanitation to dispose of toxins and chemicals in order to reuse water for industrial or agricultural purposes. PPU also provides the services of water health testing through a specialized lab that is licensed by the Palestinian Water Authority for chemical, physical and biological testing, the lab serves as a reference for many institutions especially local government actors and industrial institutions.
SDG Seven: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Energy efficiency and sustainability is one of PPU focuses in research, educational programs and internal practices. PPU provides a bachelor and a master degree in engineering in energy and sustainable energy in addition to applied and scientific research through The Centre of Excellence in Water, Environment and Energy Research and Services. PPU also follows a clean in-house energy strategy by installing solar panels that covers up to 40% the electricity needs so far with plans to accomplish full power support by clean energy in the near future.
PPU also supports the clean energy initiatives of the local community through applied research and consultancy services by PPU professors in clean energy streams including solar energy, wind generated energy, biogas generated energy and clean production strategies.
SDG Eleven: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
PPU provides its share of educated and capacitated engineers in addition to research and scientific contributions in the fields of architectural and civil engineering both in bachelor and master degrees. PPU endorses sustainable and green technologies in architectural and civil engineering programs to provide students with the modern knowledge needed to work in the fields of modern and sustainable cities.
In this framework, PPU also provides master degree programs in sustainable architecture, renewable energy, and artificial intelligence. Students, graduates and staff members carry out applied research through master theses and provide local governmental bodies such as municipalities and urban planning firms with sustainable designs of the various establishments they work on; this includes but not limited to industrial cities, water stations, sanitation plants, major infrastructure and major establishments. Designs are created and delivered into existing sustainable projects through the support and partnership with the various actors including governmental bodies and international supporters and donors.
SDG Twelve: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
PPU shares expertise in the field of clean production through PPU expert’s membership in the MEDTEST II network since 2013 through participation in the EU funded SwitchMed program in partnership with UNIDO and the Palestinian Academy for Sciences and Technology. PPU provides clean production solutions through the Industrial Synergy Center by recruiting the expertise of MEDTEST II experts and other experienced researchers providing the needed applied research in the form of technical and technological solutions to institutions especially industrial firms in clean production.
SDG Thirteen: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
PPU is active in fighting climate change through participating in national and international projects that support and introduce clean production, renewable energy, green buildings, and energy saving. PPU provides academic programs in environment, energy and clean energy in levels of bachelor and master degrees and applies knowledge through adopting real life models of clean energy such as installing a green building model as a kiosk for sales, installing a solar PV system that will produce enough energy to cover a third of PPU energy consumption. In addition, PPU has awareness, training, and consultations in the fields of environment such as establishing the environmental clubs at 20 of the middle schools of Hebron, holding energy audits and clean production audits to local factories and enterprises and holding an annual international conference on Energy & Environment Protection (ICEEP).
PPU is involved with hands on experiences through providing services and solutions through scientific research in the various fields of climate change topics including the following main focuses:
-
WASH: PPU provides applied research in the fields of water and environment health through the Centre of Excellence in Water, Environment and Energy Research and Services. One of the main research areas in the center is water and sanitation represented by various projects in partnership with international and local communities and industries. The center provides the necessary technical solutions and testing for water quality and provides technical solutions especially for industrial and domestic sanitation to dispose of toxins and chemicals in order to reuse water for industrial or agricultural purposes.
-
Biodiversity: PPU provides applied research in the fields of biodiversity and sustainable terrestrial ecosystems through the Palestinian Korean Center for Biotechnology Research. Some of the main research areas are biodiversity, animal health and virology, in addition to reserving endangered plants and trees. The Center started a project of a seed bank for enhanced crop seeds and endangered plants. The PK-Biotech also provides support to local farmers, forest keepers and food industries through scientific solutions and tailored capacity building programs.
-
Sustainable and renewable energy: Energy efficiency and sustainability is one of PPU focuses in research, educational programs and internal practices. PPU also follows a clean in-house energy strategy by installing solar panels that cover up to 40% the electricity needs so far with plans to accomplish full power support by clean energy in the near future. Moreover, PPU provides a bachelor and a master degree in engineering in energy and sustainable energy in addition to research through The Centre of Excellence in Water, Environment and Energy Research and Services.
-
Sustainable consumption and production: PPU provides clean production solutions through the Industrial Synergy Center by recruiting the expertise of MEDTEST II experts and other experienced researchers providing the needed applied research in the form of technical and technological solutions.
-
Environmental Health and Occupational Safety: PPU provides the services of training programs, awareness and consultancy through the National Center of Occupational Safety and Environmental Health. The Center also supports the job market with experts in the field through providing an associate degree in Safety and Environmental Health. The Center is established and operating through partnership with The Ministry of Labor and the International Labor Organization - ILO.
Moreover, PPU maintains partnerships and close relationships with a variety of partners in the fields of climate change and environmental health, the partners include local and international entities such as ministries, NGOs, universities, unions, municipalities and major private sector organizations. Each partnership carries tailored purposes that accomplish better practices and technical solutions that serve the ultimate goal of combating climate change and enhancing the environment. Some examples of these partnerships as follows:
-
Political partnerships (PA and Internationals): The Palestinian Authority for Energy and Natural Resources, The Palestinian Authority for Environment Quality, the Palestinian Water Authority (in progress), Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Hebron, South Hebron, and North Hebron), UNIDO, and the Ministry of Telecommunication and IT
-
Scientific partnerships - universities and R&D affiliates: PPU holds numerous partnerships with fellow universities nationwide and internationally for scientific research in the various fields of Climate Change. Many of these partnerships include joint projects, students’ mobility, and shared initiatives locally and internationally. Examples include
-
Business and entrepreneurship partners - customers of PPU services (companies, municipalities and communities receiving our auditing and consulting services), examples of which include but not limited to: the Palestinian Industries Federation, the Marble and Stone Industries Union, the Plastic Industries Union, the Leather and Shoe Industries Union, the Palestinian Food Industries Union, the Metal and Engineering Industries Union, the Gold and Precious Metals Industries, The South Hebron Electricity Company, the Hebron Electricity Company, the Palestinian Telecommunication Group, Hebron Municipality, Dura Municipality, and a number of major companies benefiting from environmental and sustainable energy researches in the forms of consultancies and technical solutions.
