Environmental Management
Carbon Footprint
The growing concern about climate change at the global, regional, state and local levels, has led institutions such as the University of the Armed Forces ESPE to assume an active role in reducing their carbon footprint by identifying and calculating the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated by their administrative activities. academic and operational.
The University of the Armed Forces ESPE, based on the ISO 14064-1:2018 Standard, as well as the IPCC Greenhouse Gas Protocol, has considered scopes 1 and 2 for the calculation of its GHG emissions expressed in tons of CO2 equivalent. These scopes include the following emission sources:
SCOPE 1. DIRECT EMISSIONS
– Emissions from stationary sources.
– Emissions from mobile sources (owned).
– Use of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment (fugitive emissions).
– Fire suppression equipment (fugitive emissions).
– Purchased gases (with greenhouse effect potential).
SCOPE 2. INDIRECT EMISSIONS FROM ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION
– Indirect emissions from campus electricity consumption.
The carbon footprint of the Headquarters campus of the University of the Armed Forces ESPE, has been calculated since 2025 for scopes 1 and 2, giving a total of 866.85 t CO2 (e) emitted. These results are expressed below:
Emisiones GEI
| Alcance 1 | 488,79 |
| Alcance 2 | 378,06 |
Carbon Retention
The main campus of the University of the Armed Forces ESPE is located on a land of 48.94 hectares, of which 7.41 hectares have built areas. The remaining land is occupied by remnant areas of forest and areas covered by planted vegetation, which function as carbon sinks, achieving carbon retention.
The Department of Life Sciences and Agriculture, through the Agricultural Engineering career, has carried out the tree registry of the University’s main campus and has calculated the carbon sequestration of species with a height greater than 3 meters, expressed in tons of CO2 equivalent. The value obtained for the year 2025 is 1650.47 t CO2 (e) retained.
Carbon Balance
The carbon balance is an accounting method that compares the amount of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) that a system emits into the atmosphere, with the amount it is able to absorb or compensate. The objective is to determine whether the footprint is positive (emits more than it absorbs) or neutral (zero net emissions).
Based on the calculations obtained, the carbon balance of the Matriz campus of the University of the Armed Forces ESPE is as follows:
Balance C = Emissions (Scope 1 + Scope 2) – Retention
Balance C = 866.85 t CO2 (e) – 1650.47 t CO2 (e) = – 783.62 t CO2 (e)
The result of the carbon balance shows a negative value, which means that retention on the Matrix campus is greater than the sum of the emissions of scopes 1 and 2, achieving carbon neutrality.
Non-Hazardous Waste Management - Usable
Durante el año 2025, la Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE, gestionó las siguientes cantidades de residuos no peligrosos aprovechables:
Hazardous and Special Waste Management
Durante el año 2025, la Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE, gestionó la siguiente cantidad de desechos peligrosos y especiales:
desechos
peligrosos
gestionados
neumáticos fuera
de uso gestionadas
(desechos
especiales)
Treated Drinking Water
La Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE, en los campus en donde no existe suministro de agua potable municipal, realiza la captación de agua y garantiza su tratamiento para el consumo seguro de la comunidad universitaria.
Treated Wastewater
La Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE, en los campus en donde no existe descarga de agua residual sanitaria a los sistemas de alcantarillado municipal, posee sistemas de tratamiento de los efluentes previo a su descarga.
Sustainable Infrastructure and Green Spaces
The University of the Armed Forces ESPE presents the following indicators of sustainable infrastructure and green spaces.
HEADQUARTERS CAMPUS – SANGOLQUÍ
The main campus of the University of the Armed Forces ESPE, located in the province of Pichincha, Sangolquí canton, stands out for its large proportion of green spaces with respect to the built space. This campus has modern administrative, teaching and research facilities, which facilitate the learning and development of our students, teachers, administrative staff and operational staff.
The campus has several services such as: library, sports fields, university dining room, snack bar, gym, residences, medical center and paid parking, making the campus user experience unique and inspiring.
489,470 m²
Total campus area Matrix
472,453 m²
Area of open space with respect to the total area of the campus Matrix
17,017 m²
Total area occupied by buildings on the Matriz campus
7,11%
Proportion of total campus area Matrix covered by forest vegetation
89,42%
Proportion of total campus area Matrix covered by planted vegetation
40.10 m² / person
Total open space area divided by the total campus population Matrix
IASA I CAMPUS -SANGOLQUÍ
The campus of the Andean Higher Agricultural Institute (IASA I) of the University of the Armed Forces ESPE, located in the province of Pichincha, Sangolquí canton, Hacienda El Prado, stands out for its immense proportion of green spaces with respect to the built space. This campus has administrative, teaching and research facilities, which facilitate the learning and development of students, teachers, administrative staff and operational staff.
The campus has several services such as: library, sports courts, university dining room, snack bar, residences, and medical center, making the campus user experience unique and inspiring.
5’283,300 m²
IASA I Campus Total Area
5’267.869 m²
Area of open space with respect to the total area of the campus Matrix
15,431 m²
Total area occupied by buildings on the Matriz campus
30,81%
Proportion of total campus area Matrix covered by forest vegetation
68,41%
Proportion of total campus area Matrix covered by planted vegetation
9,241.87 m² / person
Total open space area divided by the total campus population Matrix
CAMPUS CENTRO – SEDE LATACUNGA
The Centro – Latacunga campus of the University of the Armed Forces ESPE, located in the Province of Cotopaxi, Latacunga canton, stands out for its colonial architecture. This campus has modern administrative, teaching and research facilities, which facilitate the learning and development of our students, teachers, administrative staff and operational staff.
The campus has several services such as: library, sports fields, snack bar, medical center and parking lots.
34,597 m²
Total area of the Central campus
21,905 m²
Area of open space with respect to the total area of the campus Matrix
12,692 m²
Total area occupied by buildings on the Matriz campus
0,00%
Proportion of total campus area Matrix covered by forest vegetation
63,32%
Proportion of total campus area Matrix covered by planted vegetation
7.04 m² / person
Total open space area divided by the total campus population Matrix
CAMPUS GENERAL GUILLERMO RONDRÍGUEZ LARA- LATACUNGA
The General Guillermo Rodríguez Lara campus of the University of the Armed Forces ESPE, located in the Province of Cotopaxi, Latacunga canton, Belisario Quevedo parish, stands out for its large proportion of green spaces with respect to the built space. This campus has modern administrative, teaching and research facilities, which facilitate the learning and development of our students, teachers, administrative staff and operational staff.
The campus has several services such as: library, sports courts, snack bar, medical center and paid parking, making the campus user experience unique and inspiring.
360,044 m²
Total area of the General Guillermo Rodríguez campus
350,756 m²
Area of open space with respect to the total area of the campus Matrix
9,288 m²
Total area occupied by buildings on the Matriz campus
1,50%
Proportion of total campus area Matrix covered by forest vegetation
12,41%
Proportion of total campus area Matrix covered by planted vegetation
87.91 m² / person
Total open space area divided by the total campus population Matrix
SANTO DOMINGO DE LOS TSÁCHILAS HEADQUARTERS
The campus of the Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas Campus of the University of the Armed Forces ESPE, located in the Province of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Santo Domingo canton, Hacienda Zoila Luz, stands out for its extensive proportion of green spaces and forest vegetation with respect to the built space. This campus has administrative, teaching and research facilities, which facilitate the learning and development of our students, teachers, administrative staff and operational staff.
The campus has several services such as: library, sports fields, university dining room, residences, medical center and agriculture and livestock areas, making the user experience of the campus unique and inspiring.
1’540,300 m²
Total area of the Santo Domingo campus
1’531.618 m²
Area of open space with respect to the total area of the campus Matrix
8,682 m²
Total area occupied by buildings on the Matriz campus
80,76%
Proportion of total campus area Matrix covered by forest vegetation
18,67%
Proportion of total campus area Matrix covered by planted vegetation
1,696.14 m² / person
Total open space area divided by the total campus population Matrix
Transport
The University of the Armed Forces ESPE, through the University Services Unit and its Transportation area, provides transportation service for its administrative and operational personnel to and from the Headquarters campus. Additionally, it provides shuttle service between the Matriz campus and the IASA I campus located at a distance of 10 km.
The same happens in the Headquarters, where there are routes for operational and administrative personnel to and from the General Guillermo Rodríguez Lara campuses in Latacunga and the Santo Domingo Campus campus.
The following indicators associated with sustainable mobility are presented below:
Proportion of vehicles in relation to the total campus population
MATRIX
0.104 vehicles/person
IASA I
0.126 vehicles/person
DOWNTOWN – LATACUNGA
0.125 vehicles/person
GRAL. G. RODRIGUEZ – LATACUNGA
0.083 vehicles/person
ST. DOMINGO HEADQUARTERS
0.079 vehicles/person
Parking area with respect to the total campus area
MATRIX
3,18%
IASA I
0,047%
DOWNTOWN – LATACUNGA
11,18%
GRAL. G. RODRIGUEZ – LATACUNGA
5,44%
ST. DOMINGO HEADQUARTERS
0,17%
Sustainable Mobility On Campus
Biodiversity on University Campuses
7’644,601 m²
Area of open space relative to the total area of the University’s campuses
The University of the Armed Forces ESPE has 7,644,601 m² of open space area with respect to the total, within which several species of trees and shrubs are planted that contribute to the landscape and aesthetics of each campus and to carbon sequestration. Based on the tree registry, these specimens are distributed as follows:
Green Shopping
The University of the Armed Forces ESPE, through the Institutional Policy for Sustainability and Environmental Management, provides the commitment to integrate environmental criteria in the acquisition of goods and services.
As the University is a public institution of higher education, it must comply with the legal regulations in force within the scope of the National System of Public Procurement; To this end, internal processes and formats comply with the provisions of Articles 74, 77, 78 and 112 of the Regulations to the Organic Law of the National Public Procurement System, which includes sustainability as a relevant attribute within the contracting and/or procurement processes.