In this study, the carbon emissions of Jilin University of Architecture and Technology were comprehensively calculated using the “Guidelines for accounting of carbon emissions of university campuses” issued by the China Association for Energy Conservation in Buildings. The total emissions for 2023 amounted to 13,571.85 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents, with a per person emission of 0.93 tonnes. Incorporating carbon offsets like green plant sequestration, renewable energy, and waste recycling reduced emissions by 9007.68 tonnes, resulting in a net emission of 4564.17 tonnes and a per person net emission of 0.31 tonnes. To further cut emissions, the university implemented strategies such as nearly zero-energy buildings, clean energy heating, energy monitoring, and green courses. Despite these efforts, achieving carbon neutrality remains challenging. The university could explore opportunities to increase renewable energy use or procure green electricity. Its adoption of clean electricity for heating in the severe cold zones not only supports carbon neutrality but also serves as a model for similar campuses.

Ground source heat pump (GSHP) systems, while energy-efficient, often face persistent soil thermal imbalance in heating-dominated severe cold regions, which undermines their long-term performance and sustainability. This study proposes a TRNSYS-GenOpt framework for the life-cycle cost optimization of hybrid GSHP systems integrating electric boilers and geothermal regulation towers. A transient model for a 5650 m² fire station in Changchun was developed, employing the Hooke–Jeeves algorithm to co-optimize boiler capacity, borehole depth, and geothermal regulation tower airflow under constraints on heating supply temperature and soil thermal balance. Time-of-use electricity pricing was incorporated for realistic operational economics. The optimized configuration (148 m, 864.8 kW, 290,400 m³/h) achieved a minimum 20-year life-cycle cost of CNY 1.13 million. Sensitivity analysis revealed “rigid design, flexible cost” characteristics: optimal parameters remained invariant across discount rate variations (3.5–7.5%) and equipment costs (±20%), while life-cycle cost showed the highest sensitivity to electricity pricing and discount rates. The long-term simulation confirmed compliance with all physical constraints. This methodology demonstrates that thermodynamic constraints supersede economic trade-offs in severe cold climates, providing engineers with a reliable tool for sustainable hybrid geothermal system design.

The transition to clean energy in China’s traditional industrial regions requires technological substitution and fundamentally restructures the relationship among the state, the market, and enterprises. This study examines the influence of industrial legacy and governance structures on clean energy innovation in Northeast China, with a primary focus on Jilin and comparative analyses of Liaoning and Heilongjiang. Using patent data from 2000 to 2025, we employ Shannon entropy, location quotients and logistic modeling to analyze innovation dynamics across temporal, structural, spatial and institutional dimensions. Our analysis reveals three governance regimes reflecting different industrial legacies and identifies a significant mismatch between resources and innovation: resource-rich cities generate a low number of patents relative to their resources. A high invalidation rate suggests maintenance deficits in publicly funded innovation. These patterns imply that governance arrangements may contribute to the structural weaknesses observed in regional innovation systems. We propose a differentiated strategic framework adapted to the industrial legacy of each province, suggesting that old industrial bases require reforms addressing both resource endowment and institutional capacity. Our findings have implications for regional innovation governance in resource-dependent economies undergoing energy transition.