Energy saving and climate protection concept
Ulm University endorses and supports the efforts of the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality on the balance sheet of the state administration by 2030. This goal is also part of the University's structure and development plan.
In December 2022, the University adopted a Qualified Energy Saving and Climate Protection Concept. This will be replaced by a sustainability strategy later in 2023, the contents of which will go beyond the area of climate protection.
In some areas, the University or its members can influence greenhouse gas emissions themselves. These include emissions from electricity/cooling/heating consumption, water consumption, business travel and procurement. Other areas require indirect measures. These include the mobility behaviour of employees and students, or the renovation of state-owned buildings to improve energy standards. The University puts its focus on areas that offer the highest potential for greenhouse gas savings.
+++NEWS+++
From now on there is a drinking water dispenser for employees and students in N25 opposite the Campuccino.
Use it and save plastic bottles!
You can download the concept here (in German only): Qualified Energy Saving and Climate Protection Concept of Ulm University (pdf, 632 KB)
How does Ulm University intend to achieve climate neutrality? The University has identified 19 goals and fields of action and backed them up with concrete implementation measures:
Governance:
1. Ulm University sees the topics of climate protection and sustainability as important goals of action.
2. Ulm University supports the establishment of a Sustainability Office/Green Office to focus sustainability initiatives on campus.
3. Ulm University continuously informs about its sustainability activities and the status of greenhouse gas reduction on its homepage.
4. Ulm University is a member of the German Association for Sustainability at Higher Education Institutions (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltigkeit an Hochschulen e.V., short: DG HochN) and committed to exchange and networking.
Climate protection:
5. Ulm University implements a regular balancing of greenhouse gas emissions.
6. Ulm University identifies measures that reduce greenhouse gases from the facilities sector (electricity, heating, cooling).
7. Ulm University implements active space management aimed at reducing greenhouse gases.
8. Ulm University will have converted its entire vehicle fleet to electric mobility by 2026.
9. Ulm University compensates for business-related air travel.
10. Ulm University raises awareness of the issue of greenhouse gas emissions from business travel.
11. Ulm University pursues the goal of greenhouse gas neutrality on the balance sheet by 2030.
Sustainability:
12. Ulm University develops a sustainability strategy in the form of a university-wide participatory process.
13. Ulm University embeds education about sustainable development in its academic teaching and in its continuing education offers for working professionals.
14. Ulm University regularly documents the mobility behaviour of its staff and students.
15. Ulm University identifies measures to reduce emissions from staff and student mobility and collaborates with partners to do so, if necessary.
16. Ulm University works with the Studierendenwerk (student services) to further reduce the carbon footprint of Mensa and cafeterias.
17. Ulm University enters into a dialogue with the state assets and construction office Vermögen und Bau Baden-Württemberg to increase the biodiversity on campus.
18. Ulm University stipulates internal regulations for sustainable procurement.
19. Ulm University takes progressive measures to avoid waste and implement the hierarchy of measures of the Circular Economy Act (Kreislaufwirtschaftsgesetz, short: KrWG)
Energy manager monitors consumption
Ulm University started thinking about an efficient and climate-friendly supply of energy long before the current energy crisis. An energy manager has been monitoring consumption for years and is always looking for ways to save on consumption. Learn more about the challenges in this endeavour in an article from the u-topics issue of November 2022 (in German only).