On the way to a Sustainable Community

With the 2030 Agenda adopted in 2015, the global community under the umbrella of the United Nations committed to 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development committed itself to sustainable development. In In order to live up to our social responsibility as an internationally oriented place of science, study and work and and a role model on the way to a "Sustainable Community" and to strengthen the awareness of all university members for the topic, the Presidential Board of the TU Ilmenau has established the Task Group Sustainability.

To actively contribute to the achievement of the sustainabilty goals through our daily actions – this is what we understand by a "Sustainable Community": We recognize that the protection of the natural basis of life has top priority and that a socially just society can only develop if our natural basis of life and social peace are secured.

In research and teaching, we are particularly developing our work in the SDGs affordable and clean energy (7), industry, innovation and infrastructure (9), and sustainable consumption and production (12). On campus, we want to produce and consume even more sustainably, and as a university, we want to devote more attention to climate protection (13), biodiversity on campus grounds (15), and water conservation (6). Other sustainability goals such as gender equality (5), health and well-being (3), and quality education (4) have been part of campus life at TU Ilmenau for many years and are addressed and further developed through already established structures.

We live sustainability...

Research and teaching, study and further education take place on the campus of the TU Ilmenau in around 70 buildings. Among other things, these buildings require a supply of energy in the form of electricity, heat, cooling, gases and water.

In order to save energy, the TU Ilmenau has set up an "Energy Concept 2030", which contains concrete measures and will be successively updated.

Actions and activities at the TU Ilmenau

Did you know...

...that the electricity used at the TU Ilmenau, certified by the Free State of Thuringia, is sourced 100 percent from renewable energy sources?t3://page?uid=15939c

...that the Studierendenwerk Thüringen issues reusable containers for check-out in all dining halls and cafeterias and provides one vegan and one vegetarian dish daily?t3://page?uid=15939c

...that there is a free shelf in the foyer of the cafeteria for giving away usable and functional things according to the re-use principle?t3://page?uid=15939c

...that Ilmenau has been a Fairtrade city since 2018 and that there are two organic markets and an unpacked store for sustainable shopping in ilmenau?t3://page?uid=15939c

Sustainability, Energy and Environmental Communication

The aim of the publication series in the university publishing house is to create a forum for research results in the field of sustainability, energy and environmental communication and to make them available to the public in the best possible way ("Open Access"). The series is aimed at scientists conducting research in this field as well as people who need scientific answers to questions in these areas for their professional practice.

More about the book series

Sustainability - How do you get involved?

Whether in teaching, research or on campus - sustainability is lived and practiced by students at TU Ilmenau. They not only deal consciously with resources in everyday life, but also get involved in the university's sustainability task group, drive the expansion of photovoltaic systems or organize Thuringia's first sustainable music festival. We asked five students how they are committed to sustainability.

Participate

Would you like to help shape our university as a "Sustainable Community"? Do you have ideas about what should be changed? Or would you like to tell us how your project, your divison, your structural unit, your association, your initiative or you yourself are already committed to the topic of sustainability?

Then contact the members of the "Sustainable Community" task group in your area with your wishes, ideas or send an e-mail to  nachhaltigkeit@tu-ilmenau.de.

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Shaping sustainability | How can I contribute?

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Contact persons | Task Group

Prof. Jens Müller - Vice President for International Affairs and Transfer

Dr. Tim Urban - Head of Marketing and Communication

Milena Pfafferott - Head of University Library Use | Subject Specialist Engineering Sciences

Prof. Jens Wolling - Head of Empirical Media Research and Political Communication

Deborah Stuhlinger - Research Assistant FG Sustainable Production Management and Logistics | Representative of Student Initiatives

Prof. Stefan Sinzinger - Vice President for Research and Young Scientists

Claudia Haaßengier - Executive Officer Central Institute for Education (ZIB)

Marco Hennhöfer - Chairman of the Staff Council

Dennis Pohlig - Head of Facility Management (Comm.)

(from top left to bottom right)

Do you have questions or suggestions on the topic of sustainability in research or an idea for teaching? Then get in touch with us! nachhaltigkeit@tu-ilmenau.de

Scientific year 2023: "Sustainability

With the Scientific Year 2023: "Sustainability", we are focusing on projects that pursue novel and resource-saving approaches in energy and medical technology, industrial production and information technology - technologies that record and regulate the state of plant and animal life in our ecosystems, especially in our forests, but also research that establishes new methods in our working environment, in climate and energy communication or in the field of digitalization.