“What if every university operated with climate neutrality in mind?” asks a voice in my head. Right here, we stand before the Unit for Sustainability and Energy Management. This unit is at Freie Universität Berlin. It addresses the important tasks of sustainability management.
The Unit for Sustainability and Energy Management is vital. It initiates and coordinates sustainability activities. These activities span research, teaching, and campus operations. The unit manages teams and develops teaching programs. It oversees the EMAS certification process. The unit also creates sustainability reports.
Imagine the campus-wide energy monitoring managed here. Think of the waste management systems coordinated by this unit. It’s impressive. The Unit for Sustainability and Energy Management advises university leadership. It also involves university members in the sustainability process. It coordinates the DAAD-funded University Alliance for Sustainability. The unit participates in regional and international sustainability networks.
One key tool for climate action is idea and innovation management. All students and employees can share ideas and knowledge.
The team at the Unit for Sustainability and Energy Management is diverse. Andreas Wanke directs the unit. Joanna Fatorelli manages the office. Melanie Quilitz handles sustainability management and energy controlling. Katrin Schweigel oversees international sustainability networks. Janet Wagner works on mobility management. Gabriela Leanos manages special waste disposal and water. Karin Heufelder deals with bulky waste and documentation. Moritz Zöllner and Judith Hübner work on occupational health and environmental management. Nora Große focuses on sustainability in teaching. Dietrich von Tengg-Kobligk is involved in the FUBIC project. Rebecca Rongstock manages biodiversity. Sabine Heckmann manages ideas and innovations. Janina Taigel coordinates sustainability in the UNA Europa network. Student assistants Benjamin Brumm, Muriel Kramer, and Lina Machens also contribute.
The Sustainability Office collaborates with other university programs. It coordinates projects for resource conservation. It researches and creates seminars on sustainable development. The office actively participates in the Commission for a Sustainable University. This commission is developing a new climate strategy. The Sustainability Office is in constant dialogue with the university presidium. It promotes an institutional commitment to sustainability.
Founded in 2014, the Sustainability Office is hosted by IRI THESys. They work together on projects and events. The Studium Oecologicum is a key activity. This 10-credit course covers sustainability. THESys members lecture on climate change and human-environment systems.
IRI THESys and the Studium Oecologicum hold joint outreach events. These include THESys Public Lectures and the annual THESys Award. Recordings are available on the Sustainability Office’s podcast, NachHall.
So, as we leave the Unit for Sustainability and Energy Management, consider this. Each idea, each initiative, brings us closer to a sustainable future. It is here at Freie Universität Berlin, where dedication meets action for a greener tomorrow.