The university as an institution
The university as an institution
The university has to take care of many things.
For example:
buildings, staff, students.
This involves many administrative tasks.
All decisions are important for climate action.
energy
We need energy for many things at university.
For example:
- Electricity for lamps and computers
- Gas for heating and hot water
We want to consume less energy.
That's better for the climate.
That's why we check every year:
How can we consume even less energy?
How can we renovate buildings so
that they retain heat better in winter?
We measure exactly how much energy is consumed and where.
Then we can make appropriate plans to save energy.
We will receive funding for this
from the Federal Ministry of Economics until 2026.
Electricity from solar energy
The university has a particularly large number of solar panels.
The system generates electricity from the sun.
This is better for the climate.
That is why the university has made the solar panels bigger and bigger.
Since 2023, there have been solar panels
on the outer wall of the Wechloy campus.
The electricity is only for the university.
Electricity from heat
Our Data Centre runs many computers and other devices.
The computers and devices generate heat. Since 2024, we have
also been using this heat for heating.
This means that the university needs less gas for heating.
Travelling in Germany
It is better for the climate to use
less petrol.
Sowe should drive less.
That is why we offer great deals for students and staff:
Bicycle parking spaces
Many people in Oldenburg ride bicycles.
We are happy to support this.
People can park their bicycles safely
at the university.
There are around 4,000 spaces for bicycles.
There are 340 new spaces with roofs on the Haarentor campus.
From 2026, university staff will be able
to save money when buying a bicycle.
They can use a new bicycle
and only pay a small monthly fee.
This is called a company bicycle lease.
Tickets for bus and train
All students receive a Germany ticket.
This allows them to travel on many trains throughout Germany.
All employees can get a JobTicket for buses and trains.
This means they pay less for a monthly ticket
in the Bremen/Lower Saxony transport association.
This is abbreviated to VBN. You can
choose the ticket that suits your route.
Currently, there is no offer
for employees to travel throughout Germany.
Money for parking at the university
The aim is to reduce the number of people coming to university by car.
It is easier, faster and cheaper for them.
But it is bad for the climate.
That is why this idea has been proposed:
parking at the university will soon cost money.
Perhaps fewer people will come by car.
However, this idea has not yet been finalised.
Travelling abroad
Many researchers from different countries work together.
That is why some researchers often travel abroad.
These trips are called business trips.
And students can study in other countries for a short period of time.
We pay attention
to how researchers and students can travel in a way that
is as good as possible for the climate.
For example,
perhaps they can travel by train
instead of by plane?
Or perhaps they can meet online?
We adhere to the rules for business trips
in the Lower Saxony Travel Expenses Regulation. Since
2025, we have also had additional rules:
- We do not fly within Germany.
- We only fly if it would otherwise take us more than
8 hours to reach our destination. The university pays an extra fee for every business trip by plane.
This fee is called a CO2 surcharge.We collect the money
from the CO2 surcharge in a climate action fund.
We spend the money onclimate action and sustainability at the university.
There are various projects for students:
Students can receive funding through the Green
Erasmus programme.
The programme pays travel costs for students studying abroad.
It takes the climate into account.
For example:
an aeroplane may be faster than the train.
But travelling by train is better for the climate.
Travelling by train may be more expensive than flying.
In that case, the programme pays
for the train because it is better for the climate.
Researchers can sign a list stating that
they will no longer travel
short distances by plane.
They will take the train instead.
For example: from Oldenburg to Munich.
This shows that they are travelling in a way
that is as good as possible for the climate.
Researchers from different universities are working together on a project.
How can we fly less
and still work well together?
The project is called: flying less.
And it is pronounced: flei-ing less.
More plants and animals
on our premises
The university has various projects and areas
dedicated to protecting plants and animals.
For example:
- a garden where students can garden
- meadows with flowers
- birdhouses for breeding
- Boxes for insects
In 2024, the university planted a small forest with around 450 trees.
There are 23 different tree species.
Some birds live on the university grounds and hatch their eggs there.
The university wants to record the following every year:
- How many birds hatch their eggs on the university grounds?
- How many different species live on the university grounds?
Shop well and produce less waste
When you manufacture things,
you need materials and energy.
When purchasing,
we pay attention to the following:
- Have the manufacturers paid attention to sustainability?
- Do manufacturers offer good working conditions?
Others confirm that we adhere to these principles. That is
why we are a Fairtrade University.
And we care about
what we can do better when it comes to waste:
- How can we produce less waste at the university?
How can we dispose of waste in a way
that is not harmful to the environment?
We have a book box in front of the canteen on the Haarentor campus.
There, you can drop off books you no longer need.
And you can take books that others have dropped off.
You don't have to pay anything for the books.
We have a furniture exchange.
The furniture exchange has old furniture from the university.
Maybe you need the furniture somewhere else on campus. You
can view the furniture from the furniture exchange on Stud.IP. (LINK)
However, you cannot get furniture
for your own flat from the furniture exchange.