For more sustainability on Campus The newly established "Green Office" at TU Braunschweig

Making the university more sustainable is the aim of the new “Green Office” at Technische Universität Braunschweig. Four student employees want to promote holistic sustainability with projects, workshops and events and thus raise awareness on Campus for the responsible use of finite resources. Ecological, economic and social aspects will be taken into account.

The idea of setting up a “Green Office” at TU Braunschweig came from the AStA’s Department for Ecology and Sustainability. “Professor Wolfgang Durner, TU Braunschweig’s sustainability officer, supported us in setting up the office and provided funding for our positions,” explains Anne Scheler, one of four student assistants working in the “Green Office”. There are already role models at other universities. The team is in regular contact with them. In spring, a networking event was held online with representatives from various universities that have similar facilities.

“I am delighted that our four student employees in the ‘Green Office’ want to promote and anchor the topic of sustainability at our university. I hope that many other members of the university will also get involved on a voluntary basis and help shape the ecological future of TU Braunschweig,” says Professor Wolfgang Durner. He sees the “Green Office” as an important building block in TU’s sustainability strategy. On the one hand, it bundles and coordinates student activities, on the other hand it is a contact and communication point that is characterised by continuity and visibility both internally and externally.

(from left) May Magri, Anne Scheler and Étienne Neumann from the “Green Office” in the Botanical Garden. Photo credit: Markus Hörster/TU Braunschweig

Both staff and students at TU Braunschweig are invited to submit their project ideas. In addition to the usual household tips, such as switching off lights and computers after work or using green electricity, the team also sees potential in teaching and research: “Laboratories always produce a lot of waste due to the materials used – something can be done here. And we could support theses that deal with sustainable topics,” says Étienne Neumann from the “Green Office”, which is also working to integrate sustainability into the curriculum. The aim is to raise awareness of the topic.

Workshops and events

The Green Office team is already planning several events. The first will be a DIY bee hotel competition at the end of June. Later in the summer, a digital-analogue “Makerthon” will take place at the Haus der Braunschweigischen Stiftungen, where ideas will be developed and implemented over several days – both in cooperation with the open high-tech workshop “Protohaus” in Braunschweig’s Rebenpark.

For the first time, a “Klimathon” will take place in Braunschweig in October. Participants will be asked the question: How can we make the city more sustainable by 2030? The exact dates for the “Makerthon” and “Klimathon” will be announced soon on the “Green Office” website.

With activities like this, the “Green Office” wants to reach as many students as possible – and also student initiatives. A design-thinking workshop will help them develop ways of working more sustainably.

The United Nations “Sustainable Development Goals“

In 2015, the United Nations formulated 17 goals for the sustainable development of all countries in the world by 2030, such as “no poverty”, “clean water”, “peace and justice” and “combating climate change”. The Green Office would like to anchor these “Sustainable Development Goals” (SDG) at TU Braunschweig.

Lecturers are needed who would like to dedicate themselves to one of these goals. The aim is to create an SDG network at TU in order to publicise these goals and establish them in teaching and studies. “This global principle of solidarity is a model project for the necessary cooperation in the fight against climate change and for economic and social justice,” says Anne Scheler. Regular networking meetings are planned, for example.

The “Green Office” team

Anne Scheler. Photo credit: Markus Hörster/TU Braunschweig

Anne Scheler discovered her interest in ecological topics while studying Biology. She is currently studying for a Master’s degree in Environmental Sciences. “To support sustainable development at our university, I didn’t just want to talk about it, I wanted to take action.” She is particularly interested in the interplay between environmental issues and social aspects.

May Magri. Photo credit: Markus Hörster/TU Braunschweig

Born in Tunisia, May Magri came to TU Braunschweig to study Industrial and Mechanical Engineering. She became interested in sustainability during a language course. “All students can do something good for the environment: use search engines on the Internet that are committed to sustainability, delete unnecessary emails to save storage space and energy, or buy a second-hand laptop.”

Étienne Neumann. Photo credit: Markus Hörster/TU Braunschweig

Étienne Neumann studies Environmental Engineering and is in charge of the Green Office’s website and social media activities. “I have been interested in what is happening to our planet since I was a child. Using its resources responsibly is very important to me. That’s why I’m also involved in ‘Students for Future Braunschweig’.

Timon Justi is studying for a Master’s degree in Sustainable Energy Engineering. “With my work in the Green Office, I would like to support TU Braunschweig in its sustainability transformation and contribute my ideas and enthusiasm for this topic.” He gained experience in sustainable project management as a team leader at the Enactus Braunschweig e. V. study initiative.

For questions and ideas about sustainability at TU Braunschweig, the “Green Office” can be contacted by email and on Instagram.