Sustainability at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam
Global warming is happening and humans are involved. Scientists agree on this. Even if we don't know exactly what impact climate change will have, the consequences are likely to be profound and may irreversibly change our lives on planet Earth.
However, if human behaviour makes a difference to how quickly the climate changes, it depends on all of us. Small and large steps towards a more sustainable life can help to avoid emissions and conserve resources. A university can also help to protect the world of tomorrow by making smart decisions. The University of Applied Sciences Potsdam is involved in a variety of initiatives and projects to promote future-oriented, sustainable and environmentally conscious change.
The spectrum ranges from research content, campus projects, student initiatives, impulse-giving scientists to workshops and is continuously expanding.
Energy resilience at the FHP
LED conversion of the main building – Savings <50% energy consumption
The measure as part of strengthening the energy resilience of the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam concerns the renewal of large parts of the lighting system in the main building. The building was completed in 2009. The entire lighting system was equipped with the standard lamps of the time, such as T5, T8, TC-L and TC-T lamps. By converting to LED luminaires, energy consumption in this building alone can be reduced by at least 55% while retaining the same number of luminaires.
LED conversion H4/H5 – Savings <50% savings
This measure as part of strengthening the energy resilience of the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam concerns the renewal of the lighting system in Houses 4 and 5. The buildings were completed in 1994 (House 5 was partially renovated in 2016 but without a lighting system). The entire lighting system was equipped with the standard lamps of the time, such as T8 and KLS. By converting to LED lights, the energy consumption in these buildings can be reduced by over 55% while maintaining the number of lights.
Photovoltaic system H3/HG – in advance. 1% of the total electricity consumption of the FH as yield
As part of increasing the energy resilience of the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, we are realising the installation of PV systems on the pitched rafter roof of House 3 and the flat roof of the main building. The local, decentralised generation of renewable energy for our own use, in this case via photovoltaics, helps to reduce the need to use or consume fossil fuels and thus creates long-term security of supply. By producing its own energy, the university's operating costs are sustainably reduced and stabilised.
Sustainable initiatives and projects
Initiatives and commitments
Call for self-commitment of scientists
Motivated by the students' commitment to "FridaysforFuture", scientists from German universities are organising themselves under the title "Scientists4Future". The idea behind the initiative is a voluntary commitment to forego short-haul business flights (all domestic flights as well as flights to nearby European countries) and to choose alternative means of transport in order to reduce CO2 emissions.
At the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, a total of 61 colleagues have committed to climate-friendly business trips so far.
If you would like to join the initiative and confirm the above waiver, please send an email to: FHP4future@fh-potsdam.de.
STADTRADELN
In STADTRADELN, teams of local politicians, school classes, clubs, universities, companies and citizens pedal for cycling promotion, climate protection and quality of life. The aim is to cycle as many kilometres as possible on 21 consecutive days, both professionally and privately, without producing CO2. Each municipality decides for itself when the three STADTRADELN weeks will take place. The University of Applied Sciences Potsdam team has been taking part since 2018.
The topic of the environment is firmly anchored in the statutes of the general student commitee (AStA) and falls under the department of campus, transport and environment.
On 12 March 2018, the AStA decided to use only recycled paper with ISO 70 whiteness and the blue angel seal from now on. This saves many resources and makes commitment and environmental awareness more visible.
Mobility
The University of Applied Sciences Potsdam campus is a car-free campus. We support our university members with various mobility offers.
nextbike = Campusbike
All students at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam receive three free hours daily with the rental bikes from nextbike. The free hours are billed by the minute and can be divided among several rentals per day.
Registration is easy via the app or on the website with the university email address. A confirmation link will be sent to the email address, and activation will take place automatically after verification.
If you are already registered but do not have a university email address, you can update your email address via your existing account and select the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam as your partner university, or inform customer service at +49 30 692050-46.
VBB company ticket
In order to provide employees with an attractive offer in public transport and to contribute to environmental protection, the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam offers a company ticket together with the S-Bahn Berlin GmbH. All employees of the university are eligible to participate. The company ticket can be purchased on a subscription basis and is issued as a "VBB Umweltkarte".
University and campus life
Solar Pavilion
The solar pavilion, built according to plans by the architectural firm Ortner und Ortner, is a platform for meetings, presentations and idea generation. It is not only an interesting venue, but its electricity-generating shell also generates energy that the university can use.
Merchandise
We also pay attention to environmental friendliness in our promotional items and only provide pens and writing pads made of recycled paper.
Campus garden
The idea for a campus garden was born in an InterFlex seminar in the winter semester 2015/2016. The aim of the seminar was to come up with an elaborate concept for a community garden to make the campus livelier, greener and more sustainable. Since then, students have been gardening together with Bornstedt residents and creating a green meeting place where vegetables are grown alongside wild flower meadows.
Open garden meeting: Wednesdays at 17:00 in the garden.
Work assignment: every last Friday of the month
campusgarten@fh-potsdam.de
CampusgartenFHP
campusgarten_FHP
Teaching and research
Climate semester 2020 – Utopias for the present
In the summer semester 2020, all teachers and students at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam were called upon to focus their courses, projects and lectures on "University and Climate Change".
Together, they looked at the challenges of the climate crisis and developed transdisciplinary approaches and viable options for action for the here and now. The results were made visible in a digital exhibition at klimaschau.fh-potsdam.deas part of the KLIMASCHAU and presented and brought into conversation with each other in an online live event on 17.07.2020.
Research focus sustainable design at the design department
Sustainable design investigates the question of what role interface and interaction design can play in the development of sustainable products and services. This is not only about the design of more energy-efficient products, but also about education and the question of whether a change in the behaviour of users can be generated by design means. The Eco-Challenge iPhone app developed as part of the EcoViz project was awarded the Clean Tech Media Award in 2011.
MaaS L.A.B.S.
User-centred Mobility-as-a-Service platform: Living, automated, demand- & sharing-oriented. Shaping the transport revolution through flexible and demand-oriented public transport.
CMI.BA: Centre for Metropolitan Innovation in Bratislava
Model project of an ecologically and socially sustainable building modernisation of the Nová Cvernovka Foundation in Bratislava, Slovakia. The task of the research project is to develop a concept for an architecturally, socio-ecologically and energy-technically sustainable conversion of a former residential home in Bratislava into a socio-cultural centre.
Climate film
A short history of CO2 emissions
Together with the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), the Urban Complexity Lab (UCLAB) of the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam developed an animated short film in 2017 that visualises past and future CO2 emissions.