Bauhaus-Universität Weimar Plans In-Person Teaching in the Winter Semester – Energy-Saving Graduated Plan in the Event Gas Shortage

In light of this, the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar Presidium adopted a »Stufenplan Energie« (graduated energy plan) on 17 August 2022. The plan is in effect immediately. The graduated plan aims to guarantee the best possible conditions for research, art, teaching and administration at the university. This means that studying and working at the university should still be possible without any restrictions in the 2022/2023 winter semester. At the same time, the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar hopes to reduce is energy consumption. The graduated plan provides the foundation for this.

Energy Task Force Established

The Presidium has also established the »Energy Task Force«, which is responsible for addressing immediate challenges posed by energy saving regulations and reacting to any new developments in a flexible and efficient manner. The Task Force is made up of the university Environmental Officer, the director of Service Centre for Security Management, an employee from the Facility Services Department of the Service Centre for Facility Management, as well as a representative from the Service Centre for Computer Systems and Communication (SCC). The Task Force will be expanded to include representatives from each of the faculties, in particular from the Building Physics Department, University Communications, University Library, and the Staff Council.

»We have set ourselves the goal of making a collective effort as a university to prevent the Federal Republic of Germany from falling into an energy shortage in the first place. If we manage to reduce our consumption by enough and we rely on alternative energy sources, we can assume that we will get through this winter with less gas. It is crucial that each and every one of us now do our part to help ensure that the university can remain regular operations by reducing our energy use in a sensible way«, explains Chancellor Horst Henrici.

What are the details of the »Stufenplan Energie« (graduated energy plan)?
The plan is made up of three steps that specify how we can reduce our energy consumption based on the energy supply situation:

Level 1
Level 1includes comprehensive measures to significantly reduce energy consumption at the university. The goal in this step is to reduce gas and electricity by 15 to 20 percent from the previous year’s consumption.

In order to achieve this, the university is asking all members to be accountable for their behaviour and to practice sensible heating and ventilation behaviour. The university also asks members to use electricity wisely and as sparingly as possible when using technology and IT.

Concrete tips on how to save energy can be found here:

Indoor Climate Expert Mara Geske from the Building Physics Department Explains How Each of Us Can Reduce Our Energy Use by Taking Simple Steps:
»Each degree that we can lower room temperature by saves gas, therefore lowering energy costs«

Helpful energy saving tips can be found here: 
www.bundesregierung.de/breg-de/themen/klimaschutz/energie-sparen/energiespartipps-im-alltag-2041874www.bund.net/energiewende/energie-sparen/energiespartipps/ 
www.test.de/thema/energiesparen/ 

The University Directorate has also identified additional savings potential in switching off building lights at night, turning off water heating systems (for example in office kitchens that have a dishwasher), and turning off showers at the Sporthalle Falkenburg.

Level 2
Level 2 will come into effect if the gas shortage massively worsens. In this case, gas use will be reduced to a minimum. The focus will be on securing building infrastructure and heating only to the extent that is necessary to protect from frost.

Level 3
Level 3 will only come into effect in the event of a complete gas shortage. In this case, it will become a matter of securing the university buildings and associated infrastructure without a heat supply.

The most important goal according to the Presidium? That in-person teaching takes place.

The Presidium has made it a priority to ensure that in-person teaching can take place in the winter semester, no matter the circumstances. Research and art projects should be able to continue with as few restrictions as possible. A return to working from home should be avoided.

Levels 2 and 3 are for emergency scenarios and will hopefully not be necessary.

Saving energy has long been a priority at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar. Examples of this are geothermal heating, which is used for heating and cooling at the campus at Bauhausstraße and can be adjusted to an appropriate level by a downsteam heat pump. Additionally, the university sources all of its energy exclusively from renewable sources (Ökostrom). As part of an energy-saving process, all Bauhaus-Universität Weimar buildings were analysed for potential gas, electricity and water savings. Proposed measures resulting from the analysis have already been implemented. Solutions are being sought in research, art and teaching at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar (for example in Environmental Engineering) in the hopes of achieving CO2 neutrality and reducing energy consumption.

Additional information on the gas supply situation in Germany can be found here (in German only):
https://www.tagesschau.de/notfallplan-gasversorgung-nordstream-gasembargo-lng-gaspreise-101.html 
https://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/DE/Fachthemen/ElektrizitaetundGas/Versorgungssicherheit/aktuelle_gasversorgung/start.html