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Sustainability at TU Dortmund University
Studenten im Sommer auf dem Campus Nord, rote Zahnräder im Hintergrund © Roland Baege​/​TU Dortmund
Sustainability at TU Dortmund University

FAQ - Frequently asked questions

If you cannot find your question or a similar one in this collection, please contact us by e-mail.

Strategic

TU Dortmund University's Sustainability Office, founded in June 2021, supports the Sustainability Working Group (AKN) in the implementation of transparent sustainability communication and in the initiation and implementation of sustainable projects. Located in the Organizational Development department of the Corporate Center University Development and Organization, the Sustainability Office is responsible for operational tasks and is the central point of contact for all members of TU Dortmund University. It strengthens and supports sustainability projects and initiatives at TU Dortmund University. Students, academic and non-academic staff are welcome to visit the Sustainability Office to find out more about the topic or to participate in projects. The Sustainability Office is active in all fields of action at TU Dortmund University: in teaching, in research, on campus and at organizational level as well as in university policy.

TU Dortmund University understands sustainability as an integrative concept that ensures the long-term viability of the global ecological, economic and social system. In this sense, sustainability means ensuring the quality of life of the present generation without restricting or burdening future generations in shaping their lives. Protecting the environment and acting in a socially and economically responsible manner are important foundations for this. TU Dortmund University has adopted a sustainability strategy that collects current fields of action and identifies areas of action for the future. The strategy is continuously developed and updated. Further information on the understanding of sustainability and the individual areas can be found here.

Commitment to sustainability is an investment in a future worth living. As a university, TU Dortmund University is a role model for ecologically, socially and economically responsible action. Socially, it contributes to sustainability and the conservation of resources, particularly through the advancement of scientific knowledge, the teaching of future-oriented skills and the transfer of knowledge. A more sustainable university brings with it a multitude of benefits, both for the university itself and for society.

For TU Dortmund University:

  • Increased attractiveness: universities that are committed to sustainability become more attractive to students and staff. This can lead to a higher number of applicants and better staff retention.

  • Improved reputation: A sustainable university enjoys a positive image and can present itself as future-oriented and responsible.

  • Cost savings: More efficient use of resources, for example through energy savings or a reduction in waste, can reduce costs in the long term.

  • Innovation potential: Sustainability can act as a driver of innovation and give rise to new fields of research, courses of study and spin-offs.

  • Strengthening the region: A sustainable university can contribute to the positive development of the region through its activities and commitment, for example by supporting regional companies or promoting knowledge transfer.

Benefits for society:

  • Education for sustainable development: by integrating sustainability into teaching, students are trained to become future-oriented actors who can use their knowledge and skills in their professional and private lives.

  • Role model function: A sustainable university can serve as a role model for other institutions and companies and contribute to the spread of sustainable practices.

  • Environmental protection: A sustainable university reduces its ecological footprint and thus contributes to protecting the environment and tackling climate change.

  • Social responsibility: A sustainable university promotes social justice and contributes to creating a society worth living in.

TU Dortmund University's goal is to ensure that sustainability is taken into account in all areas as a matter of course and understood as a joint task for all members and status groups at TU Dortmund University. Climate protection and sustainability are linked to an individual awareness of the environment and one's own actions. Even small projects make a difference and contribute to the major transformation process towards a more sustainable university. That is why the Sustainability Office (NHB) invites all members of TU Dortmund University to participate in the transformation process towards a sustainable TU Dortmund University. Find out about current projects on the Sustainability Office website or contact the Sustainability Office with your own ideas and suggestions(nachhaltigkeit@tu-dortmund.de). Committed TU members are welcome to take part in the meetings of the Sustainability Working Group, to keep up to date via the regular newsletter or to network directly via the Discord server(Nachhaltigkeit@TU, invitation link via NHB by e-mail).

TU Dortmund University is committed to climate protection in a variety of ways, including research and teaching on sustainable topics as well as concrete measures to reduce its own greenhouse gas footprint. TU Dortmund University has set up a climate protection management team to organize a coordinated process and create an integrated climate protection concept. The position for climate protection management is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection as part of the National Climate Protection Initiative. The climate protection concept defines a large number of measures aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and shaping the transformation to a sustainable, climate-friendly society. Many of the measures are cross-sectoral and relate to areas such as energy, mobility, buildings and waste management. As a first step, the university has drawn up a greenhouse gas balance sheet as a basis.

The state administration of North Rhine-Westphalia has set itself the goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2030, and the state's public universities are also invited to join in. Together with all universities in NRW, TU Dortmund University has voluntarily committed to reporting its emissions as part of the"Climate-neutral state administration" project and is also actively involved in the development of a uniform reporting standard for all universities.

Energy consumption

Dortmund University of Technology is a major energy consumer. TU Dortmund University's energy portal provides information on measures taken by the university to reduce energy demand and promote the generation or use of green energy on campus. All TU members can actively contribute to reducing energy consumption with conscious decisions and simple measures. Energy-saving tips for everyday working life are available from TU Dortmund University's Sustainability Office and on the TU Energy Portal.

TU Dortmund University is pursuing the goal of producing more electricity itself from renewable energy sources. There are now five photovoltaic systems on campus that generate around 170 MWh of electricity per year. This would be enough to supply around 40 single-family homes. This already saves 65 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year (measured against the German electricity mix). The area for photovoltaic systems is to be expanded further. A photovoltaic system with an output of around 1.65 MWp is planned for 2026, which could cover around 5% of the university's own electricity requirements. If more electricity is temporarily generated than consumed, a battery storage system can absorb excess energy. The site will be a 14,000m2 area on Emil-Figge-Straße next to the HVDC test center.

PV systems are planned for all new buildings by the Bau- und Liegenschaftsbetrieb NRW (BLB NRW). As part of refurbishments, it is checked whether PV systems can be retrofitted. For example, the new sports extension building is equipped with a PV system. A PV system is also planned for the new university library building. As an Efficiency Building 40, it will be heated by a heat pump that uses geothermal energy as a heat source and is powered by electricity from photovoltaics. The situation is more challenging for existing buildings. TU Dortmund University is generally only a tenant of the buildings, many of which date back to the time the university was founded in the 1960s and some of which have a renovation backlog. The buildings are generally owned by BLB NRW. PV retrofitting was also not possible until 2024 because the building warranty prevented structural changes. Due to changes in the BLB's framework conditions, this can now be circumvented by adding an annex to the existing lease agreement. However, the roof areas would have to be retrofitted with PV systems using TU Dortmund University's own funds. In addition, it must be individually checked whether the statics and structural condition of the roof surfaces or potentially existing roof structures allow the installation of a PV system. In individual cases, a PV system has already been retrofitted using the university's own funds (e.g. on the roof of the experimental hall of the Institute of Machining Technology on South Campus). The installation of ground-mounted PV systems is therefore more efficient for TU Dortmund University than retrofitting on the relatively small roof areas of the existing buildings.

(as of 14.08.2025)

TU Dortmund University is pursuing the goal of producing more electricity itself from renewable energy sources. The area for photovoltaic systems is to be further expanded. PV systems are planned for all new buildings. Retrofitting on the roofs of existing buildings is not ideal for various reasons. The buildings are not owned by TU Dortmund University, but by Bau- und Liegenschaftsbetrieb NRW (BLB NRW). The surfaces must meet the structural requirements, the building warranty must be observed and, above all, the PV systems would have to be financed by TU Dortmund University from its own funds. The construction of ground-mounted PV systems is therefore more efficient for TU Dortmund University than retrofitting on the roofs of existing buildings. A photovoltaic system with an output of around 1.65 MWp is planned for 2026, which could cover around 5% of the university's own electricity requirements. The site will be a 14,000m2 area on Emil-Figge-Straße next to the HVDC test center. An additional roof over the parking areas with PV systems is not initially an option, as these are largely shaded by established trees. The question of whether trees should be felled for photovoltaic systems is complex. Both the protection of trees and the expansion of renewable energies are important aspects. In principle, the felling of healthy trees cannot be justified without further ado, especially if alternative solutions to the installation of the solar system are possible and alternative areas are available. TU Dortmund University also wants to work towards counteracting temperature stress in design and construction measures on campus, e.g. by consistently increasing the number of deciduous trees in front of service buildings to shade and shade glass surfaces on buildings.

(as of 16.10.2025)

Mobility

Current situation:

There are currently no charging points available on the TU Dortmund University campus in the state-owned areas. There are 13 non-public charging points available for the TU vehicle fleet. More are planned with the conversion of the company car fleet to e-mobility. In addition, some charging points are operated as part of research activities. TU members and guests can only use publicly accessible charging points near the campus:

North Campus:

  • Vogelpothsweg 74/in front of the sustainability office (eon, 2 charging points, type 2)

  • Baroper Kirchweg 36/at Frischemarkt Barop (DEW21, 4 charging points, CCS and type 2)

Campus South:

  • Corner of Stockumer Str./Baroper Str./at the H-Bahn stop "Eichlinghofen H-Bahn" (Comfortcharge, 2 charging points, CCS and type 2)

Planned measures:

100 AC charging points with load management to be set up for the TU Dortmund University campus were applied for via the BLB NRW AOLIS program, of which 80 charging points will be set up on the North Campus and 20 charging points on the South Campus. In addition, 16 DC/HPC charging points will be set up in the parking lot behind EF 50 at Vogelpothsweg 74 via the "Deutschlandnetz" funding program. The corresponding parking spaces will be available exclusively for vehicles with electric drives (including hybrids) for the charging period once the charging points have been installed. Unfortunately, there is currently no reliable information on the commissioning of the charging stations. According to estimates by the Corporate Center Construction and Facility Management, completion is expected in mid-2027. All charging stations will not be operated by TU Dortmund University, but by external service providers as public charging stations, which will also be used for charging roaming. Accordingly, TU Dortmund University will not develop or offer its own charging app and no app developments are planned at state level as part of the tender. The tendering process in the AOLIS program has not yet been completed and the provider has not yet been determined.

(as of 08.08.2025)

There is an overview of the (secure) bicycle parking spaces on the website for bicycle mobility on campus. It also explains how the various status groups gain access to the parking spaces. Together with the Sustainability Office, the Corporate Center Construction and Facility Management has identified the need for additional (covered) bicycle parking spaces. New facilities are not currently being planned due to the financial situation. However, parking spaces must be provided in new buildings (ETIT and Chemistry). CALEDO has a bicycle cellar that can be used by users of the building and the Department of Computer Science.

Until now, bicycle leasing was not legally possible in the TV-L. With the collective bargaining in December 2023, the legal framework changed and the introduction of bicycle leasing has become possible. At the beginning of October 2024, the NRW state parliament passed the "Act on the adjustment of service and pension remuneration in 2024 and 2025 and on the amendment of other service law regulations in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia", which provides as follows: "(3) The beneficiaries under paragraph 1 may not waive their statutory salary in whole or in part. Excluded from this are capital-forming benefits and benefits as part of deferred compensation for company bicycles leased by the employer, which are also provided to the beneficiaries for private use if they are bicycles as defined by traffic law. A deferred compensation according to sentence 2 also requires that it is for a measure that is offered to the beneficiaries by the employer and that they are free to decide whether to accept the offer." This means that the legal requirement now exists to be able to offer bicycle leasing at TU Dortmund University. As soon as bicycle leasing is possible at TU Dortmund University, the Sustainability Office, together with the other TU institutions involved, the Corporate Center Human Resources and the Corporate Center Finance and Procurement, will inform TU-wide in a timely manner here and by circular email. The further procedure is currently being coordinated within the state government. A Europe-wide call for tenders has been initiated and the subsequent organizational implementation is expected to take 15 to 18 months. It is therefore currently expected that state employees will be able to access such a service from January 2027.

The staff councils and sustainability offices at TU Dortmund University and Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts have joined forces to create benefits for employees when purchasing bicycles. The discount offer is aimed at all employees who want to support sustainable (commuting) mobility in their everyday lives. Unfortunately, students cannot take advantage of the offer. The negotiated special conditions for the purchase of bicycles and accessories serve as a bridge until the bicycle leasing (JobRad) is implemented for employees of the universities in NRW. Ideally, both offers (bicycle discounts and JobRad) will be available in parallel in the future.

(as of 13.08.2025)

A VRR fare reform came into force on 01.03.2025. As a result, the subscription products "Ticket1000", "BärenTicket" and "YoungTicketPlus" have been discontinued. Under the name "Jobticket", these subscription products were previously offered to TU Dortmund University employees with a wholesale discount. As the conditions of the Jobticket and the Deutschlandticket are identical, TU Dortmund University will discontinue the Jobticket offer as of 31.08.2025. The state of NRW does not grant a subsidy on the Deutschlandticket and therefore does NOT provide it as a job ticket. A reduction in the cost of the Deutschlandticket is therefore unfortunately not possible.

The TU Dortmund University campus is largely a car-free pedestrian and cyclist zone. There are 11 metropolradruhr stations on and in the immediate vicinity of the campus. Students can use Nextbike free of charge throughout the Ruhr region. Free use is limited to one hour per rental, but there is an unlimited number of rentals per day. Stations on campus are located directly at the AStA (EF50), at HG2, at SRG, at OH14, at the H-Bahn stop Technologiezentrum and at the S-Bahn station Universität. Students must ensure that they do not order a customer card (Nextbike - AStA). This offer does not apply to TU Dortmund University employees.

There are currently no cargo bikes at TU Dortmund University that can be borrowed centrally for official or private purposes. Student councils, working groups and autonomous departments can borrow a cargo bike from the AStA (General Student Committee). It is not possible to lend the AStA cargo bike to private individuals.

Batteries may not be charged at the workplace. E-bikes may be taken into the buildings and parked in the designated areas. However, it is necessary that the batteries are transported and stored in a fireproof battery bag (e.g. Lipo Safe Bag) and that there are no flammable materials in the immediate vicinity of where the battery bag is parked.

There are currently no charging points for e-bikes on the TU Dortmund University campus because the university is not allowed to operate them itself for legal reasons. The university is not allowed to supply electricity to people. It does not matter whether they are members of TU Dortmund University. It is also not possible to sell them for a fee. There are legal and organizational solutions such as using third-party providers, but these are very complex and cost-intensive to implement. In addition, e-bike stations are very expensive to purchase; they have to be maintained and insured. There is also a high risk of vandalism.

One of the largest sectors of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG emissions) at TU Dortmund University is the daily commute. Only 6% of students and 10% of employees travel to TU Dortmund University by bike or on foot without emitting GHGs. It is therefore logical to strengthen bicycle mobility through measures to reduce GHG emissions. However, the survey also revealed that TU members cover an average distance of 19 km on their commutes. With an average battery range of 40 to 120 km, the commute can be easily covered without charging the bike at work. It is doubtful whether the creation of charging points for e-bikes will actually encourage people to use their bikes to get to work.

After weighing up all the added value and costs and in view of other measures to strengthen bicycle mobility, which are considered to be more efficient, the creation of charging points for e-bikes is not prioritized by the Sustainability Office and the Corporate Center Construction and Facility Management.

(as at 15.08.2025)

Biodiversity

The Corporate Center Construction and Facility Management aims to avoid any avoidable tree felling and plans around the trees as best as possible - simply to avoid time-consuming inspections by the City of Dortmund's Environmental Agency and the associated delays. An application must be submitted to the city's Environmental Agency for any tree felling above a certain trunk diameter. They check whether a tree can be felled or not and do not always approve the felling. Sometimes, however, there are no sensible solutions, so a tree has to be felled. For every tree felled on campus, a replacement planting must be carried out to compensate for the tree, which means that two, three or more trees may have to be replanted if a larger tree is felled. The aim is for planting to take place in the same place wherever possible. If this is not possible, areas are currently being used for compensatory planting at HGÜ in Emil-Figge-Straße and between ZHB, FH Dortmund and Baroper Straße.

(as of 08.08.2025)

TU Dortmund University wants to work towards counteracting temperature stress in design and construction measures on campus, e.g. by consistently increasing the number of deciduous trees in front of buildings to shade or shade glass surfaces on buildings. For new buildings and building renovations, sustainable solutions are considered by the Corporate Center Construction and Facility Management and are included in the planning guidelines. For example, the roof of the new UB building designed as Efficiency Building 40 will be greened and rainwater will be collected. However, whether green roofs and facades are included in the considerations depends on the individual case. Retrofitting on the roof and facade areas of existing buildings outside of planned refurbishment measures is not ideal for various reasons. The buildings are not owned by TU Dortmund University, but by Bau- und Liegenschaftsbetrieb NRW (BLB NRW). The structural adaptations must meet the structural requirements, the warranty must be taken into account (which plays a role in particular with regard to the refurbishments) and, above all, the measures would have to be financed by TU Dortmund University from its own funds for a rented building. The so-called "green lecture hall" at Martin-Schmeißer-Platz was set up for lectures in the outdoor area.

(as of 14.08.2025)