Campus Operations and Resource Management

The impacts of climate change are becoming increasingly evident in Europe. As hubs of innovation for future technologies, universities bear a special societal responsibility: they actively shape the transformation toward a sustainable society.

Our university also embraces this approach internally. In September 2022, TUM was the first university in Bavaria to establish a climate protection management, reviewing TUM's activities and infrastructure to reduce the universities' greenhouse gas emissions.

Our Climate protection management team is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action through the National Climate Protection Initiative.

Climate Action Plan of TUM

In addition to the TUM Sustainable Futures Strategy and the TUM Sustainability Futures Report 2024, the TUM Climate Action Plan represents another milestone toward becoming a more sustainable and climate-friendly university.

TUM Climate Action Plan

(only available in German)

The concept, which was developed in a participatory process involving all stakeholders, includes our current climate protection activities and a detailed energy and greenhouse gas balance for all TUM locations. On this basis, we want to exploit the existing potential and fundamentally redesign our research, teaching, and campus management processes.

Project Title: KSI: Development of a Climate Protection Concept and Establishment of a Climate Protection Management Position for the Technical University of Munich

Duration: 01.09.2022 - 31.08.2024, Funding Number: 67K18873, Project Sponsor: Zukunft – Umwelt – Gesellschaft (ZUG)

National Climate Protection Initiative: Since 2008, the Federal Ministry for the Environment has initiated and funded numerous projects through the National Climate Protection Initiative to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Its programs and projects cover a wide range of climate protection activities: from developing long-term strategies to providing practical support and investment funding measures. This diversity is a guarantee for good ideas. The National Climate Protection Initiative helps to anchor climate protection locally. It benefits consumers as well as businesses, municipalities, and educational institutions.

Information according to § 30 UVgO:

Client: Technical University of Munich, Arcisstraße 21, 80333 Munich
Contractor: FutureCamp Climate GmbH
Procurement Method: Negotiated award without competitive tendering
Service: Support services in the development of an integrated climate protection concept for the Technical University of Munich
Period: 09.01.2023 – estimated 31.08.2024

Funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action based on a decision by the German Bundestag

Greenhouse gas emissions and TUM's reduction target

As a technical university, we have a great responsibility to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, especially regarding energy consumption. Therefore, we have set a goal to reduce our Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 80% compared to 2021 by 2030.

For greenhouse gas accounting, we apply the accounting guidelines of the Bavarian University & Sustainability Network, which aim to monitor greenhouse gas emissions over the long term in the following categories:

All direct emissions (Scope 1 emissions according to the GHG Protocol)
All indirect energy-related emissions (Scope 2 emissions according to the GHG Protocol)
Procured goods and services, purchased capital goods, upstream emissions (energy), waste, and mobility (relevant Scope 3 emissions according to the GHG Protocol)

Current focus in climate action

With Campus Operations, the Sustainable Campus Development Taskforce, and the university community, we have identified short-, medium-, and long-term measures outlined in our climate protection concept.

Energy

We rely on renewable energy and efficient consumption in university operations to reduce our emissions. A transparent energy balance makes our progress measurable.

Mobility

In the PRIMA project, science and administration are jointly developing sustainable solutions for the operational mobility of our university community. A Travel Policy will promote and anchor sustainable mobility decisions in the future.

Resources

We support our researchers and administration in making processes more resource-efficient and sustainable. For example, we are currently testing certification programs in laboratories for more sustainable lab operations.

Networks

BayZeN

In the network of Zentrum Hochschulen und Nachhaltigkeit Bayern (BayZeN), the climate protection managers of TUM have established aworking group on climate protection management (AG Klimaschutzmanagement). Under our leadership, the climate protection managers of the member universities engage in goal-oriented exchanges and discuss issues that concern all Bavarian universities in developing their climate protection concepts.

EuroTech

Within the EuroTech University Alliance, we maintain a professional exchange with our partner universities in the “Sustainable Campus Development” working group. We work on common challenges during annual site visits and regular online meetings and share solutions and best-practice examples.

ISCN

In the International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN), we are part of the communities of practice “Campus as a Living Lab” and “Scope 3 Emissions”. Best practices, experiences, and solutions are discussed regularly.

Our Climate Action Team

Responsibility for climate protection management lies with the Sustainability Office. The core task of the two climate protection managers is to develop and implement the TUM climate protection concept.