News

The global population is increasing steadily, as is the trend towards urbanisation. More and more surfaces are being paved. Green is turning more and more into grey – even in cities. Without plants to cool and clean urban air, heat islands and particle pollution will increase dramatically. Additionally, the increasing heavy rainfalls lead to increased flooding if the water is only able to drain into the sewer system and not into green spaces. In order for our cities to be sustainably liveable, they need more vegetation without sacrificing the usable spaces for which demand is increasing. This is precisely where innovative solutions like the VertiKKA project at the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering come into play.

Sustainability is more than just reducing emissions: It is a commitment to socially responsible behaviour. At the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, sustainability and environmental awareness are more than just theoretical concepts – they are both a driving forces and a guiding principle. But what does it mean to make a university sustainable? Since the summer of 2023, the Sustainability Team, led by Vice President for Social Transformation Dr. Ulrike Kuch, has been working on implementing concrete changes.

The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar has now officially committed to the Thuringian Sustainability Agreement (NAThüringen). Grit Booth, who heads the NAThüringen office, presented the certificate of commitment to University President Professor Peter Benz, Vice President for Social Transformation Dr Ulrike Kuch, Head of the Staff Unit for Sustainable Development Dr Tonia Schmitz and Environmental Officer Steven Mac Nelly during a ceremony outside the main university building on Thursday, 12 December 2024.

Am Donnerstag, den 5. September 2024 wurde der Prototyp einer innovativen Fassadenbegrünung mit integrierter Grauwasserreinigung und Solarmodulen an einem Laborgebäude der Bauhaus-Universität Weimar öffentlich präsentiert. Der Versuchsstand entstand im Rahmen des Projektes »Vertikale Klima-Klär-Anlage« (kurz: VertiKKA) und wird in den kommenden Monaten unter realen Bedingungen an der Fassade des b.is-Technikum in der Coudraystraße 10 getestet.

After several years in development, the prototype for a new type of façade greenery system integrated with solar panels is being tested under real conditions at the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) funded »Vertikale Klima-Klär-Anlage« (VertiKKA for short) project will be installed on the façade of the Bauhaus-Institute for Infrastructure Solutions (b.is) at Coudraystraße 10. The prototype will be presented to the public for the first time during the grand opening on 5 September 2024 starting at 4 pm.

Organised by the Climate Alliance, the CITY CYCLING campaign invites local politicians and citizens to get on their bikes for 21 days every year between May and September, setting an example for sustainable mobility and climate protection. The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar joined the City of Weimar-organised event for the third time and was awarded gold for being the most active educational institution. The university also placed fifth overall in kilometres covered out of 85 teams. For each kilometre cycled, one cent goes towards a cycling project in Weimar.

In 2023, Climate Alliance, which is the largest European city network dedicated to climate protection, is once again calling on municipalities and their inhabitants to cycle as many kilometres as possible for three weeks between May and September to help support climate protection and promote cycling. Weimar will be participating in »CITY CYCLING« from 1 to 21 May 2024. The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar will take part for the third time and warmly invites all university members to join our team.

Vor 70 Jahren wurde die Fakultät Bauingenieurwesen an der Hochschule für Architektur und Bauwesen (HAB), heute Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, gegründet. Seither haben sich die Anforderungen der Baubranche stark verändert. Um Herausforderungen wie der Energie- und Klimakrise, der Digitalen Revolution und dem Fachkräftemangel im Ingenieurbereich zu begegnen, wird die Fakultät ab April 2024 unter verändertem Namen strategisch neu ausgerichtet. Zukünftig setzen Forschung und Lehre verstärkt auf nachhaltiges und ressourcenschonendes Bauen.

The Presidium of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar is committed to taking a holistic approach to social and environmental sustainability. This includes promoting practical implementation in research, teaching, transfer and administration, and above all environmentally-friendly campus development.