Green:Campus

How do students and employees get to the university from home? Do they walk, cycle, take public transport or drive? The Department of Transport Planning and Transport Systems at the University of Kassel, headed by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Carsten Sommer, wanted to find out and carried out a mobility survey, the results of which are now available.

The detailed results of the student survey can be downloaded here.

The detailed results of the employee survey can be downloaded here.

Low on air in the tires, loose screw on the luggage rack? No problem, because on the Holländischer Platz campus, in Nordbahnhofstraße in Witzenhausen and in Heirich-Plett-Straße there are now bicycle repair stations!

Repair stations are in preparation for the other locations.

Sustainability principles for business trips at the University of Kassel

Based on its self-image of protecting nature and the environment, the University of Kassel strives for sustainable mobility. The sustainability guidelines and the following principles, which were laid down in the resolution of November 20, 2023, must be observed during implementation.

https://www.uni-kassel.de/uni/files/Universitaet/Profil/Umwelt_Nachhaltigkeit/Relaunch/Green_Office/6_Infothek/News_Projekte/p0908b155.pdf

In July 2022, the project to promote sustainable mobility at the University of Kassel was launched with the aim of promoting sustainable and climate-friendly mobility.

Since February 2022, employees have been able to park their bicycles safely at two locations on the Holländischer Platz campus. Three bicycle parking facilities are located in the underground car park of the library (access via Georg-Forster-Straße, like the cars to the underground car park) and the fourth in front of the administration building, at Mönchebergstraße 19. The facilities work with an electronic door lock system, which enables access via the campus card. The campus card can be activated for the respective bicycle parking facility at the key depot, Georg-Forster-Straße 7, without an application.

Further secure parking facilities, including for students, are gradually being planned at all locations. With the additional and lockable parking spaces, the university wants to create an incentive to switch to bicycles. The "Sustainable Mobility" project is one of a total of six funded projects that contribute to climate protection and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

The attractiveness of bicycles compared to other means of transportation at the University of Kassel is to be increased and the bicycle infrastructure further expanded. The university plans to double the number of available bicycle racks at all locations and to install lockable bicycle lockers as required. Awareness of the use of bicycles is to be raised through campaigns and information about cycling, especially for new employees and students.

Establishment of a lending service for employees in conjunction with VELOAD.

We are working on it! More information coming soon.

In addition to individual mobility, the university's internal processes, such as business trips and the vehicle fleet, are to be examined more closely and measures taken to strengthen climate-friendly mobility behavior. The vehicle fleet is to be gradually converted to climate-friendly vehicles, insofar as appropriate vehicles with climate-friendly engines are available.

Initial goal: to set up a charging infrastructure with initially 10 charging points for e-vehicles at various locations.

With the help of the "COME-Mobility" funding program, the development of charging infrastructure for e-vehicles is planned, which can also be used for private transport. The declared aim of the funding program is to equip all of the state's offices with charging infrastructure for e-vehicles in line with demand by 2030.

Future-oriented open space planning is of great importance, especially in order to counteract the consequences of climate change and the resulting increase in global warming. In order to increase biodiversity and improve the microclimate and quality of life at the university sites, guidelines are to be drawn up and specific measures identified and implemented, which in particular also improve the microclimate and thus promote the preservation of different species groups.

When converting and redesigning existing areas, emphasis should be placed on unsealing existing open spaces and greening facades and roofs with resilient and cooling vegetation wherever possible. In addition, wherever possible, biodiversity should be increased on paved areas, such as water-bound path surfaces, by sowing flower-gravel lawns.

• Development of a guideline for sustainable event management.
• Checklist "Sustainable catering"