At the University of Konstanz, we really care about energy usage and strive to ensure our campus operates sustainably and energy-efficiently while meeting the needs of everyone at the university. In the summer of 2022, the working group on energy conservation was created to coordinate energy conservation measures at the university. The working group's members are from all areas of the university involved with the topic of energy – from Facility Management to the deans and the Staff Unit Sustainability.
Starting in the spring of 2022, specific measures were implemented that almost cut the university's gas consumption in half by the end of the summer (although two new buildings were added to the campus). The goal for 2022 was to reduce gas usage by one-third over the previous year.
While the university aims to operate energy efficiently and reduce its overall consumption, the corresponding measures should be chosen carefully and cause as few limitations as possible for university activities. Many of the energy-saving measures at the university remain virtually unseen, like fine adjustments that affect warm water, heating, lighting or outdoor blinds.
As a public institution, the University of Konstanz follows the regulations laid out in the German federal ordinance on saving energy "Energieeinsparverordnung" (EnSikuMaV) which came into force on 1 September 2022. As per these regulations, public buildings are only heated up to a maximum of 19 C, and laboratories are only heated up to 18 C.