Episode 2 – Sustainability

 

You can listen to the second podcast episode on the Sustainability in one piece or listen to each of the contributions separately.

 

Listen to Episode 2 (in German only)

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This Episode Consists of Six Parts:

 

Sustainability and University Governance Staff Unit – Your Point of Contact for the University's Sustainability Endeavors

A Podcast Featuring Katharina Jochim and Annalena Tomazin

  Katharina Jochim and Annalena Tomazin © Eva Salentin Katharina Jochim (left) is head of RWTH's Sustainability and University Governance staff unit, Annalena Tomazin is deputy head of the staff unit.

We at the staff unit are developing the University’s sustainability strategy, defining goals, measures, and indicators in a participatory process. Our goal is to create a roadmap of how we at RWTH can be more sustainable in all areas – in research, in teaching, but also in operations.  

Katharina Jochim

 

This part of the podcast runs from
0:39 to 4:33 on Youtube

Sustainability and University Governance Staff Unit

Sustainability Report of RWTH Aachen University 

Sustainability Mission Statement

 

 
 

Sustainability in Research – Living the Good Life Together

A Podcast Featuring Professor Kathrin Greiff

  Professor Kathrin Greiff © Andreas Schmitter Professor Kathrin Greiff is holder of the Chair of Anthropogenic Material Cycles. She is also one of the three Rector's Representatives for Sustainability. In this role, she is responsible for the Research sphere of action.

We have to do something, our situation will change, that's what the available data on climate change show us. And that makes us realize how little time we still have to implement the sustainability transformation. We still have the opportunity to do something. And this is where the universities come in.

Professor Kathrin Greiff

This part of the podcast runs from:
4:49 to 8:43

Chair of Anthropogenic Material Cycles at RWTH Aachen University 

Further information: Sustainability in Research at RWTH

 
 

Real-Time Performance Detection of Large-Scale Equipment Test Benches – A Project Supported by the RWTH Sustainability Fund

A Podcast Featuring Professorin Katharina Schmitz

  Professor Katharina Schmitz © ifas Professor Katharina Schmitz is head of the Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems (ifas).

We are already trying to consume as little energy as possible. However, we often don't know exactly where the power goes, how much power we actually need per test series, that is, how much power our test facility actually consumes per hour and per test series. That's what we want to achieve with this project, so that we are better able to monitor and plan in advance and then ultimately also to know the actual carbon footprint of our projects.

Professor Katharina Schmitz

 

This part of the podcast runs from:
8:59 to 12:52

Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems (ifas) 

Further Information: Sustainability Fund at RWTH Aachen University 

 

 
 

Development and Testing of a Self-Assembly Kit for Coproductive Vertical Greening of University Buildings – A Project Supported by the RWTH Sustainability Fund

A Podcast Featuring Dr. Axel Timpe

  Dr. Axel Timpe © Sandra Sieber Dr.-Ing. Axel Timpe is deputy director of the Institute of Landscape Architecture at RWTH Aachen University and a freelance landscape architect (AKBW).

With our BauGrünKit approach, we wanted to promote the greening of buildings “from below,” empowering employees and students of the University to do so. That's why we said we need a greening kit that is easy to implement, a kit which makes it easy for them to green the buildings where they work or study.

Dr. Axel Timpe

This part of the podcast runs from:
13:19 to 17:02

Institute for  Landscape Architecture at RWTH Aachen University

Further Information: RWTH Sustainability Fund

 

 
 

Sustainable Electricity Production on RWTH Buildings Using Modular Vertical Wind Turbines – A Project Supported by the RWTH Sustainability Fund

A Podcast Featuring Professor Kai-Uwe Schröder and Jannik Bühring

  Jannik Bühring (left) and Kai-Uwe Schröder Professor Kai-Uwe Schröder is head of the Institute of Structural Mechanics and Lightweight Design (SLA). Jannik Bühring is a research assistant at the SLA.

The really interesting aspect of these small wind turbines is that they are ideally used in conjunction with a photovoltaic system on the roof of the house, that is, within a system. And this system also features a heat pump. Only this overall system provide the robustness that we actually need. This is a very important aspect, which is why we believe we can provide an essential building block here.

Professor Kai-Uwe Schröder

 

This part of the podcast runs from:
17:19 to 21:09

Institute of Structural Mechanics and Lightweight Design (SLA) 

Further Information: RWTH Sustainability Fund

 

 
 

AStA Department for Sustainability & Student Involvement – Enhancing Sustainability at the University on Behalf of the Students

A Podcast Featuring Florian Winkler

  Florian Winkler © Jorik van Genuchten Florian Winkler studies physics and chemistry at RWTH and has been head of the AStA Department for Sustainability and Student Engagement since July 2022.

On the occasion of our Sustainability Days, held by the AStA Students‘ Committee at RWTH once year, we mainly only offered vegan and vegetarian menu options in a pilot project. The project was very well received – for me, this is a clear mandate to continue to work in this direction.

Florian Winkler

This part of the podcast runs from:
21:30 to 25:07

AStA Students' Commitee at RWTH Aachen University

AStA Department for Sustainability & Student Engagement 

 

Contributors

Intro: „We at RWTH want to share our understanding of sustainability with you and highlight our efforts towards a sustainable future.“

Thorsten Karbach, Department 3.0 – Press and Communications

Creator of All Audio Clips and Speaker:

Dr. Nives Sunara, Department 3.0 – Press and Communications

Music

  • FKJ – Us / A Colors Show
  • Foals – Inhaler

Producer

Jochen Baltes / eventac Veranstaltungstechnik GmbH

 

Extracts of the Sustainability Mission Statement

Through our individual and collective actions – whether in research, teaching, operations, or governance – we can all take responsibility and contribute to a more sustainable RWTH. Only together can we make the best possible contribution to shaping science and society for the future in a lasting and reliable way. We are fully committed to reaching this goal

We, the members of RWTH Aachen University, are committed to acting in a sustainable manner, both in terms of our responsibility toward society and the associated educational mandate, and in economic terms.

Our goal is to

  • develop a vision for a sustainable RWTH through a participatory process, to create and implement a road map with concrete goals for RWTH, and to continuously review and develop these goals. In order to establish RWTH as a driving force for sustainable development in society, we have aligned our development goals with national as well as international frameworks that are based on the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
  • make our research more sustainable, establishing sustainability as a core topic in all faculties, Profile Areas, and research projects, and providing solutions for a sustainable transformation of our society.
  • make our teaching more sustainable, to anchor the topic of sustainability in all courses of study and to focus more strongly on empowering our learners and instructors to use innovative ideas to drive the development of solutions.
  • make campus operations at RWTH Aachen University more sustainable, reducing our environmental footprint in the spirit of climate neutrality, and to actively foster a culture of responsible and inclusive cooperation.