Newsletter Occupational Safety, Environmental and Health Protection 01/2019
Contents
Research for Environment and Sustainability
Environmental Management
Exchange of office supplies in the Alte Mensa on 17 April 2019
Who hasn't seen it before: In desks and cupboards there are dozens of pens, writing pads or several packs of staples with a stapler that is no longer needed. A very good opportunity for spring cleaning at the workplace is offered by the office supplies exchange on 17 April 2019, organised by the TU's Environmental Management Department. Employees and students can exchange office supplies on this day which they no longer need or which have been ordered too much, e.g. pens, erasers, sticky notes, calendars, folders, writing pads, notebooks, brochure covers, dividers or staplers, etc. To do this, please contact the Environmental Coordination or hand in the materials for the day of action at the stand at 11 am. The event will take place in the Alte Mensa (Mommsenstraße) from 11 am to 2 pm. (Contact: Ines Herr, ; Tel. -39493)
Join in - Environmental Management at TU`s Health Day on 22 May 2019
Again at the Health Day: Our Smoothie Bike
The Health Day for all employees and students of the TU Dresden will take place on 22 May from 10 am to 4 pm in the Hörsaalzentrum (HSZ). At its stand this year, "Mach mit-Umweltmanagement" will devote itself to the topic of mobility. In Dresden, around 7,000 employees and 36,000 students move from their homes to the university and back every day. This means a considerable volume of traffic. It is therefore important to implement measures to improve sustainable mobility, focusing not only on the environment but also on health aspects. Also at the stand again: Our Smoothie-Bike where you can prepare refreshing drinks while you cycle.
EMAS audit successfully passed - Environmental Report 2018 published
Since 2003 the TU Dresden has a validated environmental management system according to EMAS. From 03 to 05 December 2018, the environmental management system of the TU Dresden was successfully revalidated. Following the audit, the current environmental report of the TU Dresden for the year 2018 has now been published. You can download the new environmental report here (in German).
Information material on environmental management in English
Over the past few months, the range of information material in English published by the environmental management service has been successively expanded. Information sheets on various environmental topics are now available for download on our website. In addition, new roll-ups have been created for events, which will be used for the first time at the "International Staff Training Week" at the TU in June 2019.
How green is your campus? - School holiday care for pupils
Pupils assessing the outdoor space of the TU
As part of the school holiday care for the children of TU employees, a joint event of the TU Dresden's environmental management with the EU research project "MaGICLandscapes - Managing Green Infrastructure in Central European Landscapes" took place for the third time during the winter holidays. Students in grades 5 and 6 from various schools were given insights into the subject of environmental protection at TU Dresden. In addition, there were various practical tasks: For example, used milk cartons were used to make wallets as an example of upcycling. Afterwards, there was an excursion around the campus area during which various outdoor areas of the TU Dresden were inspected and evaluated.
IHK Energy Scout project at the TU Dresden
Final Presentation of all Energy Scout Projects
The IHK (Chamber of Industry and Commerce) has been offering a qualification measure for trainees for several years now as part of the SME initiative "Energiewende und Klimaschutz" (Energy system transformation and Climate Protection). As "energy scouts" the trainees should contribute to identifying and documenting potential energy savings in their training companies. This year, for the first time, an apprentice from TU Dresden took part in the Energy Scout Programme and compared the electrical energy consumption of various common computer models in everyday operation at TU Dresden within the framework of his project. The result of the measurements was that a new Mini-PC, which is suitable for normal office applications, can save more than 60% energy compared to a desktop PC. For the Mini-PC there exists a framework contract for procurement at the TU.
Environmentally-friendly office - New explanatory film released
Join in - Environmental Management at TU Dresden © TUD
No matter if office, laboratory or lecture hall - you can save resources everywhere. There are many ways to actively participate in environmental protection at the university. An explanatory film in German and English uses two examples to show how everyone can help. Perhaps something for the next occupational safety instruction... Here is the link to the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tS8G1bj3PEY
Ecological benefits of recycled paper
Overall, paper consumption at the TU Dresden has been declining for several years and amounted to around 80 tonnes in 2017. PEFC certified paper, i.e. fresh fibre paper from sustainable forestry, and recycled paper together account for almost 90% of the paper used at the TU Dresden. However, the share of recycled paper is only around 26% (as of 2017). If recycled paper is used instead of fresh fibre paper for printouts, resources can be saved: One small glass of water (0.15 l) less is needed per sheet for production. At the same time, the amount of energy needed to make a cup of coffee is saved.
Various types of recycled paper, also with a higher degree of whiteness, are available from TU`s office supplier Kreller.
Further information on the use of recycled paper
Sustainable Campus
The project Sustainable Campus continues
Sustainable campus design has become an important field of action for environmental management in recent years. The increased interest in the design of the outdoor space is reflected in the process of the master plan development for TU Dresden. Various spatial and design scenarios werde discussed on 15 October 2018. As an overall concept, the "Campus Design Master Plan" summarises the discussion and results of the event and names key development goals for the period up to 2028 and beyond. The master plan was developed by the Institute of Landscape Architecture. The draft version is now available for all partners involved for final approval. The increase of biodiversity on the campus is listed as one important concern in the master plan and is to be achieved through targeted measures such as the establishment of butterfly meadows and tree plantations. This year, the butterfly meadows identified as part of the Sustainable Campus project in 2018 will be mapped and their biodiversity recorded. Extensive management of the meadows by means of an adapted mowing regime should make it possible to preserve or possibly also increase species diversity in the long term. Numerous areas on the campus are to be completely redesigned by 2028, resulting in suitable locations for future tree plantings. A site map for potential tree plantings is currently being prepared by the Institute of Landscape Architecture. The action "Tree sponsorships for the TU Dresden campus" of the student Environmental Initiative (tuuwi) is also involved in order to win donors for tree plantings.
HOCH N - Sustainability at Universities
Since 2016, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research has been funding the project Sustainability at Universities: develop - network - report (HOCHN) with the aim of developing guidelines for the implementation of sustainability strategies at universities. The TU Dresden together with the University of Zittau/Görlitz is responsible for the field of action "Operation" and is supported by the Environmental Protection Group and the Sustainable Campus Project. Further information on the HOCH-N project
A Roadmap to Sustainable Universities - Joint event on sustainability at TU Dresden on 5 & 6 November 2019
In the discussion about sustainability at the TU Dresden, the Environmental Protection Group focuses on communication and exchange. Therefore we would like to draw your attention to the event on 5 & 6 November 2019. Together with the network partners from HOCHN, we invite you to an exchange of ideas and experiences on sustainable development at the TU Dresden. Detailed information about the programme will follow.
Project Sustainable Campus - New project coordinator
Since 1 January 2019 Ulrike Seiler has been responsible for the coordination and management of the Sustainable Campus project. Her field of activity includes the co-designing of sustainable campus development and cooperation with external partners from collaborative projects and networks for sustainable university development. With her work Ms Seiler supports the Environmental Protection Group.
Contact: , Tel.: 463 - 33059.
Student Projects
30 years TU environmental initiative tuuwi celebrated with a festival week
The environmental initiative tuuwi was founded by students in the summer of 1989. This year's 30th anniversary will be celebrated with a festival week from 20.05. to 25.05.2019 with many activities on the campus. The initiative is very active with regard to environmental education and offers a wide range of lecutures and seminars as well as other activities covering environmental topics. Info about the festival week
Occupational safety
New publication on the safe handling of nanomaterials
This year, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) has published an information sheet on nanomaterials produced in the workplace. It provides information on health risks, the risk assessment to be carried out and possible measures to protect against the various risks. Difficulties in risk assessment are mainly due to insufficient knowledge of the hazardous properties and limited measurement capabilities. For this reason, the consistent application of the precautionary principle is particularly important when dealing with nanomaterials. Further information on nanomaterials can be found on the internal homepage of Unit 4.6 Occupational safety (tu-dresden.de/as) under the heading "Hazardous substances" Nanomaterials.
Health protection
TU Dresden with more than 650 starters at the REWE Team Challenge
The promotion of participation in the REWE Team Challenge Dresden for TUD employees is a complete success! Over 650 runners - from SHK to professor - have registered and are looking forward to a great team experience on 29 May 2019. TU Dresden will thus be one of the largest teams at the event. Recently, the official presentation of the running shirt took place and the chancellor and the team of the health service took a tour on the campus. The running groups offered in cooperation with the USZ for optimal preparation for the Team Challenge are enjoying great popularity and more than 300 registered participants have already tried on their personal shirts at the health service. The delivery of the running shirts to the teams is planned for May 22, 2019, Health Day, from 10:30 to 11:00 am. Afterwards there will be a greeting from the Chancellor and a big team photo.
10th Health Day at TU Dresden on 22 May 2019
The Health Day celebrates its anniversary in 2019. For the 10th time already, the Health Service, supported by a large number of internal and external partners, will provide an exciting mix of offers on the health topics of sport and exercise, healthy nutrition, first aid and individual health care for all employees and students in the auditorium centre on 22 May. The highlight of the anniversary day will be a discussion round ("Unique Talk") with prominent participants on the topic of "Back to (working) life" with Sophie Hauenherm, Ralf Minge, Ernst Peter Richter and Eric Stehfest. It is about personal experiences in coping with difficult life situations, e.g. burnout, addiction or life-threatening illness, and the way back into life. Alongside this round, Eric Stehfest will read from his book "9 Tage wach" (9 days awake), in which he very emphatically describes his personal experiences with his addiction. Furthermore, Karin Frisch, the initiator of the headache prevention project "headache hurts" recently launched at our university, will be represented with an information stand and will also give a lecture on the subject of headaches and their prevention. The detailed programme will be published shortly. The health service cordially invites you and looks forward to your visit!
Research for environment and sustainability
German-Bangladeshi University Network for Sustainable Textiles - 2019 Experts Plenum in Thailand
From 26 to 29 March, the Chair of Sustainability Management and Operational Environmental Economics at the TU Dresden in cooperation with the Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology (AUST) and Notre Dame University Bangladesh (NDUB) organized a 4-day expert plenary session at the Asian University of Technology (AIT) in Bangkok, Thailand. The plenum took place within the framework of the project "German-Bangladeshi University Network for Sustainable Textiles" which is financed by the German Academic Exchange Service. The aim of the project is to develop international cooperation to improve Bangladesh's higher education curriculum to meet the needs of responsible and sustainable business management in the textile and clothing sector. Further information can be found here.
News in brief
New device for ecological weed killing at the Botanical Garden
At the end of 2018, funds from the Sustainable Campus project were used to procure a device for ecological weed killing on the paths of the Botanical Garden Dresden. It is a form of thermal weed killing in which the wild herbs are controlled with 99.5°C hot water. The cell structure of the plant is destroyed by the high water temperature and the upper part dies. Repeated treatment weakens the plant to such an extent that it dies completely.
Join the TU Team for CITY CYCLING 2019 - Registration now open!
The Germany-wide competition "Stadtradeln" (City Cycling) is a campaign of the Climate Alliance, of which the state capital Dresden is also a member. The aim of the campaign is to make a contribution to climate protection, to promote health through more exercise and to have fun riding a bicycle. This year, city cycling will take place from 24 June to 14 July. Register at https://www.stadtradeln.de/registrieren/ and select Team "TU Dresden".
Information about the job ticket
The Free State of Saxony has now also concluded a job ticket contract for Verkehrsverbund Vogtland GmbH. All information about the subsidised job ticket can be found in the internal web-section "Environment and Sustainability" under Mobility.
Green conferencing - Video conferences with the DFN conference service
For meetings or conferences with a small number of participants consider whether a video conference is possible. This saves both, time and resources. For this purpose the TU Dresden has a Competence Center for Video Conferencing Services (VCC). The DFNconf service portal at https://www.conf.dfn.de/ is the central entry point for the conference service. With DFNconf, conferences can be held that are tailored to the needs and requirements of users. The service portal can be used directly and without registration via a TU Dresden account. Further information
Dates & Events
| 17/04/2019, 11 am - 2 pm, Foyer Alte Mensa | Office article exchange in the Alte Mensa (organised by the Environmental Management of TU Dresden) |
| 19/05/2019,10 am - 5 pm,
Forstbotanischer Garten Tharandt, SYLVATICON - WaldErlebnisWerkstatt, Pienner Str. 8 |
Children and family festival in the Forest Park Tharandt |
| 22/05/2019,10 am - 4 pm,
Hörsaalzentrum (HSZ), Bergstraße |
10. Health Day, TU Dresden |
| 26/06/2019, 11 am - 8 pm, UMUNDU 2019 Sukuma arts e.V., riesa efau, Wachsbleichstraße 2 | Market of utopias and streetfood |
Please also check our German website for more news & events.