The Technical University of Dresden is one of the leading and most productive universities in Germany with a wide range of subjects. As an educational institution, the university has to take responsibility for future generations. In its Leitbild (overall concept) and Grundordnung (basic order) the TU Dresden is committed to pay particular attention to issues of environmental protection.

In 2003, the TU Dresden decided to introduce an environmental management system according to EMAS (Environmental Management and Audit Scheme). By participating in EMAS the TU Dresden shows that it is engaged in environmental protection beyond legal requirements. As an educational institution it considers its task to convey environmental awareness in research and education and to implement it in the daily work process. Consequently, the University has adopted environmental guidelines that reflect the priorities of environment-related policies at the TU Dresden.

EMAS requires participating organizations to be regularly checked by accredited external auditors and to report their engagement in an annual environmental statement (environmental report).

The coordination of the environmental management is task of in the Directorary Property Management, Technology and Security (Dezernat Liegenschaften, Technik und Sicherheit), Unit Central Technical Services (Zentrale Technische Dienste).