A little more than a year ago, the Chemistry Department of the University of Hamburg formed its own sustainability group. The group works closely with the university’s Sustainability Office to address the individual challenges the department faces in the field of sustainability. One main concern is to reduce the amount of energy consumed by operating chemical laboratories. To that end, the power output of the laboratory fume hoods—one of the main energy consumers in the labs—has been reduced after main operating hours and on weekends. The fume hoods can be manually activated if active chemical work is required during those times. The first step involved starting with one building in the department, with plans to gradually adjust the other buildings as well. This initiative has led to a 20% reduction in energy consumption, with the prospect of further reductions in the future.
Moreover, the group seeks to involve all employees and students in adopting more sustainable practices. To this end, a competition for ideas was organized, which enhances the visibility of sustainability topics and promotes the exchange of ideas and sustainable practices both inside and outside the laboratories. This initiative has also given rise to a counseling program for employees and students, currently being established, that aims to provide accessible support for issues arising in connection with work or university studies.
Regarding health and well-being in the department, plans are in place for additional improvements, some of which have already begun, such as greening the campus and creating more group workspaces both indoors and outdoors.
Additionally, the group serves as a point of contact for department members on sustainability issues and acts as a liaison between the department and the university’s Sustainability Office. This enables efficient assessment of the viability and practicality of new ideas.
Marie Oest is a member of the scientific staff at the Department of Chemistry at the University of Hamburg and a PhD candidate at the university's Hamburg School of Food Science.