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Awareness raising, Building technology, Christmas break, Contact, Doors, Equipment stock, Emails and videoconferences, Energy price flat rate (EPP) for students, Energy savings, Heating, Heating elements, Individual measures, JLU measures, Library, Lighting, Malfunction report, Mobile working, Motion sensors, Operating hours, Presence teaching, Printing, Radiators, Room temperature, Shutters, Space occupation, Stairs, Stand-by, Sunblinds, Swimming pool, Teaching, Teaching facilities, Thermometer, Travel and business trips, Use of PC/laptop, Ventilation, Warming aids, Warm places
Last updated 20 March 2023
How much energy is to be saved in fall and winter compared to the preceding year?
Due to the existing uncertainty regarding the energy disposal during the upcoming winter, JLU aims to reduce its energy use by 25 % compared to the previous heating season. Thus, JLU wants to contribute substantially to secure the energy supply in the region. The objective is to guarantee the operation of the whole university and to avoid a permanent relocation of teaching into digital formats.
How can I save energy in everyday work?
Tilt ventilation does not achieve substantial ventilation effects but contributes to the loss of more than 25 % of the heat energy through the windows. Instead, it is recommended to provide your office with fresh air by using shock ventilation two or three times per day (5 to 10 minutes). During shock ventilation, your heating element should be turned off so that energy is not unnecessarily lost. The correct ventilation method is a particularly effective way to save heating energy.
Do not block the heating elements:
Please take care that heaters are not blocked or covered by furniture, claddings or curtains, in order to ensure that heat can freely circulate in the room and is not retained. Dust and dirt on heating elements are also reducing the heat release.
By adapting your use of PCs and laptops marginally, you can save energy: lower the screen brightness and prefer the sleep or energy saving mode to the screen saver during short absence. Bookmarking frequently visited web pages avoids the energy-intense request of search engines. You can also look for climate friendly search engines that might replace your present one.
If possible, avoid sending large email attachments. Alternatively, you can upload your file to a network drive (winfile) or the 'Hessenbox' and send the corresponding link. Deactivating the webcam during videoconferences has high energy saving potential. You might, for example, deactivate the webcam after saying hello if you are not currently speaking.
Printers need much energy to raise their temperature. Therefore, try to execute several print jobs in a row instead of printing several single pages more often. Perhaps you can even abstain from some of the print jobs. The eco-mode saves energy, toner and ink by printing pages more rapidly. Furthermore, you can save resources if you use recycling paper and duplex print option.
During standby mode, electric devices still need substantial amounts of energy. When devices are not in use, they should be turned off. When leaving the room, and especially in the evening and before the weekend, please make sure that equipment (light, electric devices, ventilation) is turned off and that heating units are set to level 1-2. Please do not set them to level 0 (where available) to ensure frost control.
Check your stock of eqiupment:
Get an overview of your equipment and check for dispensable devices. If possible, discuss with your team and with your supervisor if you can share for example fridges or printers. You can save energy if you defrost your freezer (compartment) regularly.
In summer, sunblinds should be used to avoid that the building gets heated in order to reduce the need for air conditioning.
Please close the shutters and sunblinds or curtains in your office, especially during cold nights. Particularly for older windows, this substantially reduces the loss of heat and saves heating energy.
To keep the room temperature as constant as possible in winter, please close the doors. This keeps the heat inside the room and ensures that the room warms up faster.
Use – if possible – stairs instead of the elevator. It saves energy and provides some physical activity during your office hours.
You can use the ‘LandesTicket Hessen’ for your daily travel to work or business trips. Especially for business trips, you should also check for digital alternatives. If you need to use a car, you may carpool so that less fuel is needed per person for each kilometer travelled.
The greater use of voluntary mobile working makes it easier to save energy concerning the commute to work. At the same time, voluntary mobile working makes it possible to combine workplaces and thus workspaces. As a result, fewer spaces need to be supplied with energy. A reduction in workspaces being heated – together with individual behavioral changes – are essential to attain the goal of saving 25 % of energy. Individual behavioral changes can spare around 10 to 15 % energy.
The Sustainability Office has compiled further tips for energy saving here (in German).
Which measures have already been taken by the university or are already initiated?
We want to use energy more carefully in teaching and research while raising the corresponding awareness among employees and students. As one of the largest institutions of city and region, JLU takes its special responsibility regarding the energy crisis very seriously. Being a major institution in Giessen and feeling responsible for the region, we want to contribute to the security of the regional energy supply. The following measures have already been taken or are already initiated:
The technology of buildings and installations has been optimized and is further optimized.
During the heating period, the temperature at workplaces for general office work is not allowed to exceed 19 °C according to new statutory rules (‘§6 EnSikuMaV - Verordnung zur Sicherung der Energieversorgung über kurzfristig wirksame Maßnahmen’). This corresponds usually to a heating thermostat level of 2 to 3. The heating period at JLU begins during the last week of September 2022. We ask for your understanding that the activation of the heating systems can only proceed successively due to the high building stock. Please allow for the fact that 19 °C may not yet be reached at the start of service and that the radiators need a certain time to warm up in the morning.
Energy provision of empty buildings:
In empty buildings that cannot be used at the moment, the supply with energy has been reduced according to applicable regulations (e.g. minimum requirements for frost control).
A shutdown for the first week of January was decided. During this period, all heating thermostats should set to level 1-2. All users are kindly asked to verify this when they leave before the Christmas break. Please do not set your heating unit to level 0 (where possible) in order to ensure frost control.
In agreement with Faculty 06 and the Academic Sports Services, the swimming pool at the Campus Sport/Kugelberg will remain closed during the winter semester.
Since several years, JLU has successively changed their outside lighting to energy saving LEDs.
During the energy crisis, the effect lighting at the main building as well as at the Zeughaus has been turned off, so that they are not illuminated during the night. Furthermore, in many areas, an overnight shutdown of the outside lighting is established from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. where there are no particular sources of danger. Following the opening hours of the University Library, the shutdown of its outside lighting is beginning at 12 p.m. Additionally, outside lighting will be dimmed as far as the visibility is not very limited. Lighting at parking areas at the main building and the Zeughaus are not affected by the overnight shutdown. The place in front of the university’s main building will be affected by the shutdown between 1 and 5 a.m. Further exceptions are areas of the university that have to be constantly accessible: the campus area Seltersberg/Veterinary Medicine and the test stations at Oberer Hardthof and at Weilburger Grenze. Outside lighting hours at Campus Kugelberg will be adjusted for traffic safety as follows: until 14 October, the outsinde lighting will end at 10.45 p.m. and from October 15, the outside lighting will end at 12 a.m.
Further measures aim at pooling spaces for teaching and concentrating the use of laboratories and offices, the latter for example by the application of desk sharing.
Individual behavior can have a great impact on energy consumption (see also “How can I save energy in everyday work?”). Thus, JLU will enhance the awareness of users for energy efficiency. In this regard, the Sustainability Office will initiate a nudging campaign in the winter semester 2022/23. Additionally, resource saving advices are regularly published on the Instagram channel of the Sustainability Office. Users of laboratories were informed about the energy-efficient use of the manual operating unit for the air ventilation and the use of the laboratory fume hoods and forced-air cooling.
Could energy be saved if the number of lamps is reduced or if motion sensors are adjusted towards shorter lighting times?
Shorter lighting times correspond to a higher amount of lighting periods, which are crucial for the wear of the lamps. In a given case, the benefit will be evaluated by comparing the energy saving potential with the potential required expenditure concerning material and staff (see also Lighting).
Are offices and workplaces heated during the winter?
Good working conditions are indispensable. During the heating period, the temperature at workplaces for general office work is not allowed to exceed 19 °C according to new statutory rules (‘§6 EnSikuMaV - Verordnung zur Sicherung der Energieversorgung über kurzfristig wirksame Maßnahmen). This corresponds usually to a heating thermostat level of 2 to 3. For intermediary physical tasks that are mainly done while standing or walking, the maximum temperature is 16 °C, whereas it is at 12 °C for heavy manual work according to the new statutory rules.
Which additional warming aids can I use?
According to your individual perception of temperatures, it is recommended to use additional non-electronic aids such as warmer clothing, hot drinks or blankets while the radiators warm up in the morning. Blankets (at a maximum price of 10 € each) can be procured by JLU facilities and must be financed by their respective budget. If you want to procure some blankets, please send the following information to Department D6 via email (Materialwirtschaft@admin.uni-giessen.de respectively for FB11 Einkauf-fb11@admin.uni-giessen.de):
- Delivery address
- Contact person for the order: name, email address, phone number
- Contact person for delivery: name, email address, phone number
- Exact number of blankets required
- Number of cost centre
It is neither allowed to install or use personal heating devices such as radiators or fan heaters, nor to procure them.
Why it is not allowed to use electric nonstorage type heating appliances (radiators, fan heaters, etc.)?
Disregarding the cost provoked by their high energy consumption, the simultaneous use of electric nonstorage type heating appliances can lead to local grid overloads and thus can provoke blackouts. Consequently, it is not allowed to use electric nonstorage type heating appliances.
How can I check the temperature in offices and workplaces?
A demand-oriented and economic procurement of digital thermometers for checking the room temperature, financed from central funds, is possible via the suppliers listed in the JustOS online store at a unit price of approximately 6 € (gross). JLU facilities who would like to obtain digital thermometers please send the following information to Department D6 via email (Materialwirtschaft@admin.uni-giessen.de respectively for FB11 Einkauf-fb11@admin.uni-giessen.de) – if possible until 21 October 2022:
- Delivery address
- Contact person for the order: name, email address, phone number
- Contact person for delivery: name, email address, phone number
- Exact number of thermometers required
The thermometers are delivered directly to the delivery address in a timely manner.
Are operating hours adapted for the upcoming heating period?
For teaching, research and administration, it has been determined that the operating hours are between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. from Monday to Thursday, in order to use natural light and higher temperatures during the day and save energy during cold and dark off-peak hours. On Friday, as many buildings as possible should not to be used in order to reduce the operation of the heating systems across the board on Fridays and save electricity. For this reason, activities may to be relocated temporally, switched into digital formats or they are concentrated in few buildings if the former is not possible. Please adapt the booking of locations accordingly. Organizational issues, e.g. for research in laboratories, are currently examined by the faculties.
Am I allowed to work beyond the operating hours?
If it necessary to use buildings beyond the mentioned operating hours due to organizational reasons, users have to anticipate lowered temperatures and individual adaptions (see also “Are offices and workplaces heated during the winter?”). In this case, it should also be considered that paths and parking areas might not be illuminated (see also “Which measures have already been taken by the university or are already initiated?”; Lighting).
Am I allowed to use my office on friday?
Heating is not totally turned off. However, the overall objective is not only to save heat energy on Friday, but also to save electricity. For this reason, working beyond the operating hours should be avoided whenever possible. If the occupation of offices is inevitable, users have to anticipate lowered temperatures (see also “Are offices and workplaces heated during the winter?”).
Are buildings heated beyond operating hours and on the weekend?
Yes, buildings are heated beyond operating hours, but to lowered temperatures. This also applies to weekends. For teaching on Fridays and Saturdays as well as for students who want to work at JLU, so called "warm places" will be provided. One of these will be the Univerity Library. The full list of warm places will be available here shortly.
What are warm places and where are they established?
Warm places for teaching:
For teaching that has to take place beyond the operating hours of the winter semester 22/23 (from Monday to Tuesday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.) for compelling reasons, JLU has identified so-called warm places at all campus areas. They ensure energy efficient teaching at JLU. Faculties and research centers can schedule imperative courses or exams on Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at these warm places. Tutors are asked to coordinate according plans with deaneries and the respective person responsible for room reservations. For room requests, we kindly ask to check in advance if the according room is still available for the requested time slot (instruction for room requests on Stud.IP).
If deaneries and the management of research centers respectively, or examination offices have further singular needs, these can be transmitted by the deaneries to the staff Division for Teaching (StL) (Studieren).
A list of the warm places is available here.
We kindly ask you to use energy sparingly also at warm places. If rooms are not in use or not needed during the weekend, please apply the respective measures for energy savings.
Warm places for students:
Teaching rooms can be used as heated spots for working during operating hours (from Monday to Tuesday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.) if no teaching takes place at the same time. Current occupation can be checked by the room request tool on Stud.IP and a QR-Code in front of the room. Libraries are also providing work places during their respective opening hours. Furthermore, warm places for students can be used on Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. A list of the warm places is available here.
Warm places for employees
The list of warm places can be found here. Additional warm places that are required for employees who must necessarily perform their work on site on Fridays will be provided after corresponding individual feedback by the management of the JLU facilities and set up after reviewing organizational and technical options for action.
Are buildings closed beyond operating hours?
No, as usual, buildings are accessible beyond operating hours.
Are the opening hours of the University Library changing for the winter semester 2022/23?
The libraries are important facilities for teaching and research. JLU takes students’ concerns about the announced reduction in library opening hours very seriously and therefore decided to accommodate students at this point. The University Library will thus continue to offer the usual opening hours (Monday to Sunday from 7.30 a.m. to 11 p.m.) beyond 1 October.
From 2 to 8 January 2023, the University Library will be open from 8.30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Please note the following service restrictions during this time period: Payment of fees only at the automated pay station, no issuance of library cards, no change, no stacks/interlibrary loan orders, no current newspapers.
Current opening hours of the University Library as well as of the branch libraries can be assessed on the homepage of the Library System.
Is teaching taking place during the winter semester 2022/23?
Teaching will take place. If relocations or other changes occur, faculties will inform you on their web pages and in Stud.IP/FlexNow. There is no general cancellation of teaching at JLU.
Will teaching in physical presence be stopped in the winter semester 2022/23?
No, JLU does not intend to shut down the university and a general shift of teaching into digital formats. Nevertheless, energy savings will also apply to teaching. For this reason, it is particularly desirable that locations of JLU are used efficiently with unused room capacities being concentrated so that energy saving can be realized. JLU is against a general shift of energy consumption and corresponding costs into the private sector.
Will teaching facilities be heated during the winter semester 2022/23?
Yes, teaching facilities will also be heated during the winter with a target temperature of 19 °C.
Will teaching take place beyond operating hours?
Teaching should not take place beyond operating hours, wherever possible. Compelling exceptions are to be discussed by mutual agreement with the deaneries, which reports these exceptions to the Staff Division Study and Teaching. However, in this case, the students and staff have to anticipate lowered temperatures.
Is the Christmas break at the beginning of January extended?
The extension of the Christmas break until 09 January 2023 has been decided. During this period, all heating thermostats should set to level 1-2. All users are kindly asked to verify this when they leave before the Christmas break. Please do not set your heating unit to level 0 (where possible) in order to ensure frost control.
At present, it is not planned to extend the period without lectures, updated scheduling can be found here.
Where can I report malfunctions, e.g. of radiators?
Please use the online form of Department D provided here to report any malfunctions.
Where can I find information about the payment of the Energy price flat rate (EPP) for students?
From 15 March 2023, students can apply for a one-off payment of 200 euros via the central application portal of the Federal Government. JLU provides more infomration and instructions here.
Whom can I contact in case of further questions or suggestions for energy saving measures?
For further questions and suggestions, please contact energie@uni-giessen.de. As we receive numerous recommendations and suggestions, the processing and corresponding assessment of technical and judicial circumstances will take some time. We therefore ask for your understanding that we are not able to inform if and when your suggestion is going to be implemented.
We thank you very much for your help in saving energy!