Updated climate protection concept
Path to climate neutrality by 2030

02 Mar 2026
From left to right: Michael Mai, former Assistant for Sustainable Mobility, Gosbert Orschel, Energy Officer, Lena Fockers, Sustainability Office employee, Dr Anke Günther, Vice-President for Personnel and Finance, Clarissa Plendl, Sustainability Officer stand on a staircase and hold the completed climate protection concept in their hands.

With 122 measures and clear fields of action, the university is focussing on a sustainable future

On 10 December 2025, Fulda University of Applied Sciences unanimously approved its updated climate protection concept by the Senate. The concept, originally drawn up in 2021, was revised to pave the way for climate neutrality by 2030 in line with the targets set by the state of Hesse. The Sustainability Office, headed by Clarissa Plendl, is responsible for creating and implementing the concept, which was developed in close collaboration with Facilities Management and other members of the university.

The concept covers ten key areas of action, including "Wastewater, water and waste", "Renewable energies" and "Mobility". Each field of action comprises a detailed inventory, an assessment of previous measures and an updated catalogue of measures that were developed with experts and those responsible for the respective areas. The university's strategy follows the principle of "reduction before substitution before compensation". The priority is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, followed by the substitution of climate-damaging resources with more environmentally friendly alternatives and, where necessary, their compensation.

Special specialisations of the concept are the areas of heat supply and commuter mobility. According to the university, the provision of heat for the buildings is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, which is why solutions such as the use of heat pumps or connection to a district heating network are proposed. Commuter traffic, which exceeds the limits of the so-called "factory principle" in terms of emissions, is to be covered in a separate sustainable mobility concept. This strategy is expected in the spring and will provide deeper insights and measures to support the switch to climate-friendly modes of transport.

The implementation of the 122 measures will be driven forward over the coming years by the Sustainability Office in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders. A further update of the concept is planned for 2030.
 

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