General Information

Since 2003 the Dresden University of Technology (TU Dresden) is the first technical university of Germany with a verified environmental management system (also called Eco-Audit) according to the EMAS-Standard (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme). Environmental protection and dealing with environmental issues in research but also in teachings has a long tradition at TU Dresden.

In 2000 TU Dresden adopted the “Umweltleitlinien der TU Dresden” – the environmental policy. This environmental policy contains the most important environmental aspects, as environmental awareness, environmental education and research, collection and evaluation of environmental relevant data, instruments in environmental management, improvement of traffic impacts, energy management, consideration of environmental impact in construction planning.

The EMAS-Standard requires that the organisation (TU Dresden) is checking continuously if the environmental protection is sufficiently regulated and complied with relevant environmental law and which environmental impacts are effected by the organisation. EMAS is therefore a voluntary act. The organisation publishes its activities in environmental management in an environmental declaration (comparable with an environmental report).

The validation audit is carried out by an external consultant. This consultant checks the waste management, working with hazardous substances, energy consumption, procurement practices in research institutes and administration areas. If the audit is successful the organisation is listed in the EMAS-register and can advertise with the so called “EMAS-Logo”. Within three years the organisation has to repeat the audit to show that its environmental performance has improved.

History of EMAS at TU Dresden

1991
Committee for Environment (Kommission Umwelt) founded at TU Dresden

1998
Working group "Eco-Audit" founded within the Committee for Enviroment

2000 to 2002
Research project "Multiplier-Effects and Implementation of the Eco-Audit according to EMAS II in Academic Facilities (at the Example of the TU Dresden)" (for more information see here)

25th to 29th of November 2002
Environmental Management System at TU Dresden verified by an external consultant

8th of January 2003
TU Dresden (Campus) enlisted to the EMAS register

8th of July 2003
TU Dresden is admitted to the Alliance for Environment in Saxony (Umweltallianz Sachsen)

9th of October 2003
First meeting of saxon universities to share experiences in environmental management

9th to 10th December 2003
2nd validation audit of the EMS at TU Dresden with extension to the Botanical Garden Dresden (Botanischer Garten Dresden)

24th to 25th June 2004
meeting of TU Dresden and University of Bremen to share experiences

8th to 9th December 2004
3d validation audit of the EMS at TU Dresden with extension to the Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus

12th to 14th December 2006
1st repetition of the EMAS-validation and registration

Further Information

Dr. Ines Klauke
Tel.: +49 351 463-39493
Fax: +49 351 463-35131
Ines.Klauke@tu-dresden.de