Forschungsgründach. Foto: André Künzelmann/UFZ

Sustainable campus design


Striving towards a sustainable campus is a core element of our environmental sustainability activities, which combines research activities for relevant environmental issues in a CO2-eq-neutral, biodiversity promoting, climate adapted, resource efficient and socially responsible environment with the demonstration of our research to various stakeholders.

Detailed information on all measures taken and planned and developments in this area can be found in the annual, externally validated reports on environmental sustainability (environmental statements) in the "Biodiversity" and "Mobility" chapters, among others.

Examples of sustainable campus design:

  • scientific demonstrators
  • promote biodiversity (example project: ecological forest islands)
  • environmentally compatible commuter mobility

UFZ research is aiming at achieving impact and thus on the one hand participates in social negotiation processes, on the other hand is actively pursuing demonstration projects. Combined with the self-claim to work on a sustainable campus, demonstrators have been and will be installed on campus.

With the installation of the green roof research facility and tree trenches as multifunctional infrastructure elements, the UFZ is not only able to answer interdisciplinary research questions, it also opens the options to explain the impact of different green roof types and rainwater management systems to visitors.

Besides research on own sites, we use our biodiversity measures on campus to provide insights for school classes. One example is the course to analyze honey and raise awareness for the relevance of bees and insects by the UFZ teaching lab.


Research green Roof

Scientific demonstrators

Teaching lab (in German)

Due to the self-calim to work on a sustainable campus, various environmental protection measures have been and are being implemented. Also scientific demonstrators have been and will be installed on campus, which in turn also act as environmental protection measures on site.

With the installation of the green roof research facility and tree trenches as multifunctional infrastructure elements, the UFZ is not only able to answer interdisciplinary research questions, but also can use them as elements for environmentally compatible cooling, rainwater management and the promotion of biodiversity on the campus.

Furthermore, the biodiversity plays a crucial role on all UFZ sites. With the creation of ecological meadows and nesting opportunities, birds and bees find their home at the UFZ sites. Gradually, climate-stable forest islands are beeing created, which are stable in themselves, provide a rich habitat for various species, are adapted to potential droughts and do not need to be irrigated in the long term (detailed example at the bottom of this page).

Detailed information on all measures taken and planned and developments in this area at all UFZ sites can be found in the annual, externally validated reports on ecological sustainability (environmental statements) in the "Biodiversity" chapter.

measures to promote biodiversity on the Leipzig campus 
 


Example: From “soldiers' forest” to an ecological forest island

The building of the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ in Halle (Saale) was built in 1994 on the site of a former Russian military barracks. The relatively large outdoor area was designed in this military tradition. Among other things, a "Commander’s Hill", an "Armour barrier" and a "Soldier’s Forest" were created.

The "Soldiers' Forest" is an area of around 4,500 square meters with Norway Maple trees (in a special cultivated form with red foliage) planted in strict rows (like soldiers ). In 2011, it was discovered that many of these trees were diseased or had already died due to fungal infestation. As a result, the stand is now very patchy, particularly in the north-west of the area. After the " Commander’s Hill" had already been very successfully remodeled from a grassy area into a Porphyry mound typical of the region with the corresponding plant species, work has now also begun on transforming the "Soldier’s Forest" in the same way.

Schematic representation of the development of neatural, climate-stable forest islands at the Halle site. Source: UFZ
Schematic representation of the development of neatural, climate-stable forest islands at the Halle site. Source: UFZ

As with the remodeling of the "Commander’s Hill", the focus here is also on planting a habitat typical of the region. As an example, the "forest edge" habitat is to be created here in the form of several small forest islands, which typically consist of forest trees, a forest mantle of shrubs in front of them and a zone of herbaceous perennials in front of them. 

These structures have become very rare due to the heavy use of the forests and the expansion of land use right up to the forests. They provide a habitat for numerous rare plant species and are an important habitat for birds and insects, for example, but also for small mammals, bats and numerous other animal groups. The forest island is therefore a mini-forest that is stable in itself, offers plenty of habitat for various species, is adapted to the annual drought and does not need to be watered in the long term.

Schematic representation of the structure of forest islands. Source: UFZ
Schematic representation of the structure of forest islands. Source: UFZ

However, as the city of Halle has not granted permission to fell the current, diseased trees, only one sample forest island was planted in summer 2024 in a place where some trees have already died. Even without a felling license, further forest islands will gradually be possible through natural dieback.

However, the planted forest island not only recreates the "forest edge" habitat. It also serves as an example of possible climate-stable plantings in cities. The drought of recent years has made it increasingly difficult to plant individual trees in many cities and to maintain them, especially in the first few years after planting. Irrigation is often necessary and many plantings suffer from drought damage. Planting forest islands could be an alternative here, as they are less susceptible to drought due to their structure and the use of regional, drought-adapted plants.

Specifically, a Small-leaved Lime, a Rowan Tree and a Hornbeam were planted in the center of the island and an existing Maple tree and a dead Maple tree were integrated into the planting as habitat trees. The woodland fringe consists of Hawthorn, Dogwood, Honeysuckle, Blackthorn and Wild Privet. The herbaceous zone was planted with Betonica officinalis, Common Harebell, Knabweed, Ladies Bedstraw and Meadow Clary and combined with sowing of wild plant seed for a butterfly and wild bee border. All plants and seeds come from regional cultivation.

Two information boards on the "forest island" habitat were set up to inform the company's employees and the public about the near-natural remodeling of the "Soldier’s Forest" at the Halle site.

Information boards about the emerging near-natural, climate-stable forest islands at the Halle site. Source: UFZ
Information boards about the emerging near-natural, climate-stable forest islands at the Halle site. Source: UFZ

The forest island illustrates UFZ research at its own site. The planting addresses topics such as regional seed mixtures, site-appropriate woody plantings and climate resilience. In addition to the development of the plants, UFZ researchers will be recording the occurrence and development of pollinator insects such as wild bees and butterflies as well as birds in the coming years.

A sustainable campus needs various means for environmentally compatible commuting. The UFZ is certified as Bicycle Friendly Employer and established measures such as bicycle service days, e-charging stations for bicycles and a bike-sharing station. A mobility survey in 2023 revealed that three quarters of employees commute to the UFZ in an environmentally compatible way, i.e. by bike and public transport.

Detailed information on all measures taken and planned and developments in this area can be found in the annual, externally validated reports on environmental sustainability (environmental statements) in the "Mobility" chapter.