Information on dealing with the energy crisis

We have already done a lot in recent years to improve our energy balance, for example by replacing thermostats on radiators, switching to LED lighting, optimizing the cooling supply in our server rooms, replacing old heating pumps with efficient pumps, and with our photovoltaic system on employee building 1, which we have also been using to generate our own energy and save CO2 since 2011. Nevertheless, further measures are necessary to achieve the energy savings targets.

In the course of individual energy savings, employees, but also all students and guests of the university are currently asked to pay attention to the following:

• heat rooms to a maximum of 19 degrees Celsius.
• set radiators to "1" when leaving the room (not to "*")
• keep radiators clear
• keep doors and windows closed
• ventilate the room with a push instead of a tilt
• use cold water instead of hot
• do not wash dishes by hand or under running water, but use the dishwasher if available
• switch off (media) technology and lights after use or when leaving the room
• unplug chargers when not in use

In addition, during the weeks surrounding the Christmas season, from December 19, 2022 to January 14, 2023, attendance on campus will be reduced as much as possible in order to significantly reduce energy consumption. During this time, all employees will be asked to work as far as possible from home or on the move, provided that the necessary requirements are met (suitable job profile and appropriate technical requirements, as well as ensuring a working method that complies with data protection regulations and an ergonomic workstation at home). In addition, we will change teaching from face-to-face to online teaching and shorten the opening hours of the university library.

Quite clearly: No. The current energy-saving measures at the University of Erfurt are a consequence of the global energy crisis. It once again presents us as a society as a whole, but also as the University of Erfurt itself, with an enormous challenge. Against the background of our responsibility to society as a whole, but also taking into account the demands of the state and the federal government in this regard, we are obliged to make significant energy savings. The University of Erfurt takes its solidarity responsibility seriously and makes its contribution to energy saving in order to support the security of energy supply in the Free State of Thuringia - and this independently of global reduced expenditure or other financial obligations.

Of course, we have already done a lot in recent years to improve our energy balance, for example by replacing thermostats on radiators, switching to LED lighting, optimising the cooling supply in our server rooms, replacing old heating pumps with efficient pumps or with our photovoltaic system on staff building 1, which we have been using to generate our own energy and save CO2 since 2011. Nevertheless, further measures are necessary to achieve the energy-saving targets.

We consume about 3.7 GWh of electricity and 8.5 MWh for district heating and gas on campus annually. For 2022, already taking into account the emergency aid in December, we expect energy costs to increase by about 30 per cent compared to the previous year. For 2023, we expect energy costs to double compared to 2021, despite taking into account the energy price brakes.

The additional costs will initially be borne by the University of Erfurt. By mid-January, the universities will update their current energy cost plans, taking into account the price brakes for electricity and gas, and submit them to the state. Only then will a decision be made about financial support from the Free State. However, full compensation of the additional costs through additional allocations is currently considered unlikely, so that part of the price increases will have to be borne by the university.

The University of Erfurt benefits from the December emergency aid for gas and district heating. The instalments for the last month of 2022 are not paid or collected, as provided for by law. Since no major additional payments are usually necessary, the university assumes a saving of about 1/12 for the year 2022.

Classroom operations on campus will be suspended as much as possible from December 19, 2022 to January 16, 2023.

For students, this will extend the two-week lecture-free period by two weeks of online teaching (one before and one after the regular lecture break). Employees are to switch to working from home as much as possible during the aforementioned time.

Overall, the University of Erfurt is making great efforts to master the difficult balancing act between the required energy-saving measures and the desire for the best conditions for studying, teaching and research in the current situation. To this end, an energy crisis team meets regularly under the leadership of the acting Head of Administration, which includes not only professors, but also representatives from the areas entrusted with implementing measures, as well as the Staff Council and, of course, the Student Council. The crisis team gathers the necessary information, assesses the current situation and makes proposals to the Presidium, which then makes all necessary decisions - if necessary, also after consultation with the relevant committees.

For this purpose, Department 2: Human Resources has issued a corresponding employee information, which you can find on our website - together with further information on the topic of working from home.

Link to the message

Yes. Even though the university library is open again on weekends 10./11.12. and 17./18.12, the university allows its students to additionally use rooms 0007 and 0012 in the Audimax building for work and thus also the WLAN on campus. As of January 2, 2023, the workstations in the University Library will also be available again to the full extent.

In addition, during the "extended Christmas break", Music students will also be able to rehearse in the rooms in Puschkinstraße.

By temporarily closing the library on weekends, we can significantly save energy, namely electricity alone to the tune of approximately 10,000 kWh per month (roughly equivalent to the annual consumption of a four-person household) plus heating.

If the library is not closed at weekends until the end of the year, as originally planned, but is open on 10/11 and 17/18 December, the savings over the heating period are of course much smaller.

By the way: The operation of the university library consumes a good third of the total energy on campus. This makes the library - followed by the lecture halls - our biggest consumer.

By temporarily closing the library on weekends, the university can save a lot of energy, namely electricity alone to the tune of about 10,000 kWh per month (which corresponds to the annual consumption of a four-person household) plus heating. In this respect, we were able to achieve the savings targets in October - not least thanks to the comparatively warm weather. For comparison: In October 2022, we consumed 28 MWh for heating and 78,000 kWh of electricity in the university library - in October 2021, it was 67 MWh and 89,000 kWh.

Whether we will ultimately have achieved the savings targets for the campus with all our small and large measures (and despite the now decided reopening of the University Library on the remaining weekends in 2022), we will certainly only be able to make a final assessment in the spring.

We have summarised the opening hours for you in a news item.

Yes, the library allows its users to take their jackets into the work areas during the current heating period due to the limited room temperatures of 19 degrees Celsius. It is also possible to bring hot drinks in closed bottles or something like that.

We have compiled further links for you:

• The Federal Government
• Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection
• Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur)
• Free State of Thuringia (Freistaat Thüringen)
• Consumer advice center (Verbraucherzentrale)
• BUND Friends of the Earth Germany
• Foundation Warentest (Stiftung Warentest)

Students receive a one-time flat-rate energy allowance of 200 euros from the federal government. Does this also apply to doctoral students?

In the first draft of these regulations, doctoral students were explicitly excluded. After an amendment, however, the paragraph was deleted, so that now, according to the passed law (and also the website of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research), all doctoral students who were enrolled at a German university on 01.12.2022 can apply for the lump sum of 200 Euros. This has now been announced by the Thuringian Ministry for Economis Affairs, Science and Digital Society at the request of the University of Erfurt.

further information(in German only)