Our vision?
A sustainable KIT, shaped together with all members of KIT, which contributes significantly to accelerating the path towards sustainability.

Strategy

1. In 2022, KIT included sustainability as a separate field of action in the KIT 2025 Strategy and established a new portfolio "Digitalization and Sustainability" in 2023 under the leadership of Vice President Professor Dr. Kora Kristof.
2. A series of structural measures had already been defined in the 2022 - 2026 structure and development plan (SEP).
3. Our Sustainability Strategy provides for net greenhouse gas neutrality by 2030 and many other targets.
4. We are guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the sustainability strategies of the federal government and the federal state of Baden-Württemberg.
5. Together with the other Helmholtz Centers, we have formulated the "Helmholtz Association's commitment to sustainable development" and stand behind it.
6. We also consider the interface between digitalization and sustainability to be important and are conducting research and developing solutions to ensure that the highly dynamic digital transformation is sustainable from the beginning and to accelerate the sustainability transformation through digital solutions.
7. Together we achieve our goals: We prepare trend-setting decisions together with the members of KIT and collaborate actively with local, national and international players.

Governance

• Under the leadership of Vice President Professor Dr. Kora Kristof, the Digitalization and Sustainability portfolio centrally coordinates sustainability activities at KIT in order to further increase the visibility and effectiveness of research, teaching, transfer, technologies as well as the ability to engage in dialogue with society on climate protection, resource conservation and other aspects of sustainable development.
• The Vice President is supported by the Sustainability Office (SO). As the central office for the sustainability management work of all stakeholders, it pushes KIT’s sustainable development in a pluralistic, integrated approach.
• In 2021, the Round Table on Sustainability was established as an internal discussion platform to sharpen sustainability topics from science and administration. The committee structure on sustainability is currently being further developed as part of the Basis Project Sustainability.

Basic Project Sustainability (duration: 2023-2025): According to the motto "Together.Sustainable.KIT", employees and students actively shape sustainability at KIT in a broad participartory process in research, higher education, transfer, as well as in our own organization – from everyday study and work life to infrastructures. Further information can be found on the project website (visible only on the intranet)

Digitalization and Sustainability Interface Project (duration: 2024-2025): The aim of the project is to identify important potentials at the interface of these two central transformations in a participation-oriented manner. Ideas are developed together with students and employees to combine digital change and sustainability in a useful way. Further information can be found on the project website (visible only on the intranet)

Supplementary studies and certificates

Lecture series and educational formats

Offers for pupils

The Green Course Catalog of the green-alternative student group (GAHG) provides an overview of courses related to sustainable development
Criteria are currently being developed to make sustainability-related courses visible in the official KIT course catalog.

• EPICUR: In the European university alliance EPICUR, KIT students have the opportunity to attend courses offered by all universities - also in the field of Sustainable Transformation. From April 2025, the EPICUR Hub Sustainable Transformation will serve as a virtual center for transnational scientific collaboration and research training, interdisciplinary engagement and cross-institutional collaboration.
• Erasmus+ grant for environmentally friendly travel: Students who travel to their Erasmus destination without a car or plane receive additional financial support.

We want to enable both students and employees to shape their everyday lives as sustainable as possible.

• Media production: We have been using sustainable paper with the Bauer Engel standard since 2017. We also use recyclable materials for displays and signage at events.
• Procurement: We take into account the Act on Corporate Due Diligence Obligations in Supply Chains in our guidelines and thus responsible corporate practices along the entire supply chain. We also promote the reuse of old office furniture.

Mobility has a major influence on the environmental impact of KIT - at the same time, university and research operations are not possible without mobility. We are constantly working on expanding the options for sustainable mobility.

• The mobility portal provides information on sustainable mobility solutions such as cycling, public transport (incl. shuttle & Deutschlandticket) and car sharing.
• E-mobility: More and more electric vehicles are being used in the vehicle fleet. Several charging stations are available on KIT grounds for employees, guests and company vehicles.
• Bicycle traffic: KIT aims to increase the use of bicycles and the mode share of cycling of employees and students through various measures. These include company bicycles, a mailing list for cyclists, pump and repair stations and participation in the annual STADTRADELN.
• Business trips: Business trips, especially air travel, cause high greenhouse gas emissions. KIT employees can obtain important information on climate-friendly travel options from the Personnel Service. Additional information can be found in the handout on climate-friendly business trips at scientific institutions from the Karlsruhe Real-World Lab Sustainable Climate Protection (KARLA).

• Sustainability also plays an important role in daily catering, both at the Studierendenwerk Karlsruhe and at the campus gastronomy on the Campus North. This includes, for example, the procurement of food from regional and sustainable sources, the expansion of organic offerings, the reduction of food waste and the integration of more plant-based dishes into the menus.
• With our guideline "Sustainable Event Management at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology", we focus on sustainable event organization. We strive for the "Green Event BW" seal for all central events.

• With almost 33,000 students and employees, KIT is one of the largest institutions in Karlsruhe with a correspondingly high energy consumption. Detailed information on the annual consumption values can be found in the KIT annual report.
• Green electricity: KIT's urban campus areas (South/West/East Campus) have been using green electricity since 2016 and KIT has also been using green electricity with guarantees of origin at the North Campus since 2025.
• Photovoltaics: We are pursuing ambitious goals for the expansion of photovoltaics. Solar systems with a total output of 2 megawatt peak have been installed at KIT and a further 2 megawatt peak are planned for 2025. 
• Heat supply: The urban campus areas are largely supplied by municipal district heating from industrial waste heat. At the North Campus, the Gas Engine Test Laboratory (GEL) supplies electricity and heat to the supply networks of the North Campus at KIT as a combined heat and power plant. In order to achieve the goal of climate neutrality, various options for defossilizing KIT's heat supply are currently being investigated in an internal KIT-funded study.
• LED lighting: LED lighting was installed with funding from the Helmholtz Association in order to reduce energy consumption.
• Energy-saving tips: The Facility Management Business Unit has compiled tips on how everyone at KIT can save energy.

• Building infrastructures: With the takeover of building owner status in 2024, KIT as a state university is now also responsible for construction and renovation projects on the South, East and West Campuses in addition to its responsibility for the North Campus, which offers more room for maneuver. Renovation and (replacement) new construction projects are managed by the Business Unit Planning and Construction Projects (PB). Construction measures are certified with the sustainability seal "Assessment System for Sustainable Building" (for new buildings consistently with the silver standard). In 2023, the two InformatiKOM buildings, which were implemented with the Klaus Tschira Foundation in accordance with the silver standard, went into operation. KIT is also implementing a particularly sustainability-oriented building concept for the Karlsruhe Center for Optics and Photonics, which is currently under construction.

• Green areas and climate change adaptation: We are redesigning green maintenance at KIT to promote biodiversity and counter the effects of climate change. This includes, for example, less frequent mowing, taking vegetation periods and weather into account. To promote biodiversity, so-called dead grass strips, i.e. deliberately unmown areas, have been used. In addition, green cuttings, compost and woody plants are used on green spaces to create habitats and winter quarters for animals.

   

Karlsruhe Climate Pact

As part of the Karlsruhe Climate Pact, KIT works with all seven Karlsruhe universities and the city of Karlsruhe on climate protection measures. The Climate Pact was created on the initiative of KIT's Karlsruhe Real-World Laboratory for Sustainable Climate Protection (KARLA) with the aim of utilizing synergies and combining expertise.

Helmholtz Asscociation

Helmholtz Sustainability Working Group: In order to actively promote the topic of sustainability within the Helmholtz Association, since April 2018, the Helmholtz Sustainability Working Group has been dealing with a wide range of issues relating to facets of sustainability at an economic, social and ecological level. The Helmholtz Sustainability Working Group regularly organizes the Helmholtz Sustainability Summit.

Society for Transdisciplinary and Participatory Research

KIT is an institutional and founding member of the Society for Transdisciplinary and Participatory Research (GTPF). The association connects researchers and teachers as well as practice partners and promotes transdisciplinary and participatory research and teaching.

• Sustainability working group of the Staff Council (visible only on the Intranet)
• Sustainability Working Group of the KIT library
• Scientists for Future

As well as other initiatives and working groups at the institute level

• Sustainability council
• AStA - Department for socio-ecological transformation

• Working Group Campus Garden
• Working Group Bike Campus  
• Working Group Fairteilen (foodsharing)
• Engineers Without Borders
• Green-alternative student group
• Kine e.V.
• Repair-Cafe

As well as other university student groups.

Studierendenwerk