Andreas Wanke, head of the Sustainability and Energy Management Unit, presented Freie Universität’s energy saver incentive scheme during the „3rd World Symposium on Sustainable Development at Universities“ at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston.

This is the main idea behind the energy saver incentive scheme: Departments are reimbursed with a premium coming from central funds, if the energy consumption in their facilities falls below a previously set baseline value. The premium amounts to 50% of the yearly cost reductions. On the other hand, departments have to carry 100% of the costs if they exceed their baseline consumption. This energy saver incentive scheme is unique in Germany’s university scene and has contributed greatly to the decline in energy consumption amounting to almost 25 % (around 40 million kilowatt hours) of 2001’s figure.

The contribution “Carrots and Sticks: Triggering Stakeholder Engagement with a Bonus System for Energy Conservation” raised great interest of the professional audience. An article by Andreas Wanke with the title “Sustainable Campus Management at Freie Universität Berlin – Governance and Participation Matter” will be part of the publication „Handbook of Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development in Higher Education“ (Springer Scienes + Business Media).