As CEU community members, we can all do our part to contribute to building a more environmentally conscious University community. There are a number of ways to get involved and volunteer time to contribute to campus sustainability issues. Additionally, each work or study day is an opportunity to make smart choices which reduce the environmental impact of University activities. We encourage you to donate some of your time to the Sustainable CEU action team, and learn more about how to carry green living principles with you when living and studying in Vienna and Budapest.
Get Involved: Sustainable CEU is YOU
Sustainable CEU represents Central European University's continual quest to make progress in becoming a model of sustainability in higher education.
Our target areas include:
- encouraging environmentally conscious transition in University policy and practice
- developing innovative educational and outreach programs for our University community
- organizing events which strengthen our bond with the local Vienna and Budapest communities
- promoting the integration of sustainability within all CEU curricula
The Sustainable CEU action team is a volunteer group which works together each academic year to promote sustainability knowledge and outreach in the CEU and Budapest community. This student initiative is coordinated by CEU's Environmental and Sustainability Officer, and also supported by staff and faculty members from CEU. Sustainable CEU supporters work to inform our University community about how to make environmentally conscious life choices and encourage our University to commit to sustainable development.
Sustainable CEU was founded by a group of Environmental Sciences Department Students in 2010, and based on the foundational activism work performed by engaged CEU community members from previous years. The team organizes presentations, skill building workshops, discussions, field trips, and graphic design and public installations within the University space. An important part of the team's work is to serve as a link between the CEU community and local environmental organizations and activism groups operating in Austria and Hungary. If you are interested in learning more about environmental activism and future Sustainable CEU activities please email sustainability@ceu.edu or visit www.facebook.com/sustainable.ceu
Green Living Guides For Vienna and Budapest
Have you ever wondered where you could buy local produce, find used clothing or books, or how to get involved in local community environmental initiatives? A helpful guide was created by Sustainable CEU to give you a better idea of how to adjust comfortably to life in Vienna and Budapest. Additionally, we encourage you to use this guide to become more aware of where and how you can exercise your rights as a conscious consumer and active community member. These guides list only a few examples of some of the interesting opportunities you have for green living in Vienna and Budapest.
Get Involved! CEU Community Guide for Sustainability Outreach in Vienna
Green Living in Budapest Guide
Edible Garden at CEU Budapest
The transformation of the rooftops of the Nador 15 and 13 into a communal roof garden space come rich with social benefits and functional environmental benefits as well. A special area of the garden has been designated as the CEU Community Edible Garden, and is utilized by community members to produce a micro version of an organic crop rotation, which will be maintained throughout the seasons. We aim to develop similar urban gardening opportunities at the Vienna campus in the near future. Anyone interested in participating in helping maintain the CEU Community Edible Garden, please contact: StrenchockL@ceu.edu
CEU community members are encouraged to visit the garden and carefully sample some of the herbs and vegetable crops which appear throughout the growing season. The edible garden is a collaborative project led by Sustainable CEU and supported by student volunteers, the Campus Services Office, the CEU Student Union, and the Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy.
We are constantly in need of volunteers to care for the common gardening space. If you are interested in becoming a part of the CEU Edible Garden team, please email StrenchockL@ceu.edu
Energy: Climate Control, Lighting and Equipment Usage
Maintaining comfortable working conditions on campus throughout varying seasons while minimizing energy consumption is a primary goal of the building management team. Campus community members should take part in this effort by engaging in smart behavior which reduces energy consumption related to heating, cooling, lighting and the usage of electronic equipment on campus.
We advise you to follow these basic tips for reducing energy consumption on campus:
• Turn off lights in unoccupied offices, classrooms and workspaces
• When exiting smart classrooms press the “preset x/all off” button to power down all electronic equipment
• Turn off and/or unplug electronic equipment when not in usage
• Use campus and personal electronic equipment in a resource conscious manner; print documents only when necessary using settings which reduce paper and ink usage
• When seeking a comfortable working environment, take advantage of natural lighting and in offices and work spaces, use task lighting
• Maintain baseline temperature settings for campus space throughout all seasons, dressing in a seasonally appropriate manner in heating and cooling seasons
• Choose to take the stairs instead of using elevators for transport throughout the campus
Smart Printing Policy
Most of the paper we use at CEU is composed of post-consumer recycled content, but the most environmentally conscious decision is always to print less. Reducing the amount of pages printed while studying and working at CEU saves paper, energy, ink and money. To save paper, the default setting on CEU printers is double sided, and printer settings can be oriented to print two pdf pages on one side of each printed page, maximizing the most of each print job. Also the CEU e-learning and moodle platforms have done much to make electronic access to course materials convenient and efficient for students and professors alike. We encourage you to think before you print study and work materials. If you have any suggestions for improvements which would reduce the amount of printing associated with work or study activities at CEU, please email sustainability@ceu.edu
Smart Transport
CEU's campuses in Budapest and Vienna are widely accessible by public transport and the University also encourages the use of bicycles as a healthy and sustainable form of transportation, and many community members are year-round bikers. If you commute by bicycle, you can utilize the parking stands located at the Quellenstrasse main and back entrance. A shower for commuters is located on the ground floor, across from the locker storage area. In Budapest, on street bike parking is available outside of the monument building and an indoor parking area has been established in the Monument Building. Access during standard campus hours through the Monument Building side entrance, Zrínyi utca 8-10. Please ring the doorbell and have your valid CEU ID ready. This entrance is only available for CEU community members arriving with bike, roller, etc.
Events On Campus
It is expected that the organizers of events and conferences to be held on campus will aim to utilize campus spaces in a resource conscious manner during event proceedings and also incorporate a waste reduction and management plan into the organization of their on-campus activity. If you would like to learn about how to develop a waste reduction strategy for your on campus event, please contact StrenchockL@ceu.edu
Smart Hydration
Drinking water at CEU facilities in meets Austrian, Hungarian and EU standards for safe and healthy drinking water. Utilizing tap water for hydration purposes has significant environmental, health, and economic benefits.
In accordance with ongoing efforts to promote sustainability initiatives at CEU and to strengthen the commitments outlined in the University Sustainable Development Policy, Sustainable CEU and the Campus Sustainability Advisory Committee (CSAC) encourage you to take advantage of the high quality, free, and environmentally friendly source of drinking water supplied directly to our campus.
Currently filtered and chilled drinking water fountains can be found in the kitchens at the Vienna campus, and in common areas at the Budapest campus.
Recycling
Waste reduction and efficient selective waste management is a primary goal at CEU. Selective waste bins are distributed evenly throughout campus to make smart waste management convenient for all users. Currently, clearly defined paper and plastic collection bins are widely distributed throughout all floors of buildings on campus, and in most cases located in common areas and kitchens. Used batteries can be deposited in the specially marked green bin.
Building Management
It is the aim of the Building Maintenance Group and Campus Services Office to work together to ensure that a comfortable working and studying environment is maintained in all University buildings. In addition to managing and performing routine maintenance, it is our responsibility to ensure that University heating, cooling and air circulation systems are performing at optimum efficiency, and that campus space it managed in a manner that encourages energy and resource conservation. If you would like to learn more about how to best manage the working conditions in your office or classroom, or if you would like to report an issue with the heating, cooling, or lighting systems or interior environment in your workspace, please email facilities@ceu.edu.
Environmental Design Elements CEU's Budapest Site
In 2016, CEU Budapest site redevelopment project reached a milestone with the opening of the newly renovated Nador 13 and 15 buildings. The campus redevelopment project prioritized building infrastructure that fulfills the expectations of the University community, and the standards set by the University Sustainable Development Policy. The resulting project design and revitalized campus infrastructure ensures that CEU complies with appropriate international standards and best practices for sustainable development in the construction and design of facilities and fixtures concerning energy use and other environmental conservation. We encourage all students to familiarize themselves with the sustainable design elements of CEU’s campus facilities by consulting the Building User Guide, which outlines important tips for community members and future building occupants.
Read More: CEU Building User Guide