Sustainability in focus: FH West Coast opens Green Office in Heide!

Sustainability in focus: FH West Coast opens Green Office in Heide!

In Heide, in the Dithmarschen district, the West Coast University of Applied Sciences has launched an ambitious project called Green Office. This newly founded central contact point for sustainability on campus aims to support students, teachers and employees in environmentally friendly projects, sustainable teaching and social commitment. The idea is to send a strong signal for a more environmentally conscious campus and to minimize the ecological footprint with clever climate protection measures and building energy optimization. As NDR reports, the Green Office team will consist of four committed students from various study programs who will work independently to achieve the goals.

Regular exchanges with the university management are planned to promote communication and cooperation. The Green Office is part of the new sustainability strategy of the West Coast University of Applied Sciences, which was initiated not least by the university's president, Prof. Dr. Anja Wollesen, is carried. There are currently exciting activities on the agenda for 2026.

Sustainability in focus

The term “sustainability” has a turbulent history and plays a central role in resource management today. The concept originally comes from forestry, where the aim was to only cut as much wood as could grow back. This has changed over the centuries and has now become a comprehensive principle of action that combines environmental protection, economic sustainability and social justice. This development is repeatedly taken up as a “three-pillar model” in the debate about sustainability, with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which were adopted in 2015, serving as further important guidance. These goals aim to reconcile the needs of current and future generations - a concern that is also succinctly reflected in the university of applied sciences' new approach.

In addition, it is important to raise the awareness of everyone involved about the challenge of sustainability. Critics point out that the term is often used as a “rubber word” and therefore loses clarity in political debates and in public. The aim of the Green Office is to address these challenges and develop concrete solutions that not only affect the campus, but also have an impact beyond the university.

A look into the future

The Green Office team has certainly decided to have a good hand at organizing projects and events. The plans for the coming months seem promising. By actively implementing its own sustainability strategy, the university sets an example for other institutions and companies. Sustainability is increasingly being understood not just as a sales argument, but as a fundamental principle of entrepreneurial activity that includes both social and ecological aspects.

Sustainable change is not a sprint, but a marathon - and the West Coast University of Applied Sciences has taken the first step that could set a precedent. It remains exciting to see how the Green Office will develop and what impact it could have on the entire campus community.