Responsible Campus Management
In the summer of 2017, the reinforcement work on the façade of the EA building was completed, as the last of the necessary façade repairs. Final warranty claim-based repairs were also completed, for example to the ornamental reflecting pool. A few minor remodeling measures were undertaken, like relocating interior room dividers, as a result of the universities’ changing needs.
Sustainability
.. isn’t just a buzzword at WU. Together with our “Green Buddies,” employees and students who volunteer as contacts for environment-related issues, we are constantly developing new ideas for increasing sustainability on campus:
- How about a salad made with fresh, organic vegetables and herbs harvested on campus during your lunch break? Sounds impossible, but it’s true. For the WUndergarten project, launched in early 2017, a total of 12 community garden plots, each 3-6 m2 in size, were dug behind the library. Ten of the plots were planted by faculty and staff units, and two plots were assigned to students. The WU gardeners’ efforts soon paid off: tomatoes, cucumbers, and herbs were harvested for tasting.
- Most of the restaurants on campus offer drinks, meals, and snacks to go. This results in a large amount of garbage. In response to a suggestion made by the WU sustainability team, a selection of lunchboxes and thermal coffee and soup mugs were included in the WU Shop collection. Students, faculty, and staff can have their lunchboxes and thermal mugs filled at any on-campus restaurant and help reduce the amount of trash we produce.
- A waste analysis study was conducted at WU in 2017, in cooperation with the Environmental Management and Ecotoxicology program at the Technikum Wien university of applied sciences. The pending results will help us find ways to further reduce the amount of non-recyclable trash produced on campus.
Reading Together
They’re popping up all over Vienna: public bookshelves, where anyone can take away free books, anonymously and without needing a library card. Ideally, users leave a book of their own for every book they take, to ensure there’s always enough reading material for everyone.
Since June, WU now also has a public bookshelf. The WU Free Library was put up on campus across from the Library and Learning Center in a central, publicly accessible, and barrier-free location. The bookshelf is designed to resemble the floor plan of the D4 building and harmonizes perfectly with the campus’ diverse, modern architecture. The WU Free Library was officially opened to the public during the 2017 Summer Celebration.
