Shutdown between Christmas and New Year

Dear members of the university,
dear colleagues,

As in previous years, Leuphana University of Lüneburg will again implement a shutdown between Christmas and New Year this year. Due to climate change, the aim is to save as much energy as possible over the Christmas vacations without significantly affecting university operations.

All university buildings on the central campus and the Rotes Feld campus will therefore be closed between December 24 and January 1, with the exception of Building 10. The heating systems in the buildings will be throttled back during this period.

Employees who cannot or do not wish to take vacation or flexitime during the shutdown period are required to use the options of mobile working and teleworking for the full extent of their weekly working hours during this period, provided their work permits this. This regulation applies to all employees, irrespective of the otherwise individually agreed regulations on mobile working and teleworking.

Employees who are unable to take advantage of mobile working or teleworking, vacation or flexitime for business or private reasons will be given the option of an individual solution. The employees concerned should send an informal notification of their requirements to Building Management (technik@leuphana.de) and the Staff Council (personalrat@leuphana.de) in good time.

In order to save as much energy as possible during the shutdown, please observe the following instructions on your last day of attendance before Christmas:

1. Please set the thermostat valves of the radiators in the offices to level 1. coordinate with the teams for turning down the thermostats in the tea kitchens, corridors and toilet rooms.
2. Please switch off electrical devices (computers, monitors, printers, coffee machines, etc.). If possible, use switchable socket strips or pull the plugs out of the socket to avoid stand-by consumption.
3. If possible, please also use the shutdown period to defrost the refrigerators for food. Please remember to leave the switched-off fridges ajar to avoid unpleasant odors.

You can find a checklist for preparing for the shutdown and other tips for saving energy here: https://www.leuphana.de/intranet/nachhaltigkeit/umwelthandbuch/strom-waerme.html

Thank you very much for your joint efforts and understanding. We wish you a relaxing holiday season and a good start to the new year 2024.

With best regards

Christian Brei
Executive Vice President

Irmhild Brüggen
Sustainability Officer