IfaS (Institute for Applied Material Flow Management in in Trier university of applied sciences）
Introduction
IfaS Institute, one of Europe’s most renowned educational sites on the circular economy, has successfully operated one of the world’s first Net Zero Carbon Campuses, as a European leader, for 30 years. The Institute’s goal is to contribute to the sustainable optimisation of regional and operational material flows in concrete and practice-oriented projects on a global scale.
R&D services focus on the comprehensive optimisation of material flows such as biomass, water, waste, energy and resources. Material flow management supports sustainable economic approaches to closed material cycles and the implementation of zero-emission strategies.
Government Consulting Service
IfaS has been commissioned by the European Union, Germany and other national government agencies to develop regional sustainability projects, including setting energy targets and energy efficiency standards, developing energy strategies, and establishing waste recycling systems and sustainable transportation systems. Many innovative measures have been implemented, such as standardised models for renewables-based decentral hybrid energy systems, and climate protection concepts for public buildings.
IfaS is also actively involved in various projects in China on behalf of the government. Dr. Peter Heck, the managing director of IfaS, was invited in 2004 by the Chinese government to be one of the five international experts of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED). He has also been specially appointed as an international expert for the China Circular Economy Program of the World Bank.
Company Consulting Service
In addition, through different formats of knowledge transfer and project development (webinars, train-the-trainer, material flow and efficiency analyses, energy concepts, etc.), IfaS can drive sustainable transformation of companies.
IfaS aims at creating customized circular resilience roadmaps for different companies by the combination of different modules: transformation key points analysis, basic condition assessment, strategy perspectives workshop, continuous implementation support, etc.
IfaS is also establishing energy efficiency networks between companies. Every participating company defines an energy goal to be reached during the project time and exchanges their experience regarding efficient energy use. The IfaS institute offers services to the network, such as optimization of energy systems, identification of energy-saving potentials, and development of innovative financing instruments.