Fraunhofer IMS sets standards in energy management

Reinraumflächen gehören zu den besonders energieintensiven Bereichen des Instituts. © IMS / Cleanroom areas are among the most energy-intensive areas of the institute. © IMS

With this certification, the IMS is committed to systematically increasing energy efficiency and reducing energy consumption - an important step towards sustainable resource utilisation and climate protection. The ISO 50001:2018 standard defines a structured framework for energy management that enables organisations to continuously monitor and optimise their energy consumption.

Due to its industry-related semiconductor research, the IMS is one of the larger energy consumers within the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. This step is therefore of particular importance. By introducing an energy management system (EnMS), the IMS is taking on a pioneering role and making a significant contribution to the implementation of the Fraunhofer climate strategy, which aims to significantly reduce the company's carbon footprint by 2030. 

Sustainable measures to reduce CO₂ emissions 

As part of the energy management system, the IMS has introduced various measures to increase energy efficiency. These include modernising the clean room with new ventilation technology, which saves 740 MWh of electricity and 360 MWh through heat recovery every year - this corresponds to a reduction of 65 tonnes of CO₂. Another measure is the renewal of the compressed air generation system, which saves 350 MWh of electricity and 290 MWh of district heating per year, reducing CO₂ emissions by 33 tonnes. With these steps, the IMS is making an important contribution to conserving resources and actively supporting the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft's climate targets.

‘The successful ISO 50001:2018 certification is a milestone on our path to greater sustainability,’ says Prof Dr Anton Grabmaier, Director of Fraunhofer IMS. ‘It confirms our efforts to combine technological innovation and environmentally conscious behaviour by paying particular attention to the energy consumption of cleanrooms. We are thus taking on a key role in the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft.’

However, this is just the beginning: the institute plans to introduce further measures to increase energy efficiency and expand the use of renewable energies.