Environment

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

People need the environment

Environment

In times gone-by, being an ecologist meant fighting for the rights of wild animals and plants to survive on a planet dominated by human activity. Today we are aware that we ourselves are a part of nature, that anything that harms the environment will ultimately harm us too, and that the very existence of human life depends on preserving a balanced global ecosystem.

 

The applied research community recognized these facts a long time ago. Nearly every different scientific discipline is involved. And whenever a new problem begins to emerge, Fraunhofer research scientists and engineers immediately set to work on finding solutions.

Targeted action based on reliable measurements

Metrology has an essential role to play in protecting the environment. It enables us to identify potential and actual problem areas, assess the need for action, and determine what has to be done. By developing solutions such as an analysis laboratory miniaturized to the size of a microchip and portable spectrometers, Fraunhofer scientists and engineers can provide rapidly deployable instruments for use anywhere in any situation.

Ecological product design

Certain toxic materials in electronic equipment have prompted the introduction of laws requiring manufacturers to take their products back for disposal at the end of their service life. Foresighted manufacturers integrate recyclability into the design of their products. Modular design and the use of less toxic substitute materials, for example, reduce the problems arising and the cost involved.

Peace and quiet for people and the environment

Noise pollution is a feature of modern life which affects people personally and directly, damaging their health and impacting their lives. Fraunhofer researchers are working on promising solutions, including active vibration damping by means of adaptronics, which attacks a great deal of this noise at its mechanical source.

Process optimization saves money and protects the environment

The best way to reduce industrial pollution is to design processes that prevent the emission of pollutants from the outset. This is where the skills of Fraunhofer’s process engineering experts can be applied to great effect. In numerous projects, they have succeeded in optimizing processes to reduce the consumption of resources and lower emissions, thereby protecting the environment while at the same time cutting costs.

Saving energy helps to preserve resources

The same principles apply to energy. Any reduction in consumption on the production side not only saves money but also reduces the burden on the environment. This is because burning fossil fuels releases CO2, the greenhouse gas regarded as the main cause of climate change. However, the energy consumed by a product during its service life must also be taken into account. Fraunhofer researchers are therefore seeking to reduce the power consumption of electrical appliances in standby mode and to reduce automobile fuel consumption through the use of lightweight construction techniques.

 

There are many ways of protecting our natural environment. However, all applied research carried out to meet this objective shares the same basic maxim: To protect the environment is to protect human life.