VDI ZRE - Centre for Resource Efficiency

The VDI Centre for Resource Efficiency (VDI ZRE) is a company of the VDI group and was funded by the National Climate Initiative of the German Federal Environment Ministry (BMU) until June 2019. The BMU budget now includes a separate budget item to finance the Centre.

The core task of the Centre for Resource Efficiency is to provide comprehensive information on green technology and on material and energy-efficient process solutions for a general audience. This aims in particular to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to use resources more efficiently.

Greater resource efficiency ensures that businesses can maintain their competitive positions and secure jobs. Increased resource efficiency makes Germany more attractive as a business location, conserves natural resources that are indispensable for industry production and protects the environment through higher raw material productivity and the reduction or prevention of waste.

The VDI ZRE has developed a host of information materials to demonstrate to businesses the wide range of steps that can be taken to improve resource efficiency. These materials include short films, resource checks, a database with examples of best practices and a cost calculator to identify the cost drivers within a business. Specially tailored courses on resource efficiency are offered to employees and consultants in the form of qualification seminars. VDI ZRE is also actively involved in standardisation work.

In addition, the VDI ZRE is the central point of contact for the resource efficiency network (Netzwerk Ressourceneffizienz – NeRess). This network brings together stakeholders from politics, businesses, associations, professional associations, trade unions, academia and public organisations at federal and land level. The network organises a series of events entitled "Resource efficiency at local level" to facilitate an exchange of experience on specific issues at regional level. Network conferences are also held once or twice a year in Berlin to share ideas and information.

The Centre's resource efficiency's instruments for the evaluation and identification of resource efficiency potential can be found on their website and can be accessed by the public free of charge.