INATECH: engineering science
for more sustainability
Portrait of the institute
Research for the future:
materials, energy systems and resilience
Research Details
Study. Sustainable. Technology.
... in a charming university town.
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INATECH: develop sustainable technologies for the future, today

Five Fraunhofer institutes, the University of Freiburg and a common goal: to establish sustainability as the guiding principle in the development of technical systems.

Engineering science for sustainability

The Institute for Sustainable Systems Engineering (INATECH) researches and develops engineering solutions as driven by current sustainability challenges. Sustainable materials, energy systems and resilience stand at the center of the program.

Today’s needs and future generations are the focus

Together with partners and interest groups from the private and public sectors, INATECH is involved in interdisciplinary research projects: develops methods, models, materials, technologies, demonstrators, and technical systems that will meet the needs of today’s and future generations.

From fundamental research to industrial solutions

INATECH is an equal partnership between the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg and the five Freiburger Fraunhofer institutes. This foundation is unique in the research field, a structure that covers the entire spectrum from fundamental research to industrial application.

Sustainable Systems
Engineering

INATECH researches and develops Sustainable Systems.

Its objective is to design systems that use energy and resources efficiently, at a rate that does not impact the environment negatively and so allows future generations to meet their needs.

Its areas of focus are sustainable materials, energy systems and resilience.

Sustainable materials

Research into the efficient use of energy and resources, and the development of materials, machine components and systems

Energy systems

Development of system solutions for sustainably supplying society with renewable, reliable and sufficiently available energies as well as the efficient handling and storage of energy

Resilience

Engineering methods to ensure systems of high social importance are robust and adaptable in the face of short- and long-term changes such as natural catastrophes and climate change

Establishing sustainability as the guiding principle in the development of technical systems

This is the vision of INATECH. To this end, its contribution to international research is headed by a professorial staff of globally renowned, award-winning scientists.

Figure: The interaction of the main research areas along the value-creation chain. While the study of Sustainable Materials is focused on basic materials and machine components, Energy Systems and Resilience Engineering cover issues around systems, infrastructures and networked infrastructures.