HAW Hamburg is shaped around applied sustainability as an approach and way of thinking, promoting integrative approaches to sustainable development. HAW Hamburg takes the approach of 'Applied Sustainable Development', and has set up two units that assist in implementing research in the area of Sustainability and Energy: the Competence Centre on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, and the Applications of Life Sciences research and transfer centre. The latter supports practice-oriented research projects and accelerates the transfer of innovative energy projects to practice and implementation. They also host the European School of Sustainability Science and Research, which develops research and teaching collaborations on sustainability science, with a focus on online educational content concerning sustainability science.