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Climate Seeks Protection in Heidelberg
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The structural framework of Heidelberg's climate policies is laid out in the climate protection programmes of 1992 and 2004. The Heidelberg Round Table Climate Protection and Energy comprises representatives from the business world, housing associations, trade partners, architects, the university, the public utilities service and the local authority. Members meet twice a year to deliberate on guidelines of the Heidelberg policy and to draft new projects. It was at this roundtable that the 2004 Heidelberg climate protection programme and the Heidelberg standard were developed.
Since 1995, the city's environmental agency has been running the socalled E-Team Project. It introduces the younger generation to the concepts of energy and the environment at an early age, encouraging them to save energy, avoid CO2 emissions and thus relieve the local authority's budget by promoting a responsible attitude to building use. A total of 19 schools now participate in the project of which three are certified under EMAS and have built up an environment management system. Thermal solar and photovoltaic systems have been installed by the environmental agency in many schools, which are then integrated into lessons and project days to demonstrate solar energy production.
One new project is the Sport Environment Team, which implements technical optimisation measures in the buildings and sensitises association members to environmental issues.
Picture credit: City of Heidelberg
The Bahnstadt District Urban Planning Energy and Heat Supply Concept
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An integral part of the overall plan for the revamping of Heidelberg's railway station district, Bahnstadt, was the development of an energy plan:
- The development of Bahnstadt would be completed wholly according to passive house standards, with the city of Heidelberg making subsidies available for this.
- Heat will be supplied via district heating, obtained entirely from renewable energies such as geothermal and biomass heat production plants.
- Together with the city of Heidelberg, the developer EGH is planning for an energy-efficient, futuristic district and implement a consultancy concept for the builders.
- An electricity-saving concept would be drawn up for Bahnstadt, which takes structural optimisation into consideration, particularly with regards to summer heat protection.
With this, Bahnstadt has become the largest passive house building project in the world. The city of Heidelberg considers the energy concept as an economically viable option and a good marketing opportunity.
Picture credit: City of Heidelberg
