A new database has been created which makes it easier to compare energy consumption in buildings in Europe. Data is available from 27 member states of the European Union, Croatia and Serbia. Diagrams enable users to make comparisons between countries at a single glance.  more...

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) are developing an oil vapour burner that enables conventional heating oil to be burnt in a modern condensing gas boiler device. In contrast to conventional oil burners, the new system can be regulated across a wide output range. It is intended to work with low emissions and provide economic benefits.  more...

The former flak bunker in Hamburg-Wilhelmsburg is becoming a symbol for climate protection. The monument, which has hardly been used since the end of the Second World War, is being turned into a renewable power plant with a large-scale heat storage system. It supplies the Reiherstieg District with heat and feeds renewable electricity into Hamburg’s distribution grid.  more...

Energy management systems are designed to reduce the energy consumption in buildings. A design procedure for such control tools is currently being developed in the “enerMAT” project. This is used during the project development stage. This is the phase in which decisions are made about investment and operating costs, energy savings and comfort.  more...

The Solar Decathlon Europe is a competition for homes which cover their annual energy needs using solar power. Within the framework of an exhibition, they are evaluated over several days in operation. This short period of observation is hardly able to ascertain whether they are also able to meet the competition standards in everyday life. Now, a practical test in Wuppertal has provided sufficient evidence. Since the middle of last year, two people have been living in the house developed by the town´s university.  more...

For the competition, 18 interdisciplinary student teams from all over the world developed and built houses that generate at least as much energy – using solar systems – as they consume. They were supported by their universities, researchers and companies. From Germany, students took part from Hochschule Konstanz University of Applied Sciences (HTWG) and RWTH Aachen University, supported with government energy research funds. Whereas the design from Constance has perfected a modular construction system, with the Aachen team the focus is on recycling. After ten disciplines, the two homes achieved 4th and 5th places.  more...

Redeveloping an urban district represents not just an architectural challenge - the tenants behind the facades must also be taken into account. Those involved in the "Weingarten 2020" research project are aiming to meet both demands. With the involvement of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, they have created the first passive high-rise building in a district of Freiburg. A further important milestone was the optimisation of the energy supplies.  more...

The Bavarian municipality of Ismaning is generating increasingly more electricity and heat from local energy sources. During the next few days, pump and injection tests will begin on the new geothermal plant that will continue for several months. At a depth of around 2000 metres, the two wells are extracting more hot water than was originally assumed. The trial operation of the geothermal heat supply can therefore begin.  more...

The privately-owned Hofmühl brewery in Eichstätt is doing it - and so is the Hütt brewery in Kassel-Baunatal. They use solar heat to support their production processes. With around 1,300 breweries in Germany, there is significant potential here for solar-supported brewing processes. The Department of Thermal Power Engineering at the University of Kassel has published a guide on using solar process heat which describes how this potential can be exploited. Now, scientists are following suit with a detailed concept for the sector.  more...

Until now, buildings regularly require more energy and provide less user quality in practice than was to be expected from the installed technology during the planning. That has structural reasons. The naerco research project has investigated this aspect and developed the success contracting concept: pre-defined energy and quality parameters are contracted out as part of a function-based tender. A contractor guarantees their realisation for 15 years. The contractual process also includes continual control of the agreed values and a bonus-malus system.  more...