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Local heating networks offer sustainable energy supply solutions, but their implementation is complex. This article sheds light on the challenges and solutions involved in building such networks - from different temperature requirements in the network to innovative technologies for narrow, historic city centre areas. Read how local heating networks contribute to CO₂ reduction and why careful planning is crucial for success.

Public swimming pools are not only popular and important leisure and sports facilities, but unfortunately also significant cost factors for local authorities. The energy costs for the operation and maintenance of such facilities are high, particularly due to the constant demand for heat and electricity. Many municipalities have even had to close their pools because they were no longer financially viable. We show ways to achieve an environmentally and operating cost-friendly changeover.

Cold local heating networks, which are fed from renewable sources, are a sustainable way of supplying energy. One promising source is groundwater, which can be utilised by geothermal well systems.
This article analyses the basics, advantages and challenges of using groundwater for cold local heating networks.

Contracting is a service that deals with the process of supplying energy to buildings, neighbourhoods or production facilities. Billing is also part of a contractor's tasks. Responsibilities relating to the energy supply and/or increasing the efficiency of buildings are then the responsibility of the contractor. The contractor has the technical expertise and experience to plan, build and operate energy generation systems - such as local heating networks - economically and ecologically. The contractor thus often takes on the role of the traditional municipal utility. 

Local heating networks supply urban neighbourhoods and communities with heating and cooling. They can be fed from different sources and have different temperatures. In this article, we present the different network architectures of local heating networks and highlight their advantages and disadvantages.

We have already reported on ice storage systems in this blog. Back then, we looked at large underground anergy storage systems that supply building complexes such as schools or entire neighbourhoods on a seasonal basis. Now there are new developments on the market that are of interest to owners of detached houses and apartment blocks and make ice storage heating in conjunction with a heat pump attractive even where space is limited. 

The construction industry in Germany is currently struggling with a shortage of skilled workers, difficulties in procuring materials and the interest rate situation - this is slowing down the speed of renovation and construction processes. In addition, the long planning and approval phases play a crucial role in why construction takes so long in Germany. The multitude of regulations and non-standard requirements in Germany's federal system further slows down the process. A simplification and reduction of bureaucracy in the processing of building applications would certainly be desirable.

In the course of the energy transition, heat pumps are becoming the standard for heat supply in private homes and especially in new buildings. They are installed as a decentralised supply solution in the consumer's own front garden or basement. 
High capacity heat pumps are a lesser-known variant. They are used for economical and emission-free heating and cooling in municipal infrastructure, industry and large residential, commercial and business buildings and are installed centrally.

Over the next few years, cities and local authorities in Germany will be obliged to draw up a municipal heating plan and develop climate-friendly, local heat sources in order to integrate them into the heating infrastructure. 
In the search for productive sources, wastewater is increasingly becoming the focus of attention. Especially in densely populated cities and urban centres. Wastewater has a temperature of between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius in the sewer and is available in abundance throughout the day when heat (or cold) is needed. Around ten billion cubic metres of wastewater flow through the German sewer system every year.

Thermal bridges ( also called cold bridges) are all spots in the building through which more heat is lost from the inside to the outside than through the surrounding areas. Heat is therefore lost more quickly there than in other parts of the building. In our blog post, we describe how thermal bridges affect energy efficiency, what their consequences can be and what measures you can take against them during construction and renovation.