“Achieving carbon neutrality in the building stock – that’s not just a goal, it’s a major challenge that we all face. As a university, we meet this task by training young people in sustainable building technology, among other things, but also with research and knowledge transfer to companies,” says Prof. Sebastian Fiedler, Dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering at Lübeck University of Applied Sciences. “There is great potential in the exchange of experiences and networking between the actors in Schleswig-Holstein,” adds Fiedler.
The symposium “Challenge of climate-neutral housing stock” offered exactly this framework: keynote speeches, in-depth discussions and networking opportunities. “New projects will emerge from the newly gained network with so many industries. In this way we can make a contribution to ensuring that the country of the energy transition also becomes the country of the heat transition,” explains Dr. Sinje Keipert-Colberg, Energy and Industry Advisor at the Lübeck Chamber of Industry and Commerce, explains the thinking behind the symposium. According to the EU Commission, all buildings in the EU should be climate-neutral by 2050. For the real estate industry, this means that particularly inefficient buildings that belong to efficiency class G will have to be renovated by 2030,” adds Franziska Okunneck, officer for location policy at the Lübeck Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
However, training, innovative ideas and good economic concepts are not enough to make the housing stock climate-neutral. “The trades play a central role in the energy transition. Skilled trades are needed to insulate buildings, renew heating systems or install photovoltaics,” emphasizes Raphael Lindlar, Commissioner for Innovation and Technology at the Lübeck Chamber of Crafts. “In addition to classic training and further education, new approaches are also required in order to solve the capacity problem in particular.”
What about the building stock?
Prof. Dietmar Walberg, honorary professor at the Lübeck University of Applied Sciences and managing director of the Working Group for Contemporary Building eV, explained how the building stock is set up today Building stock.” It is interesting to note that private single-family homes have poorer energy efficiency classes than rented properties. Arne Kleinhans provided inspiration from his Building and Housing department of the Schleswig-Holstein (SH) Ministry of the Interior, Municipal Affairs, Housing and Sport. He explained how the Land SH supports the transformation of the building stock. With regard to the heat transition, Milena Schulz-Gärtner, head of the heat transition department in the Ministry for Energy Transition, Climate Protection, Environment and Nature of the State of Schleswig-Holstein, made it clear: “Sensible planning of the heat transition can only take place on site.”
Following the welcome address by Jörg Sibbel, State Secretary in the Ministry of the Interior, Municipal Affairs, Housing and Sport of the State of Schleswig-Holstein, and the keynote speeches, the participants exchanged ideas at four themed tables. The experts spoke about energetic renovation, renewable electricity and grid services, building-related and grid-connected heat.