North Rhine-Westphalia: NRW throttles heating in state buildings to 19 degrees

Düsseldorf (dpa / lnw) - Ministries and authorities in NRW should only be heated to a maximum of 19 degrees.

North Rhine-Westphalia: NRW throttles heating in state buildings to 19 degrees

Düsseldorf (dpa / lnw) - Ministries and authorities in NRW should only be heated to a maximum of 19 degrees. In addition, among other things, the hot water supply should be "limited to necessary areas", according to a decision by the cabinet, which the state-owned construction and real estate company (BLB) is now to implement. The "Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger" had previously reported on the paper.

Background: Since September 1st, a federal ordinance has been in force that regulates, for example, the heating of public buildings. Depending on how the objects are used, the heating should only be between 16 and 19 degrees. Where people work hard, even only at 12 degrees. The cabinet around Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) has compiled further "recommendations and measures for the energy-optimized operation of state office buildings".

According to the paper, employees should no longer be able to change the temperature themselves. Heating systems should be checked and optimized again before winter. Air conditioning systems should run shorter, blinds should be lowered automatically. While the federal government is already restricting outdoor lighting, "the operation of indoor lighting" is also to be optimized in NRW. For example by motion detectors.

Many ministries had already taken short-term measures on their own in the past few weeks and had already anticipated parts of the cabinet decision. According to a spokesman for the responsible Ministry of Finance, the BLB should now be commissioned to implement all measures - including federal requirements - in the buildings "for which it is responsible as the operator or landlord."