Heat less to save energy: the 19-degree rule applies to public buildings, corridors should not be heated at all. Saving potential also lies in the optimization of the heating systems.
Magdeburg (dpa/sa) - Saxony-Anhalt is gradually optimizing more heating systems in its state properties in order to save energy and costs. In 2020, heat consumption in twelve properties was reduced by almost 945,000 kilowatt hours and in 2021 by 3.9 million kilowatt hours in 76 properties, according to a response from the state government to a small question from Green Party member Dorothea Frederking. All in all, this corresponded to financial savings of almost 265,000 euros. Not all accounts are available yet.
For the coming heating period, a further 62 properties, especially those belonging to the police, would be subjected to such optimization. It also included the district court of Magdeburg and the state parliament building as well as the Ministry of the Environment in Magdeburg.
This means that some of the state properties have so far been included in the optimization measures. According to the information, Saxony-Anhalt owns 2134 of its own properties with a total of 3469 buildings, which it does not all manage or manage itself. The state office for construction and property management has direct access to the management and control of the heating systems for around 1000 buildings that are operated in the tenant-landlord model.
About 375 buildings are currently part of the so-called energy saving contracting. It started with the biggest energy consumers. But there are also hundreds of buildings such as garages, transformer houses and bicycle sheds that are not considered relevant to energy savings.
Green MEP Frederking stated: "The lever of heating control settings, which does not even require investment, is extremely effective." With it, fuels such as gas, climate-damaging emissions and costs could be saved relatively easily on a considerable scale.
"The state government must ensure that this instrument and other heat-saving measures are extended to all suitable of the 3,469 state-owned buildings as quickly as possible," says Frederking. Together with the maximum heating temperature of 19 degrees in public buildings, the previous heat savings in state buildings are a good starting point for achieving the federal government's gas saving target of 20 percent, explained the MP.
