Hannover actively retrofitting its buildings

Examples include the Lister Bad swimming pool, which as a result of these upgrades is now northern Germany’s largest solar thermal installation.

Additionally, apartment blocks dating from the 1950’s and 1960’s have been insulated to new building standards, and connected to the district heating network.

This effort was accompanied by an awareness raising campaign, in which tenants of the newly retrofitted buildings were educated on how to further reduce energy use by installing energy-efficient lighting in stairwells and cellars.

Energy efficiency programs offer one of the best ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  A large share of fossil fuel use is dedicated to providing the electricity that powers almost all aspect of daily lives.  Globally, 75 percent of all energy is consumed in cities.  For strategies to reduce energy use at the local government, community and individual level, please visit www.iclei.org/ccp.

Hannover is one of 22 local governments in Germany that are currently Members of ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability.  For more information on ICLEI and its activities in Europe, please visit www.iclei.org/europe.

Source:  “Energy efficiency efforts in Hannover”, ICLEI in Europe News, July 2007.

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