Stadtwerke also announce measures This is how energy is to be saved in Bonn
Bonn · It's getting dark in Bonn: The Bonn city administration has announced that it will reduce energy consumption with the help of extensive measures. The Stadtwerke Bonn is now following suit with further measures.
The City Hall is in darkness, as is the City Hall in Beuel and the Arndt Museum: a walk through nocturnal Bonn on Thursday evening already gave an impression of what citizens will be facing in the coming weeks. This is because the exterior lighting of representative buildings will be completely switched off with immediate effect.
This is only one of numerous measures announced by the city of Bonn last Friday afternoon, which are intended to save energy immediately in the context of the current crisis. In this way, the federal city wants to prepare for a possible gas shortage in autumn and winter. "Every kilowatt hour of electricity and gas saved helps to cope with the difficult times we are facing," explains Lord Mayor Katja Dörner.
The city of Bonn has decided on these measures
Not only the exterior lighting of representative buildings will be switched off with immediate effect: In future, interior lighting will only be switched on during operating hours, and traffic routes will only be illuminated when necessary. Throughout the city, fluorescent tubes are to be replaced by LED tubes.
In addition to the lighting, the air-conditioning systems in city buildings are to be throttled back to 26 degrees Celsius. The heating period will be set from 17 October (end of autumn holidays) to 31 March; only during this period will heating be provided in municipal buildings. The room temperature should then be 19 degrees Celsius. Exceptions apply to day-care centres and primary schools.
According to the city, only cold water will be available at the hand-washing sinks in the administration buildings, and the operation of the lift systems in the municipal building will be reduced. Lighting as well as heating, cooling and ventilation systems are to be checked in all municipal buildings and optimised where possible. In the course of the measures that have now been adopted, the city administration is expanding the possibility of using home offices.
Citizens will also feel the effects of the energy-saving measures in the municipal swimming pools: according to the administration, the outdoor swimming pool season in Bonn will end on Sunday, 4 September 2022, regardless of the weather. The water temperature will be reduced by one to two degrees in the indoor swimming pools that will be open from the following day. Due to their cooling effect on the city climate, fountains and water features will only be turned off after the summer heat period.
A task force of the city administration has worked out the measures, and others will follow if necessary. But it is not only the city of Bonn that is preparing for a possible gas shortage. "One thing is sure: compared to last year, we will definitely save electricity and not light up any house facades," explains Maike Reinhardt from Bonn City Marketing with a view to the "Bonn leuchtet" event. Whether it will take place in a different form or not at all will be decided in September.
Stadtwerke also announce measures
The buildings of the Stadtwerke Bonn (SWB) will appear less bright at night from now on. This includes, for example, the combined heat and power plant (HKW) North on Karlstraße, SWB announced this Thursday. Among other things, the illumination of lettering and logos will be dispensed with there for the time being. According to the management, the waste incineration plant (MVA) of the public utility company will also only be illuminated at night where it is necessary for safety reasons.
According to SWB subsidiary and network operator Bonn-Netz, the reduced lighting in the city reduces energy consumption by about 47,000 kilowatt hours. That is as much as about 140 households with three to four residents in Bonn consume each year for their own lighting.
In the car parks of Bonn City Parkraum (BCP), the lighting is also turned down at night. The lights on the various floors are controlled manually by the staff and only switched on when needed, he says.
Telekom wants to reduce office space significantly
The big companies in Bonn and the region are also following suit, including Deutsche Post. "It is not only because of the current situation that we have energy-saving concepts at all locations, in Bonn and but in the surrounding area," explains press spokesman Dirk Klasen. "In addition, our respective branches decide on site which additional measures are possible." In Bonn itself, for example, the nocturnal light art at the Post Tower had already been switched off some time ago.
Telekom has also announced that it will implement further energy-saving measures. Already in the second quarter, the company's electricity consumption was reduced by 14 percent compared to the same period last year. CEO Timotheus Höttges said on Thursday: "With a view to the coming winter, we are constantly checking what is feasible in the short term." Among other things, the reduction of office space, which is regularly vacant due to hybrid work options, should help. In the coming years, Telekom therefore plans to dispose of up to 50 per cent of its office space, including at the Bonn site.
