Energy-saving building
In order to maintain the ecological quality of our buildings at a high level, the reduction of energy requirements is a central element of our actions, in addition to the use of renewable energies.
Our measures in the area of energy-saving construction:
• Installation of a photovoltaic system on the roof of the Mensa Lichtwiese in cooperation with the TU Darmstadt. The system had an installed capacity of 58.86kW until its temporary partial dismantling in autumn 2017. The dismantling was necessary due to leaks in the canteen roof. After a successful roof renovation by the TU Darmstadt, the system is now largely reinstalled. The roof area is now equipped with high-quality insulation material, which leads to improved energy efficiency of the building.
• For the first time, we installed a solar thermal system on the roofs of our newest residential complex "rest" in Riedeselstraße, which uses solar energy to generate hot water and support the heating system. This contributes to lower gas consumption per capita.
Between 2013 and 2019, various measures to optimise the heating energy demand took place in our largest residential complex, the Karlshof. The renovation of the central heating system played a major role in this. As a result, the on-site combined heat and power unit (CHP), which operates with natural gas by an external service provider, is now optimally utilised. Only when the CHP's output is insufficient on cold days, there comes additional heating fed from the grid.
A comparison of the amount of heat used between the years 2013 and 2019 shows that the refurbishment led to a saving of about 20%:
Total heat consumption in the Karlshof residence hall:
2013: 4,200.49 MWh vs. 2019: 3,345.67 MWh
In addition to the Karlshof, CHP units are also in operation in the dormitories LAB in Berliner Allee and Fair in Nieder-Ramstädter Straße.
The efficient plant technology in our halls of residence offers the possibility to reduce energy consumption from finite resources significantly. With the combined heat and power units there, which are combined heat and power plants that generate electricity and heat at the same time, the waste heat produced during electricity generation is used for heating purposes. Here, one technology can cover several needs at the same time in a resource-saving way. A win-win situation for man and the environment.
You can find more information on this in our sustainability report.
