Heidelberg’s Bahnstadt is the size of the city’s entire Old Town, spanning just over a square kilometre (100ha). A former brownfield site, it is now in its final phase of construction. It is Heidelberg’s first passive-house district and one of the largest passive-house neighbourhoods in the world. The development is a testing ground for the most ambitious initiatives of Heidelberg’s Masterplan 100% Klimaschutz (100% Climate Protection Masterplan), which aims to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 95% by 2050. Bahnstadt will be completed in 2022 and has created 6,000 jobs since work began in 2010.
What is special about Heidelberg’s Bahnstadt district?
- All buildings, both public and private, have been constructed according to passive-house standards. Building envelopes are highly thermally insulated, airtight and fitted with triple-glazed windows.
- The district’s street lighting uses LED technology and a tele-management system to adjust lighting to actual demand.
- Smart metres have been installed in more than 3,000 buildings to monitor energy consumption and identify areas for potential savings.
- The district’s energy demand is fully met by a nearby wood-chip combined heat and power station, which is part of the local district heating network.