Offenbach saves energy: gas and electricity consumption reduced by up to 20 percent
01.09.2022 – In response to the low gas supplies from Russia, the city of Offenbach will significantly reduce its overall energy consumption in the fall and winter. Implementation of the measures starts immediately. They relate to public spaces, municipal service buildings and properties, schools and sports facilities and general medium-term measures.
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At a press conference held by the city council, Lord Mayor Dr. Felix Schwenke addressed the serious situation in no uncertain terms: "Like Germany, Offenbach is facing an extraordinary winter. It will be unlike anything the younger generations have experienced so far. There is war in Europe. So far, the people of Offenbach have felt the effects of this mainly through inflation in their wallets. Russia's President Putin has launched a senseless war of aggression without any need and without any threat to Russia. He alone, no one in Brussels, Berlin, Wiesbaden or Offenbach bears responsibility for this. The people in Ukraine are suffering the most. But we in Offenbach will also feel a bit of the cold of war physically this winter," said Mayor Schwenke.
As Russia continues to turn off the gas tap, the city council emphasized how important it is to save as much energy as possible. Mayor and Climate Officer Sabine Groß: "In this situation, it is now up to all of us: If we continue to consume as much energy as before, then Germany will experience a much harsher winter. The fact that the city is now reducing its consumption immediately is an important contribution to ensuring that there is enough gas in Germany for the entire winter if possible."
The city has been saving energy for many years as part of its economical budget management and with the aim of conserving resources sustainably. Schools have been insulated, modern heating systems and economical LED lighting systems have been installed in all renovation and new construction measures, for example as part of the school building renovation program worth several hundred million euros. This also applies to the multi-year energy-efficient refurbishment of the town hall. "Over the past few weeks, we have examined where we can make further savings in the current situation. Our aim is to reduce consumption of all energy sources, especially gas and electricity, by up to 20 percent - with immediate effect. So we are not just pointing the finger at private households, but are also doing our bit as a city," said Mayor Schwenke, adding: "But when - as the saying goes - 'the city' makes savings, then this primarily affects the citizens in many areas. The savings will therefore be felt by everyone. But it's better this way than if there is no gas left at all in the end," said Schwenke.
Less gas and energy consumption also saves a lot of money
As the city's contribution alone will not be enough, Mayor Sabine Groß also called on the business community and the population to support her: "Every measure, no matter how small, ultimately helps to save a great deal in total. This is now really a task for everyone to master the current energy crisis." The drastic rise in prices is also an important incentive to save in the private domestic sector: "Anyone who saves energy now is saving a lot of money at the same time, because the cost of heat and electricity has exploded. Most people will only notice this in their utility bills next year. But then it will be too late to save, because the bills will then have to be paid," appealed Groß, urging people to take countermeasures now.
Coordinated approach by the Hessian municipalities
In view of the Europe-wide crisis, the city has rejected unilateral action in recent weeks, which only confuses citizens. Instead, the City of Offenbach has examined specific savings measures for the public sector and, in coordination with other cities, submitted them to the Hessian Association of Cities and Towns. Until the public presentation of its savings plan, the city has also waited for the recommendations of the EU Commission and the announced requirements of the Federal Government, which were only recently adopted as binding. This ensures a uniform approach and simple, comprehensible regulations for citizens. The general aim is to reduce the consumption of electricity and gas by up to 20 percent. With the energy-saving plan it has now presented, the City of Offenbach is also ensuring that the nationwide requirements of the energy-saving regulations and the recommendations of the Hessian Association of Cities and Towns are implemented.
"In everything that the municipalities decide, it was important to us in the city council that we do not enter into a competition for the biggest measure or the best headline: No one would understand if swimming pools or gyms were closed in one town but not in another. Or if we were to do without Christmas lights on our own. That's why we as the City of Offenbach have submitted numerous proposals to the Hessian Association of Cities and Towns, for which we have now agreed on a uniform approach as a municipal family," explained Mayor Schwenke with regard to the recommendations announced by the Presidium of the Hessian Association of Cities and Towns on August 31. Lord Mayor Felix Schwenke, Mayor Sabine Groß and City Councillor Paul-Gerhard Weiß are also represented on the Executive Committee.
The most important savings measures in brief
With the energy-saving plan it has now presented, the City of Offenbach is simultaneously ensuring the implementation of the nationwide energy-saving regulations and the recommendations of the Hessian Association of Cities and Towns.
Public space
Municipal buildings and properties
Schools and sports facilities
Medium-term measures based on the Hesse-wide recommendations
All federal, state and city energy-saving measures for download:
Detailed explanation of the most important measures in municipal buildings (including schools)
The nationwide requirement to reduce room temperatures in all public buildings to 19 degrees offers great potential for savings. With the Energy Saving Ordinance, the German government has also brought this new target temperature into legal compliance with the Workplace Ordinance until February 28, 2023. "Every degree less reduces consumption by around six percent," explained Stefan Tischberger, responsible for building management at Stadtwerke Offenbach. The previously recommended minimum temperature for offices was 20 degrees, but the setting of the central heating was based on the needs of the employees, as was the case everywhere else: anyone who wanted to could make their office significantly warmer. "As a first step, the heating systems are now being turned down centrally to achieve significant savings. In a second step, we will convert the heating systems so that the offices do not reach more than the maximum temperature," explained Mayor Schwenke.
Common areas in public buildings, such as corridors, foyers or technical rooms, are no longer heated at all. Private heating and air conditioning devices at the workplace will be banned in the city administration and the city group. As a further measure, ventilation systems will be switched off - except in rooms that cannot be adequately ventilated through a window opening. Only the mobile air purification devices in the schools will remain in operation for the time being to protect against infection. Discussions with staff representatives are currently examining a uniform commitment to home office on Fridays in order to be able to extend the continuous weekend reduction of heating to three days. With the exception of citizen services (e.g. citizens' office), the municipal office buildings are also to remain closed between December 23 and January 6.
In line with the recommendation of the Hessian Association of Cities and Towns, the room temperatures at secondary schools will also be lowered from around 21 degrees to 19 degrees. The schools offer the greatest savings potential overall: The outstandingly large amount of two-thirds (66%) of the total annual gas consumption of owned and rented municipal buildings (around four out of six million kilowatt hours) is consumed in school buildings that are heated with gas. Head of Schools Paul-Gerhard Weiß: "In view of the ongoing pandemic, classrooms will have to be ventilated very frequently in winter to protect against infection. This means that the room temperatures we are used to are barely reached anyway. Pupils should certainly not be freezing all day, but this winter it makes even less sense than ever to keep blowing the freshly heated air out of the building."
"The municipal senior citizens' center, the senior citizens' meeting places, all daycare centers and elementary school in the city as well as the Fröbelschule are excluded from all savings measures due to the special situation and age of the children, young people and senior citizens attending there. This group should be spared restrictions for as long as possible," emphasizes Mayor Schwenke in agreement with his council colleagues.
"Swimming pools with school swimming as well as sports and gymnasiums should remain in operation throughout Hesse and therefore also in Offenbach," says Mayor Schwenke. However, the halls and rooms should only be heated to between 15 and 17 degrees in accordance with the recommendations of the Hessian Association of Cities and Towns. Previously, the average temperature in Offenbach's gyms was 19 degrees. Here, too, every degree less saves 6 percent energy. "Lowering the temperature in the sports halls to below 17 degrees may not be much cause for discussion now in summer and early fall. But in winter at the latest, we also have to think about the primary school pupils who have PE lessons there. And it's not just ball sports with lots of movement that take place in the hall: It is also used for sports that involve less physical activity. That is why we have made a regulation for Offenbach that is based on the vacation times and therefore the usage times," explained Mayor Schwenke. To achieve a greater savings effect, the temperature in the halls will initially be lowered to 15 degrees until the end of the fall vacations (October 30). After the fall vacations (from October 31), when it also starts to get cold outside, the temperature will be regulated to 17 degrees until February 28, 2023. This is also the date on which the new federal energy-saving regulations expire. As the halls are used comparatively little during the Christmas vacations and no school sports take place, the temperature will be lowered again to 15 degrees during the vacation period.
The city of Offenbach has also made a similar regulation for the swimming pools, based on the usage and vacation periods. According to the Hessian Association of Cities and Towns, the bathing water should only be 24 to 26 degrees. The Hessian Ministry of Culture recommends 26 degrees for school swimming. According to the head of the sports department, Schwenke, the temperature in the Waldschwimmbad will remain at 24 degrees for the time being until the end of the fall vacations. This reduction was agreed with EOSC chairman Matthias Wörner a few weeks ago to save energy. "24 degrees is already established there, so we want to stay at this temperature until the end of October," says Schwenke. As with the sports halls, the water temperature will be raised to 26 degrees after the fall vacations until February 28, 2023 and then lowered again to 24 degrees during the Christmas vacations when there is no school swimming. The Fröbelschule is exempt from this regulation: "Because the swimming pool at the Fröbelschule is also used as a therapy pool, the water there may generally remain at around 28 degrees," added school department head Weiß.
In accordance with the agreement in Hesse and in coordination with the OFC, the underfloor heating in the stadium on Bieberer Berg will always be switched off. The pitch heating may no longer be used for friendly matches or training.
The hot water in the sanitary facilities in municipal buildings (including secondary schools) will also be switched off. In the municipal sports halls and gymnasiums, the hot water will be switched off wherever this is feasible for hygiene reasons. The background to this is that the halls are not used continuously and the water pipes therefore have to be flushed regularly for hygiene reasons when switching to cold water only - unlike with heated water. According to Stadtwerke, the hot water in 14 school gyms and four sports halls can be turned off at short notice within a month. For a further ten school gymnasiums and two sports halls, this can be implemented in the medium term within six months. Only in eight buildings with sports halls is this technically and legally not possible. Mayor Groß emphasizes: "Switching to cold water in the buildings in question saves around 5 percent energy on average. In addition, however, the city has been acting very far-sightedly for years to reduce the consumption of natural resources. In many buildings that have already been renovated, only cold water flows from the taps at the washbasins. Water taps with a push button have also been installed there, which automatically limit water consumption."
As part of the city's energy-saving measures, hot water is turned off in schools and sports facilities. At some facilities, this is only possible later or not at all. This page provides information on this:
Less gas and less electricity consumption in the urban area
The city also wants to reduce electricity consumption, as electricity in Germany has to be partly generated using natural gas, which means that all energy sources are interlinked. The savings potential here is somewhat lower as, unlike other cities, the city has not had any gas lanterns for many years and is also converting other older light sources to the particularly energy-saving LED technology. Nevertheless, street lighting also offers greater savings potential overall. According to the Hessian Ministry of Economics, street lighting alone accounts for up to 50 percent of a city's total electricity costs. In Offenbach, this lighting is now only switched on and additionally dimmed at slightly higher dusk and therefore on average around three minutes later than previously after dusk. Previously, the streetlights were lit at full power from dusk until 10 p.m. (so-called "half-night operation"). After that, the lights are dimmed at night from 10 pm (night mode). Night-time operation will now become the standard when the lights are switched on at dusk; "half-night operation" will no longer apply.
In line with federal requirements, the exterior lighting of prestigious public buildings will also be switched off. This affects the three museums, the Blue Crane (which will initially be cordoned off for safety reasons), monuments and sculptures, the Old Synagogue, the historic church buildings and other locations, such as the floor lighting at the Stadthof. The Christmas lighting in the city center will be reduced by 50 percent in accordance with a Hesse-wide agreement, but the Offenbach Christmas market can take place. "We are aware that switching off the prestigious outdoor lighting will only have a comparatively small savings effect. Nevertheless, we consider this to be important in terms of symbolism, as it directly sensitizes people to the special situation we are currently in," emphasizes City Treasurer and ESO Head of Department Martin Wilhelm. There will be no changes to the lighting of green spaces, playgrounds, railroad overpasses, tunnels or certain squares: "Lighting is important for people's sense of security in these areas. We are not going to create any areas of fear, which is why we are refraining from switching off or lowering the lights there at this time," says Wilhelm.
An extension of the night-time traffic light shutdowns was also discussed: "In Offenbach, however, this has been done for years where it is justifiable for cost reasons. Around half of the traffic lights are switched off between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., in some cases even a little earlier. A few systems are also switched off during the day at weekends," recalled mobility officer Groß. "An extension is not recommended for reasons of traffic safety. However, with very few exceptions, almost all traffic lights have already been converted to energy-saving LEDs anyway."
In the stadium, the lighting of the hanging advertising system with the name banner will be permanently removed. The ventilation system will be reduced in terms of time and intensity. As the landlord, Stadtwerke is also asking stadium users to do their bit and reduce their electricity consumption, for example when using air conditioning units, refrigerators, lights, washing machines, dryers and other electricity consumers. The duration and temperature of showers should be adjusted to the current situation. Furthermore, the city will do without the ice rink originally planned in the city center this winter to save energy. It is now being examined whether an alternative event is possible to revitalize the city centre that consumes significantly less energy.
Already active in saving money
Even before the concrete savings plans, the city has already implemented the first immediate measures. In addition to the structural measures in schools and LED technology that have been continuously implemented for years, the city has already lowered the bathing temperature in the forest swimming pool in recent weeks, as mentioned above. Energy savings have also been made in other areas, for example in the IT systems of the city administration and municipal utilities: For several weeks now, the server rooms of the city administration have only been cooled down to 23 degrees instead of up to 19 degrees as before. The server rooms of the municipal utilities are also only cooled down to this level.
Medium-term measures of the energy saving plan
In addition to these immediate measures, the medium-term measures of Offenbach's energy-saving plan include the accelerated conversion of streetlights to LED technology and the further energy-efficient refurbishment of buildings. "In terms of electricity consumption, the possibilities are no longer too great, as the city has already paid massive attention to saving energy and costs in all projects in recent years. However, where this has not yet been done, we will continue to implement this consistently," emphasized Weiß, head of the building department.
"If there really isn't enough gas for everyone at the end of the winter, emergency plans will come into effect, which are currently being updated in detail with EVO and the Offenbach fire department, but which cannot prevent homes and water from remaining cold without gas," said Mayor Schwenke. According to EVO, the city is less severely affected than other municipalities, as around half of Offenbach's households are supplied with reliable district heating from EVO power plants - generated primarily from waste, pellets and hard coal. However, this does not help the estimated 20 to 30 percent of Offenbach households that obtain their heat from gas heating systems, according to EVO.
"As a city, we are living up to our responsibility and are also convinced that the citizens will also make their contribution," concluded Mayor Schwenke.
The city continuously collects energy and water saving tips at:
All federal, state and city energy-saving measures for download:
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