Builder and Energie 360° team up for district heating
Energie 360° advocates the establishment of distribution centers for district heating. In this way, entire districts could be developed quickly. The example of a committed client and planner in Zurich's Wipkingen district shows that a local association is worthwhile for homeowners.
A community connection to the district heating system is currently being built in Wipkingen. Architect Lucas Schwarz provides the necessary space for this in his newly built apartment building. Energie 360° takes care of the rest, according to the Zurich energy supplier in a report on its website. According to this, the advantage of a local network is that not every property has to be connected individually to the district heating network. More than 60 percent of homeowners would have to get involved in order for it to be worthwhile to develop a neighborhood with district heating. The more heat is supplied, the cheaper it will be for everyone.
Schwarz is convinced that such a community connection will not only pay off ecologically but also financially in the long term: “I see the biggest advantages over heating in the small space requirement, the simple building services and the lower maintenance.” The energy verification is also simplified. In addition, the price of energy in thermal networks remains constant over the years. “That gives me more planning security and independence.” And last but not least, building owners received better financing conditions from banks thanks to certification in the canton’s building energy certificate.
It is about completing the transformation from fossil fuels to sustainable heating energies “as quickly as possible”, Schwarz is quoted as saying. He wishes “that the entire city of Zurich will be heated sustainably by 2050. In my opinion, the expansion of the district heating network is progressing too slowly.”