immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: Heizsystem

  • Lake Biel supplies energy for Nidau and Biel

    Lake Biel supplies energy for Nidau and Biel

    Energieverbund Bielersee AG is supplying energy to customers in Nidau and Biel for the first time, according to a press release. To this end, the intermediate circuit connecting the pumping station on Dr. Schneiderstrasse with the energy centre in the Alpha building in Nidau has been constructed in recent weeks.

    The lake water reaches the pumping station via two pipes at depths of 20 and 30 metres. In the energy centre, heat pumps are used to produce hot water for heating systems that are connected to the heating network. The cold, in turn, is channelled via a separate network to the Robert-Walser-Platz area near Biel railway station. A peak load boiler is available for cold days.

    The plans for the use of lake water date back to 2015. in 2020, Energie Service Biel/Bienne founded Energieverbund Bielersee AG, in which the city and the Burgergemeinde Nidau are now also shareholders. The lake pipelines were laid in March 2022 and the shell of the pumping station was completed the following May. In future, the energy centre is to be renovated and the heating network extended towards Ipsach.

  • Lucerne wants to be free of fossil fuels by 2035

    Lucerne wants to be free of fossil fuels by 2035

    The city administration of Lucerne wants to free itself from fossil fuel consumption by 2035. According to a press release from the city, the first step is to replace around 200 service vehicles from petrol and diesel with electric drives by 2030. By the target year of 2035, the heating systems and hot water supplies in the city’s 150 or so properties are also to be converted from oil or gas firing to renewable systems such as heat pumps. Photovoltaic systems are to generate electricity on the roofs of these buildings. This could cover 35 to 40 per cent of the city’s current demand.

    In a recent report, the administration was already able to point to 65 converted properties in the conversion of heating systems that began five years ago. The aim of the heating system conversion is to emit a total of 3300 tonnes less CO2 from 2035. The costs of the conversion are estimated at around CHF 60 million.

    “We are not only calling on other property owners to take action, we are also getting involved ourselves,” Katja Dürst, Head of the Environmental Protection Department, is quoted as saying in the press release.

  • Long-term cost benefits and environmental friendliness of heat pumps

    Long-term cost benefits and environmental friendliness of heat pumps

    The decision to replace or renew a heating system is a long-term investment. Many consumers focus mainly on the initial installation costs, but often neglect to calculate the total costs over the life cycle of the heating system. In a new study, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE have analysed the costs of various heating technologies in existing residential buildings over a period of 20 years. They took into account future energy prices and the development of CO2 prices. Their conclusion: heat pumps and district heating are not only more climate-friendly, but also cheaper than gas heating in the long term.

    The study focused on existing residential buildings and took into account the subsidies that came into force on 1 January 2024 as part of the Building Energy Act (GEG) and the funding guideline “Federal funding for efficient individual building measures”. The researchers assessed the costs of replacing heating systems and analysed the emissions of various technologies.

    “When investing in a new heating system, all expected costs, in particular the energy costs including the CO2 price component, should be taken into account over the entire life cycle,” explains Robert Meyer from Fraunhofer ISE. According to the study, switching to heat pumps or district heating also results in a positive cost balance for old buildings.

    The study showed that heat pumps in single-family homes are not only more environmentally friendly, but also more economically advantageous. The use of photovoltaics for self-consumption can further reduce overall costs. Even in apartment blocks, switching to heat pumps or district heating is more cost-effective than a new gas heating system.

    The study included various heating technologies such as gas condensing boilers, air source heat pumps (with and without photovoltaic systems), geothermal heat pumps, pellet heating systems and district heating. The researchers recommend providing consumers with transparent information on expected emissions and energy prices, including CO2 prices, to facilitate decision-making.

  • Sustainability meets quality of life in Spiez

    Sustainability meets quality of life in Spiez

    This development not only meets the needs of singles, couples and families, but also takes into account the requirements of older people through special structural features. In realising the project, the focus is on both the quality of the construction and the use of sustainable materials, without losing sight of a fair price-performance ratio.

    The design of the residential complex is based on modern architectural principles. It consists of five cloverleaf-shaped main buildings and a final building. This configuration forms a central courtyard that is ideal for communal activities. Star-shaped paths provide access to further green and leisure areas. The project accommodates a total of 81 residential units, the majority of which are for rent and 35 units for sale, including four luxury penthouses and two studios.

    Away from the living spaces, the complex offers numerous amenities such as an underground car park with 96 parking spaces, bicycle and technical rooms and studios. But what makes this project stand out is its commitment to renewable energy. At its heart is an ice storage heating system that completely dispenses with fossil fuels. This innovative system utilises an underground water tank as an energy store, from which energy is generated by a heat pump. A solar air absorber optimises this process, making the project a pioneer in sustainable energy concepts.

  • Cowa receives 1 million francs from investors

    Cowa receives 1 million francs from investors

    In a first round of financing, Cowa Thermal Solutions AG has received over CHF 1 million from private investors and its own founders Remo Waser and Simon Maranda. According to an article on the startupticker.ch portal, the young company based in Lucerne’s Technopark wants to use the fresh capital to market its heating storage system for heat pumps on a larger scale.

    The cleantech start-up is developing a heating storage system with capsules that contain environmentally friendly salts as a phase change material. A tank filled with the capsules can absorb three times more energy than a conventional water tank for heat pumps. According to the information, this makes a heating system less dependent on mains electricity. In addition, unlike batteries or rechargeable batteries, it does not use lithium.

    The storage tank filled with Cowa capsules has been available from the building technology company Meier Tobler since April of this year. According to startupticker.ch, the additional costs for the Cowa product compared to conventional storage systems are quickly balanced out due to the energy density and longevity of 20 years.

    In addition to further scaling on the domestic market, the company would like to expand to Germany soon. Initial talks with potential sales partners have already taken place.