Whether water or gas pipes - installation, maintenance and servicing require experienced specialists and cooperation between tradesmen and energy suppliers. Stadtwerke Gießen has been working closely with plumbers from the region for many years. Information events such as the one on 21 May promote professional exchange.
Trade professionals such as gas and water installers must always keep up to date - both technically and legally. They regularly receive support from Stadtwerke Gießen (SWG), which works closely with installation companies in the region. On 21 May 2015, SWG once again informed companies from the supply area about topics such as water sampling in accordance with the current Drinking Water Ordinance, gas installation testing in accordance with the Technical Rules for Gas Installations (TRGI) and the local energy transition.
"We want to help our partner companies at these events and bring them up to date. This is particularly important to us," explained Wolfgang Döring, Head of the Meter Management Group at SWG, during the event on 21 May.
Safety in the home guaranteed
An important criterion for the quality of all installations in the home: experts must check them regularly, modernise them if necessary and adapt them to the legal requirements. According to the current Drinking Water Ordinance, which has been in force since November 2011, landlords must, for example, have all storage drinking water heaters or central flow-through drinking water heaters with a capacity of more than 400 litres tested for legionella once a year - and this must be done at clearly defined sampling points. The experience of the district health authority shows that there is still a need for information in this respect.
Another point: gas pipes that run inside the house must be checked for leaks and serviceability before commissioning. "To be on the safe side, a registered specialist company should repeat the inspection every twelve years," explained Wolfgang Döring. Minor damage or hairline cracks in gas pipes usually go unnoticed by the layman. This is where a professional check as part of the nationwide "Gas ganz sicher" programme can help, for example. The professionals uncover defects, which avoids expensive repair costs and reduces potential dangers for tenants, residents or homeowners.
Energy transition on site
The energy transition is also playing an increasingly important role for plumbing companies. Matthias Funk, the new Technical Director of SWG, addressed this topic in his presentation. Among other things, he outlined how the proportion of primary energy sources used in Giessen is changing. "In future, we will reduce the proportion of fossil fuels such as natural gas and increase electricity and heat generation on a renewable basis," predicted Matthias Funk, citing specific figures: "We are currently at around 20 per cent. Our target for 2020 is just over 45 per cent."
Higher-quality gas requires conversion
Peter Keller, Head of Energy and Water Networks at SWG, addressed the issue that "Germany is running out of natural gas": "The headline is currently circulating in the media and refers to the fact that Germany's natural reserves are slowly running out." However, these resources only cover a tenth of the total demand. The remaining 90 per cent is bought in.
In addition, however, the Netherlands - Germany's second largest supplier of natural gas - also wants to significantly reduce its production from 2020. This means that by 2030, around a third of current sources will probably have to be replaced by alternatives from Russia, Norway or the Middle East. The switch to new supply streams will not be without consequences.
If more gas comes to Germany from Russia in future, this will require major investments in the grid: Almost 300 kilometres of pipelines and numerous compressor stations will have to be built or converted. This is not the only hurdle. Around 4.3 million gas boilers, instantaneous water heaters, cookers and boilers in German households will also have to be converted - increasingly in the north and west of the country. Peter Keller explained the reason for this: "The so-called L-gas from domestic and Dutch deposits has a lower energy content than so-called H-gas from Russia and Norway. In each network area, either one or the other fuel flows exclusively through the pipelines - in northern and western Germany, L-gas is increasingly used. Installers must adjust all appliances in the household accordingly. In most cases, it is sufficient to replace the nozzles, change the electronic settings or adjust the air supply. The number of estimated 450,000 conversions per year throughout Germany alone illustrates the size and importance of the project. Around 35,000 households are affected in the Mittelhessen Netz GmbH grid area. "It will be our turn in 2019 and 2020. Customers will find out exactly when the necessary work is due in good time from us and you - our partner companies," said Peter Keller.