District heating for the upper Seltersweg
At the beginning of May, Stadtwerke Giessen will begin laying district heating pipes in Seltersweg between Westanlage and Goethestrasse.
District heating has been available in large areas of Giessen city centre for many years. In fact, Stadtwerke Giessen (SWG) began building the necessary network back in the 1980s. Always with the clear aim of reducing dependence on fossil fuels and simultaneously reducing climate-damaging emissions.
The expansion of the inner-city district heating network will continue on 6 May. "The development of the last section of Seltersweg between the Westanlage and Goethestrasse has been on our agenda for some time," explains Matthias Funk, Technical Director at SWG. But until now, the necessary conditions for such a project had not been met. Although there were repeated requests for the convenient and environmentally friendly heat supply, they were not on a scale that would have justified the expense. "Expense here refers both to the cost of constructing the pipes and to the disruption caused by the necessary work in Giessen's pedestrian zone," explains Jens Schmidt, Commercial Director of SWG.
Strong demand
It is precisely this cost-benefit ratio that has now changed significantly. It was triggered by a specific enquiry from a local resident who was renovating his property and approached SWG about a district heating connection. A partial branch of the university library and a day-care centre are being built in his residential and commercial building. Because the local building owners are organised in the BID, the Business Improvement District, word got around quickly. "We are hearing a great deal of interest in district heating from our members - especially in light of current developments," summarises Heinz-Jörg Ebert, Chairman of the Seltersweg BID. From the BID's point of view, there are many reasons in favour of this form of heat supply. "The environmental aspect and the question of a sustainable solution play an extremely important role for us," says Markus Pfeffer, Managing Director of the Seltersweg BID, adding: "Commercial tenants in particular are increasingly focussing on thecarbon footprint. Anyone who opts for district heating can tick this issue off the list." A total of 14 owners have ordered a district heating connection - more than half of the residents in Seltersweg between Goethestrasse and Westanlage. "We assume that more will be added in the coming years," says Jens Schmidt.
"With the expansion, SWG is making a safer and more climate-friendly heat supply available in all buildings on Giessen's shopping mile - from Selterstor to the market square - which will definitely enhance Seltersweg. A development that the BID welcomes," explains Heinz-Jörg Ebert. Mayor Alexander Wright - who is also Chairman of the SWG Supervisory Board - also sees the expansion as an investment in the future of Seltersweg. "This will create framework conditions that will enhance the shopping mile as a whole, but also the area surrounding the upper Seltersweg, and make it fit for the future," says Alexander Wright. The mayor pointed out that the recent announcement that the Karstadt shop in Giessen would be retained had already sent a clear signal in favour of Seltersweg. The district heating expansion supports this.
What exactly is happening?
On 6 May, Giessen-based company Faber & Schnepp will begin digging the trench required for the new pipes between Wolkengasse and Kinogasse on behalf of SWG. "We have divided the project into three construction phases," says Matthias Funk, describing the procedure. In the second phase, SWG is working its way from Kinogasse towards the Westanlage. Finally, the section from Wolkengasse to Goethestrasse will follow. "We're talking about around 250 metres of route and 500 metres of pipeline," says Matthias Funk, explaining the scope of the construction work.
To connect the new section of Seltersweg to the existing network, SWG is using an existing pipeline that previously only extended as far as the junction with Wolkengasse. There are also already heating pipes in Goethestrasse. Consequently, the final construction phase will create a so-called ring connection, which is definitely desirable for reasons of supply security. "A ring connection offers the option of supplying an area from two sides. This proves to be extremely helpful, especially in the event of damage," says Matthias Funk, explaining the key advantage.
What goes into the street?
SWG is having two pipe strings laid with an internal diameter of 150 millimetres. Due to the thick insulation, the outer diameter is 250 millimetres. Naturally, the heating specialists at SWG have asked all the other trades in the building whether work is due to be carried out in Seltersweg in the foreseeable future. "In addition to the heating pipes, empty conduits are also being laid in the street," explains Jens Schmidt. And in the third construction phase, SWG is using the work to replace an old medium-voltage cable.
Only three months
The schedule envisages completing all of this in three months so that preparations for the town festival can start on time. In order to ensure this, those responsible at SWG are in close and lively dialogue with Faber & Schnepp, the participating departments of the city of Giessen and the Seltersweg BID. However, these meetings are not just about appointments, but also about other important aspects - such as access to the shops. "All shops in Seltersweg will remain accessible to customers throughout the construction period," says Heinz-Jörg Ebert. In fact, SWG is doing everything it can to minimise the inevitable restrictions associated with the work.