Reference projects

The cities of the Aachen region have set themselves the target of reducing CO2 emissions by 40% by 2020 (reference year 1990). However, these climate protection objectives cannot be achieved merely with the energy-efficient renovation of the existing buildings. Hence, it is important to address the utilisation of the buildings.

This calls for the involvement of all the parties involved: school administrators, caretakers, teachers, pedagogical staff in the day-care centres, children, pupils and parents as well as the cleaning staff. The project runs in cooperation with the school administration, the office for youth and families counselling, the real estate administration, the education office and the climate protection office of the Aachen region. The climate protection project was funded by the Federal Environment Ministry from 2011 to 2015. The "Active for the Climate" initiative provides offers for teachers, educational staff in daycare centres and caretakers in the Aachen region.

The wertsicht team identifies energy-saving options on site and find customised ways to integrate them into everyday school and daycare life. Energy cost savings and climate protection related activities are rewarded through a bonus system.

You can find more information at www.aktivfuersklima.de.

More than 40 organisations with more than 100,000 members want to bring citizens, environmentalists, associations and societies, educational institutions and companies as independent and expert contact partners as well as centres for environment conferences and training courses into the centre of Düsseldorf - the heart of the state - to the centre of the environmental awareness.

We can assume that in the coming years there are still many bold decisions to be made in order to advance environmental and climate protection in the city and the state. This is easier to achieve through dialogue and understanding among our stakeholders, and especially the general public. Focusing on the environment can promote climate and environmental protection and sustainable development of society. The buildings themselves should be a landmark and a beacon for energy-efficient and ecological construction.

In 2015, on the basis of an analysis of the interests of some 70 environmental organisations, wertsicht drew up an environmental management, utilisation and financing strategy for the centre. Since 2017 we have been supporting the implementation of this flagship project.

You can find more information at www.umweltinszentrum.de.

On Friday, 17 November 2017, the schools of the city of Geilenkirchen organised the first "Warmen-Pulli-Tag" action day coinciding with the 23rd World Climate Conference in Bonn as a sign of their contribution to climate protection.

Not only it is political decision-makers who have an influence on CO2 emissions and the associated impact on the environment, but every single citizen is also called upon to make a contribution. True to the motto: Think globally, act locally, the "Warmer Pullover Day" has taken place.

On 17 November 2017, all children and adults of the schools in Geilenkirchen put on warm sweaters and adjusted the heaters to reduce the room temperature by one degree Celsius. Not only was the motivational action intended to make a direct contribution to climate protection by consuming less energy and thus protecting the earth's finite resources, but it was also intended to encourage consideration: How warm and cozy do we really need it? Isn't a warm sweater sufficient in the cold season, if you make a conscious contribution to climate protection and at the same time save money?

The Geilenkirchen comprehensive school has declared this day as a supplement to the "energy transition" project day. The mayor of Geilenkirchen also supported the "Warm Pullover Day" and was a guest at the comprehensive school on this special day.

The leitmotif and objective of this programme is to work together towards sustainability. Companies are individually and jointly guided towards developing and implementing specific measures that can quantifiably relieve the burden on the environment and the climate. ECOPROFIT provides practical support for the long-term development of companies.

Since 2008, the state capital Düsseldorf and the state NRW have enabled Düsseldorf companies to participate in the ECOPROFIT starter programme and thereby to join the ECOPROFIT network. The annual energy saving report of the 59 Düsseldorf ECOPROFIT companies:

• 32 million kWh of energy (equivalent to the energy consumption of 1,682 three-person households)
• 13,600 t CO2 (equivalent to the CO2 emissions of 1,495 people)
• 108,000 m² of water and just under 200 t of waste
• 48,000 € average annual cost savings for each company

Value analysis is carried out on behalf of the City of Düsseldorf by the beginners' relay team and the ECOPROFIT-Club.

You can find more information at www.duesseldorf.der/oekoprotit.