These days, the efficient and timely management of buildings used for the provision of services involves keeping a tight control on energy costs and exploiting every opportunity to cut expenditures. An increasing number of companies are including environmental and climate objectives in their business goals. A pan-European efficiency project called “Re-Commissioning – Raising Energy Performance in Existing Non-Residential Buildings,” which is being coordinated by the Graz Energy Agency, aims to save energy and costs in 11 complex service buildings in 8 European countries. One of the project partners is the Stuttgart-based Steinbeis Transfer Center for Energy, Building and Solar Engineering (EGS).
Conserving energy doesn’t always require large investments. In larger, complex service buildings, often the most economic and profitable way to save is through technical or organizational optimizations, i.e., the way energy devices are operated, or encouraging more economical use of energy.
The target of the 33-month EU project is to achieve primary energy savings of at least 10% through “low-or-no-cost” measures. The aim is to bring together and network individual parties – users, technicians, management – and thus achieve better results than if each party worked individually.
The Steinbeis Transfer Center for Energy, Building and Solar Engineering is participating in the project working out energy saving measures in the BGU Ludwigshafen, a trade union trauma clinic. The clinic uses around 30,000 MW hours of energy per year. Its annual energy bill is around € 2.5 million. The clinic belongs to a network of 12 clinics in the statutory accident insurance program and is one of the biggest trauma clinics in Europe.
Dr.-Ing. Boris Mahler
Ursula Knapp
Steinbeis Transfer Center Energy, Building and Solar Engineering (EGS, Stuttgart)
The new Stuttgart city library covers an area of 11,500 sq m (123,785 sq ft) and houses around half a million books, films and other media. To tour the new building, which was designed by the Korean architect Eun Young Yit, visitors can use a digital guidance and information system developed by netvico, a company supported by Steinbeis.
Modern touchscreen stations, ideally suited to the futuristic cube design of the building, have been installed throughout the premises – from the basement to the eighth floor.
The digital signage has been carefully positioned in the reception area, near elevators and near the stairs. These electronic visitor guides provide an overview of the topics on each building level, floor plans highlighting selections made by the user, and search functions extending to the display shelf numbers. At the top of the screen, moving banners highlight events and featured books.
The aim is for the new Stuttgart library to not only impress visitors with its architecture but also with its service. Depending on user requirements, the futuristic information system can provide information, incite emotion or inspire. The project was delivered by netvico in collaboration with Totems Communication.
Birgit Neusser
netvico GmbH (Stuttgart)
info@netvico.com
Manfred Mattulat
Steinbeis-Beteiligungs-Holding (Stuttgart)
su0550@stw.de
A German scholarship program was launched at all German universities in the summer semester of 2011. The program provides backing for one year to gifted students, who can claim up to € 300 per month, not depending on other income. To qualify, students must demonstrate outstanding academic performance, a commitment to social causes, or have successfully overcome major setbacks on a personal or academic level. The Steinbeis Research Center for Electrical Networks and Regenerative Energy Sources is currently funding three scholarships at Ottovon- Guericke University in Magdeburg.
The initial goal of the German scholarship fund is to back around 160,000 students – around 8% of all students. Fifty percent of the scholarship comes from public funding; the rest comes from private sponsors.
In the first round of scholarships, 52 students at Otto-von-Guericke University were selected to receive support for one year from 38 companies and sponsors. The Steinbeis Research Center for Electrical Networks and Regenerative Energy Sources, which is headed up by Professor Dr.-Ing. habil. Zbigniew Antoni Styczynski, is currently funding three talented students studying mechatronics and math. Martí Puy Ruiz is studying mechatronics in his fourth semester. In his leisure time, he is interested in physics and sings in a choir. Sebastian Günther is also studying mechatronics in his third semester and is a member of a university association called Formula Student Teams UMD Racing. He is also a volunteer for THW disaster relief. Norman Zergänge is studying math, majoring in physics and economic science. He is also a local councilor in the small town of Bördeaue.
Professor Dr.-Ing. habil.
Zbigniew Antoni Styczynski
Steinbeis Research Center Electrical Networks and Regenerative Energy Sources (Magdeburg)
Steinbeis mourns the loss of the former Chairman of the Steinbeis Foundation Board, Professor Hans-Joachim Förster, who passed away on March 4th.
Hans-Joachim Förster was Chairman of the Steinbeis Foundation Board from 1982 until 1991. As well as providing professional and generous support to the Steinbeis Foundation in its early years, his personal commitment and determination were an example to everyone at Steinbeis.
Hans-Joachim Förster was born in Wrocław in 1916. He studied Machine Engineering at Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences, and in 1942, he went to work at Daimler-Benz in Stuttgart. After returning from captivity in the Second World War, Förster worked in the development department at Daimler, where he was made responsible for the development of automatic transmissions and power steering – a topic to which he dedicated his working life. Förster was made head of the measurement center in 1967 and all research in 1969. In 1983, by now a director, he entered retirement.
In parallel to his successful career in industry, Förster had a lively interest in science. In 1952, he gained a Ph.D. at the Karlsruhe Technical College where he qualified as a lecturer in 1965. After 1965, he regularly lectured on power transmissions. Förster’s varied interests were also reflected in his numerous lectures and publications. He was also a member of a variety of committees. We are deeply indebted to Hans-Joachim Förster, who was a close friend of Steinbeis for many years. He was a highly reliable partner who made valuable contributions to the long-term development of the Transfer Network and we will have many fond memories of him.
Steinbeis Foundation (Stuttgart)
stw@stw.de