Reorientation of a town
(Saxony)
Source: Stadtverwaltung Ostritz
Ostritz is situated between Görlitz and Zittau in the "Three Country Triangle" on the German-Polish-Czech border. In 1990 it had around 4,000 inhabitants. As a result of the economic changes in the time after German Reunification, and due to the demographic changes, Ostritz has now shrunk to a population of around 2,700.
The town and its surrounding areas had a heavily industrialised character until 1989. Emissions from the nearby brown-coal power plants, the local textile industry and the lack of sewage plants severely damaged the environment and the region's reputation.
Since 1990, the town has been working to change the situation by implementing the standardised concept "Energieökologische Modellstadt Ostritz-St. Marienthal" (Energy eco-town Ostritz-St. Marienthal). The concept is based on using renewable energies for the local energy supply. These measures are combined with offers for related tourism and education.
Source: BTU Cottbus
With the town's decision for an energy-related reorientation, a comprehensive change in the environmental situation was launched. The concept envisaged a gradual erection of plants for use as renewable energy supplies. This should act as an example for other towns and regions and demonstrate the possibilities of renewable energy use. The process was the result of the redevelopment of a sustained, ecological energy supply in the region.
In the first phase of the project, a biomass power station with a local heating network was built, with which 75% of the population could already be supplied with heat. The main energy sources are woodchip from residual and thinning wood material. In addition, local solar-energy systems for heating water were integrated into the heat generation.
A water turbine was installed in the historic sawmill of the St. Marienthal monastery. This and the erection of several wind turbines and various photovoltaic systems on the roofs of public and private buildings contribute to the town energy self-sufficiency. Today, the town generates four-times more electricity than it consumes.
In the second phase - from 2004 - the stakeholders concentrated on the overall, sustained ecological development of the town. For example, the local administration has created interesting education courses which not only attract expert members of the public. A conference centre for sharing knowledge in environmental and energy matters was built, for example.
Many small projects, such as the installation of a reed bed for wastewater treatment for an urban district, the use of rain water in public buildings or the creation of "Environmental recommendations" for the Ostritz town administration and the Catholic residential and nursing home "St. Antoni Stift" complete the overall concept.
In recent years, many sustainable projects have been realised, which not only strengthen the development of the town in terms of energy, but also from a social, economic and cultural perspective. The cultural path "Klosterstrasse" is a connection which links the town and the monastery. A permanent exhibition "Energie-Werk-Stad(t)t" has been created here, which provides insight into the interrelations between energy generation and recovery.
The development and implementation of the concept is supported by local stakeholders, such as the St. Marienthal Monastery and citizen groups, as well as by the local administration.
The town has been awarded many renowned environmental prizes for the overall concept and implementation.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1997 | Erection of a biomass heat and power plant on a former industrial wasteland |
| 1997 | Installation of a solar heating and rain water treatment and photovoltaic system |
| 1997/98 | Erection of four wind turbines |
| 1999 | Completion of the permanent exhibition "ENERGIE-WERK-STAD(T)T" |
| 2000 | Start of operation of a hydroelectric plant with a nominal output of 104 kW |
| 2003 | Launch of an environmental management system in the International Conference Centre IBZ |
| 2005-2008 | IBZ project "Prima Klima", tri-national education project with pupils, etc. |
| 2005 | Start of the project "Umwelt baut Brücken" with school classes from Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Hungary and Slovakia |
| 2006 | Expansion of the wind farm to a total output up from 4 MW to 14 MW |
Source: Stadtverwaltung Ostritz
Source: Stadtverwaltung Ostritz
The innovative content lies in the grouping together of distinct measures for "converting" a local authority from the environmentally damaging industrial community into an exemplary eco-town. Based on the technologies available on the market and tested technical solutions, an ecologically friendly and economically sustainable energy supply has been created. Education courses based on this, exhibitions, workshops and the ecological orientation of the local primary school led to a growing dynamism for the sustained local development. The high level of commitment from the public must be stressed here as a factor in the success of this process.
Awards
The project location can be directly translated into Google-maps. Project in Google-Maps
The projekt site ist to be found at postal code: 02899 - town: Ostritz - street: Markt 1.
Record inserted on 30.06.2009 by the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) within the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning (BBR).
Last update: 29.10.2009
