The city of Prenzlau is a rural municipality in the Land of Brandenburg in North-Eastern Germany, 100 km north of Berlin, with some 21.000 inhabitants. Prenzlau is the capital city of the region of Uckermark. Prenzlau offers to its citizens and visitors plenty of watersites. Many active tourists have discovered the region during the last years. 

Prenzlau has itself committed to be the “City of Renewable Energies” in the Land of Brandenburg. Large enterprises of renewable energy have opened their industry in Prenzlau (enertrag AG, aloe solar AG). The municipality owned Stadtwerke Prenzlau are operating with geothermal energy.

 

The project will also focus on certain key energy market players who will perform a leading role in ensuring the take-off of the European Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings and play a fundamental part in increasing the awareness of the territorial community as a whole with respect to the issue of energy efficiency. These key players (energy plant technicians, building companies and building sector operators) will be directly involved in the realization of the training courses and will have an active role in the implementation/ testing phase on schools identified.

 

The long term sustainability of the project and its results will be ensured by the commitment of the key players involved in the issues addressed by the project. This commitment has already been confirmed during the analysis and participatory planning workshops promoted to support the setting up of this project proposal. Already since the mid-1990s, Prenzlau has made numerous initiatives within the scope of the energy efficiency. On the 15.09.2005 the town delegate's meeting decided the planning concept of the city of Prenzlau. One of the essential points is the development of the town in the area of renewable energy. With this decision the town fathers have expressed themselves for an ecologically friendly politics. The municipality of Prenzlau takes part in the local agenda 21 and exerts itself with its citizens for a sustainable development of the town. Sustainable development is meant in a holistic manner with environmental, social and economic aspects. Such a local consensus can be reached only by the dialogue between municipal administration, citizens, local interest groups and local companies.

 

Between 1999 an 2006, the city of Prenzlau, together with citizens and students, with working groups, task forces, district office, associations, initiatives, developed projects on energy management, climate protection, traffic, municipal planning as well as nature conservation, tourism, environmental education.One of the practical results of this joint work is a community programme to fund the use of regenerative energy (solar electricity or solar heating) with a funding of 500.00 € per installation, from 01.01.2007. In 2007, a total of 18 installations have been funded, which lead to a reduction of CO2 by approx. 76 t. Prenzlau participates in the national image campaign SolarLokal to support the use of solar energy. Numerous regions and municipalities in Germany already take part in SolarLokal and have several publications on promoting environmentally friendly solar power.  Since 1990, the Office for Municipal Planning of Prenzlau provides an annual environmental mirror.

 

The city of Prenzlau has already developed strategies and measures for future projects on „climate prevention and energy politics”, regarding also the fact that municipal money is limited. Projects have already been described and listed to priorities.  In 2008, two important activities are launched. First, the opening of a local energy office which is a centre for independent consultation for citizens and enterprises on energy efficiency, optimization of energy costs, energy supply, use of renewable energy, and funding programmes. Second, Prenzlau provides a roof register built up with relevant single data to get an overview on urban roof surface being suitable for photovoltaic collectors.Prenzlau has already achieved some result. For the future selected objectives with concrete measures have been worked out in order to realize EPBD.  

The municipality of Prenzlau is organizing all local acitivities in Educarue project. Furthermore, Prenzlau is responsible for all national activities, which is mainly on the national implementation of EPBD and main non-technological barriers as well as the national workshop and a national incentive scheme. In September, 2009, the 4th project meeting will be hosted by Prenzlau which celebrates its 775th birthday in 2009. 

Organisation: Municipality of Prenzlau, Germany

Responsible: Name Eckhard Surname Blohm

Tel. 0049 (0)3984-751040 

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

Website: www.prenzlau.de