Leipzig's southern suburb: The heat transition for a greener life begins!

Leipzig's southern suburb: The heat transition for a greener life begins!

The city of Leipzig is taking an important step towards implementing its climate goals and is planning to expand district heating in the southern suburb as the first pilot district. The aim of the project is not only to increase the quality of living in the district, but also to better protect citizens against extreme heat. The expansion is intended to ensure a sustainable heat supply that is both climate-neutral and future-proof. Mayor Burkhard Jung highlights the “heat transition” as a central component of the city's climate strategy, which is being pursued as part of the municipal heat plan. The first version of this is currently being offered for public participation, which means that citizens can comment on it until November 23, 2025. The L-IZ reports that the council meeting is expected to decide on the city leadership's proposal in November 2025.

The “heat transition” in Leipzig focuses not only on the expansion of district heating, but also on the energy-efficient renovation of existing buildings. These measures are necessary because the operation of buildings in Germany accounts for around 35% of final energy consumption and contributes significantly to CO₂ emissions. In order to achieve the climate goals, innovative processes and efficient technologies must be used. Energy-related renovations such as thermal insulation and the use of modern heating technologies are seen as key measures to reduce energy consumption in the city and meet the requirements of the national climate protection law. The Federal Environment Agency emphasizes the importance of a sustainable heat supply in the context of climate protection.

Sustainable urban development and citizen participation

As part of the pilot project, concrete measures to improve the urban infrastructure are also to be implemented. The plan is to create loading and delivery zones and make intersections barrier-free. In addition, Kochstrasse could be redesignated as a bicycle street, which would improve traffic flow and air quality in the district. Karsten Rogall, spokesman for the management of Leipziger Stadtwerke, describes the conversion to a water-sensitive city as a mammoth task that requires intensive communication with the citizens. Green elements such as more green streets should also help reduce heat stress.

The establishment of a district development company mbH should help to organize these extensive renovation measures efficiently and reduce costs. The city of Leipzig is legally obliged to draw up a comprehensive heating plan by the end of June 2026, which will form the basis for the further development of heat supply in the city.

A central point of this strategic planning is the use of different energy sources. The municipal utilities plan to rely more heavily on renewable energy sources and have already evaluated options for integrating additional energy suppliers into the heating plan. Given the urgent need to reduce CO₂ emissions, the expansion of heating networks could make a decisive contribution to the successful implementation of the heating transition.