Association of the German Wood-Based Panel Industry e.V.
3:08 min. published on 8.3.2017
Heidelberg is receiving massive funding from the 2021 urban development programme for two construction projects on conversion sites. The development of Patrick-Henry-Village (PHV) into a new city district has even received the highest funding amount in the entire programme. Heidelberg will receive 3.5 million euros for this project. In addition, the conversion of the sports hall on the former US hospital in Rohrbach will be funded with 400,000 euros. This was announced by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economics on Wednesday, February 3.
"We are very pleased about this funding and would like to thank the state and federal government for their great support. We are convinced that with the development of Patrick Henry Village, Heidelberg will deliver a model project for the climate-friendly and liveable city of the future - this is precisely what the dynamic master plan of the city and the International Building Exhibition stands for, which we will implement in the coming years. It is an important signal that the state and federal government are supporting us here," explains Mayor Prof. Dr. Eckart Würzner.
In a press release, the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economics praised in particular the plans for residential development on PHV: "On the conversion area Patrick-Henry-Village in Heidelberg alone, apartments for around 9,000 to 10,000 residents are to be built. In doing so, emphasis will be placed on a diverse range of offerings for all population groups." Heidelberg is thus fulfilling a core element of urban development promotion, which Economics Minister Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut describes as follows: "The aim is to create affordable housing for all age and population groups that is barrier-free and up to date in terms of energy. In accordance with the principle of inner development before outer development, the focus is on increasing the density of inner-city areas while preserving historically valuable building fabric."
Executive IBA Director Prof. Michael Braum makes it concrete: "The fact that the federal and state governments are funding the PHVision so generously shows that outside expertise also believes in our ambitious approach: the integration of topics such as the re-use of existing buildings, future-proof mobility options and multi-talented open spaces will make the urban development of tomorrow innovative, sustainable and attractive at the same time. This pioneering funding for the south of PHV congenially complements the ongoing activities of the city and the Federal Real Estate Agency."
"We can take this funding commitment as a signal that with the concept of the Dynamic Master Plan we are providing exactly the right answers to the current and pressing issues of urban development - particularly with regard to the interaction of living, working, education, leisure, sport and culture. The project is an absolute priority for us and is already being noticed internationally," says First Mayor Jürgen Odszuck. For Hans-Jürgen Heiß, Mayor for Conversion and Finance, the sums from the urban development funding are also a confirmation: "We have had several conversion areas under development in parallel for years and have proven that we are reliable partners. The sums from the urban development funding relieve the municipal budget and enable outstanding qualities in the development," explains Heiß.
The development site, which covers more than 100 hectares to the west of the Autobahn 5, was a housing estate for military and civilian personnel until the US Army withdrew in 2014. The city of Heidelberg wants to develop PHV into its 16th district in the coming years. Around 10,000 people are to live here and around 5,000 are to have their place of work. The basis for the development is the dynamic master plan. It was developed jointly by the city of Heidelberg and the International Building Exhibition (IBA) Heidelberg with the involvement of internationally renowned urban planners and various specialist planners, combined with the participation of the citizens, and subsequently adopted by the Heidelberg city council.
"More vital, more heterogeneous, greener" is the guiding principle of the new district. With sustainable living and working typologies, innovative open space and mobility concepts, a climate-neutral energy supply and the intelligent and socially responsible use of digital technologies, it will provide answers to urgent questions about the future. To this end, five neighborhood types with different identities were developed, often mixing new and existing buildings from the US housing development. A central park with a lake for water management in the center, diversity in architecture and in the use of buildings, the production of food and energy directly in the neighborhood - these are just a few aspects of the holistic approach. Thanks to neighbourhood garages on the periphery, the public space and the neighbourhoods are planned to be pedestrian-friendly and free of parking spaces.
On the site of the former US Army hospital in Rohrbach, a pioneering low-emission quarter for the middle of society will be created in the coming years. The former sports hall - for which 400,000 euros are now flowing as part of the urban development funding - could be converted into an attractive beach hall. A corresponding concept for an energy-neutral open-air hall has already been drawn up. The next step will be to determine the probable costs for a conversion before the municipal council decides on the future use of the hall. The building, erected in 1903 as a drill hall, was later converted into a sports hall by the US Americans. It is a listed building.
The municipal housing company GGH is developing a residential area with around 600 apartments on the entire site by 2025 that takes account of demographic and social change, promotes social cohesion and offers a functional mix of living and working places. In the areas of housing, energy, transport and urban development, the quarter relies on forward-looking building blocks, some of which are unique in Germany. The housing target group concept provides for residents to pay only 30 percent of their disposable income for the warm rent for 40 percent of the apartments in the neighborhood.
Keywords:
Bike-/Velo-City, DE-News, Funding, News Blog Baden-Württemberg, Mix of uses
The German government is presenting striking figures for the 17 global SDG 2030 sustainability goals. The "Glorious 17" campaign launched at the beginning of December is intended to arouse curiosity and encourage participation. An animated peace dove, for example, promotes peace and justice. Other figures stand for the fight against hunger and the protection of life under water.
The campaign is aimed in particular at young people between the ages of 18 and 30, as surveys show that knowledge of the Sustainable Development Goals is particularly low in this age group. The campaign is to be expanded in the coming year.
The Magnificent 17 and the website www.deutsche-nachhaltigkeitsstrategie.de also provide information on how the Federal Government is committed to sustainable development.
The campaign page can be found at
www.dieglorreichen17.de
Keywords:
DE-News, SDG 2030, Environmental policy
The current share of green electricity should not hide the fact that this federal government is blocking the energy transition at every turn. Take wind energy, for example: the government keeps delaying the additional tenders. Therefore, a massive slump is imminent in the next two years. This means job losses in a key industry of the future and a stagnating development in the share of wind power.
Take solar power, for example: no sooner has the solar power market picked up again after years of lull than the German government wants to massively cut the market premium for many installations. This emerges from the current draft bill for the Energy Collection Act. In doing so, the government would stall the positive development again. The cap of 52 gigawatts for solar power is also to remain in place.
Even if the government only wants to achieve its own targets, which are far too low, it must double the current production of green electricity by 2030. The course must be set for this now. But instead of finally accelerating the expansion of green electricity, the black-red coalition wants to continue to slow down, cap and delay. Not to mention transport and buildings, where the energy transition is not making any progress at all. In this way, the government continues to torpedo the urgently needed climate protection.
PM BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN in the German Bundestag of 2.11.2018
Keywords:
100% EEs, Stakeholders, DE-News, Renewable, Climate protection, Environmental policy, Ecology
The "Alternative Economic Policy Working Group" has published its MEMORANDUM 2018 report.
Price of the "black zero": distribution deficits and gaps in supply
Germany, with its senseless ideology of austerity and cuts, has not yet arrived economically in the 21st century. The small-minded hucksterism in the ruling policy is also slowing down the recovery in the European Union and the Eurozone.
The Memorandum 2018 shows urgently needed alternatives to the economically narrow-minded "zero policy". In Germany, the focus must be on strengthening domestic demand and thus on higher incomes for dependent employees and more government spending. The state share is significantly too low. In Europe, it must be about cooperation instead of blind competition. Prof. Dr. Heinz-J. Bontrup explains: "Germany's current account surpluses have been and are being generated at the expense of dependent employees and are therefore counterproductive and dangerous. Germany's chronic current account surpluses are by no means a healthy indicator of competitiveness. Rather, they are the result of domestic economic imbalances. Permanently and senselessly, much more is produced in Germany than is consumed, while important domestic economic sectors such as infrastructure, care, education and the Affordable housing on the basis of public housing are criminally neglected.
Millions of precarious jobs have led to poverty wages and later to poverty in old age. Frustrated, many citizens are turning away from established politics. National ideas that are hyper-dangerous for democracy are becoming more and more popular. Prof. Dr. Mechthild Schrooten explains: "The demand for an unconditional basic income shows how many people feel that working life has no prospects. In fact, a basic income that is resistant to poverty is not an option in purely mathematical terms.
What is urgently needed is better participation in the labour market. "Contrary to the manipulated official statistics, mass unemployment with a growing number of precarious poverty work still characterises society," says Heinz-J. Bontrup. Reducing working hours with full wage and staff compensation is therefore urgently needed and would be easily financed against the background of an overall rich Germany. Last year alone, Germany produced over 2.3 trillion euros in distributable value added. The distribution issue is the core problem in Germany. "A lot of capital in the hands of a few also means that the financial markets no longer function; risks are again accumulating more intensely here," explains Mechthild Schrooten.
Against this background, the Alternative Economic Policy Working Group is focusing on strategies that put a definitive end to the redistribution from the bottom to the top. Economic growth must reach everyone. Wages must rise, working hours must be shortened and the welfare state must be expanded instead of dismantled. To finance this, taxes must rise sharply. In the past, the much-lamented national debt was mainly caused by taxes that were too low. Therefore, the top tax rate and corporate taxes must be increased. In addition, a one-time wealth tax must be levied and the immediate reintroduction of the wealth tax must be implemented. This can then be used to finance, in addition to additional national debt, a public investment programme of at least 120 billion euros. Last but not least, and once again, the Alternative Economic Policy Working Group calls for a democratisation of the economy. The 40 million dependent employees in Germany must finally have a say in the economy, on an equal footing with capital.
Website with pdf downloads:
www.alternative-wirtschaftspolitik.de/...memorandum_2018
taz article:
http://taz.de/Alternativer-Wirtschaftsbericht/!5497450/
Keywords:
Stakeholders, DE-News, Media, New books and studies, Housing policy, Economics
