Renewable Heat from River Water for Gießen

More than 3,900 households in Gießen will heat their homes with renewable heat instead of fossil fuels in the future. The heat comes from the river that flows through the city.

Decarbonizing the heat supply requires solutions that utilize renewable sources and can be integrated into existing urban structures. Key challenges include water level fluctuations of up to four meters, complex ground conditions, proximity to residential areas, and requirements for noise and water protection. At the same time, the proximity to a historic landmark places high architectural demands on the planning. 

Commissioned by Stadtwerke Gießen, four companies of the Dorsch Group are jointly planning a new energy center featuring large-scale river water heat pumps. They combine their expertise in process engineering, hydraulic engineering, building services and environmental compliance to integrate the energy centre both technically and architecturally into its historic surroundings.