The Imperia rotates day and night at the port of Konstanz. And actually, the landmark does not lead a shadowy existence. At night, there are actually spotlights on the statue. But in the meantime the lights went out for her. Since Tuesday, June 6th, the nine meter high Council Courtesan has been illuminated again. The Imperia can be seen again in all its glory.
How did that happen? The Ukraine war and the associated gas and energy crisis made the city administration and the Konstanz baths rethink in winter and forced them to economize. Not only were the night lights on several landmarks temporarily turned off, but heating and hot water in administrative buildings and schools were turned down and off.
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Landmarks without lighting save thousands of euros
How much could be saved by the measures that were implemented in late summer 2022? A press release from the city of Konstanz states: “Compared to 2021, the Konstanz schools were able to save an average of 18 percent in gas (1,236,831 kWh) during the 2022 heating period.”
What was the reason that the Imperia no longer shone permanently? That definitely had an effect, explains Elena Oliveira, the city’s spokeswoman, when asked by SÜDKURIER. Exactly how much this unlit landmark was able to save cannot be ascertained, as this has been “extrapolated across several landmarks”. Oliveira explains: “The savings from all shutdowns amount to around 168,000 kilowatt hours.” That adds up to a total of 67,200 euros.
It stays cooler in the swimming pool – and on the austerity course
The savings in administration buildings are even greater. Here 31 percent less gas (760,000 kWh) and twelve percent less electricity (107,000 kWh) were consumed. “A particularly large amount of heating energy was saved in the town hall (minus 42 percent), in the administration buildings Laube (minus 38 percent) and Torkel (minus 33 percent) and in the Stephansschule (minus 31 percent),” the city announced.
Has freezing in the Schwaketenbad also saved money and energy? “Yes, it has,” says Teresa Gärtner, spokeswoman for Stadtwerke Konstanz. The water temperature in the sports pools was lowered from 27 to 26 degrees in winter. “That results in a calculated saving of around five to ten percent. Since the Schwaketenbad was reopened in 2022, no comparison with previous years is possible,” says Gärtner.
This raises another question: will the heating be turned down and the lights out again this coming winter? The city of Konstanz has not yet decided on this. The bathing company is different. Swimmers have to be brave: yes, the temperature in the Schwaketenbad will stay at 26 degrees.
2023-06-10 19:13:20
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