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Published: 29 November 2019

dataTRAIL: systemic and efficient data collection and processing of energetic building quality standards

"Trail²" - Joint project on energy system transformation in rural areas extended
Under the direction of the Chair of Building Physics, the successful project "Transformation in Rural Areas" (TRAIL) will continue until October 2022. The aim is to optimise the energy supply of small towns and villages with less than 10,000 inhabitants and to reduce energy costs with the help of a data-based online tool.

The energy turnaround intervenes in almost all areas of life and is also becoming increasingly important for smaller communities. Instead of relying on individual measures, cross-sector and cross-local climate protection measures are needed. Often, however, small towns and villages in particular lack the necessary know-how as well as human and financial resources to respond adequately to the climatic-ecological and energy challenges. This is where the joint project "Trail²" comes in:

With the online tool TRAIL, municipalities are provided with a tool that helps decision-makers to get started with the topic of energy system transformation in an uncomplicated way. Based on free geo and statistical data as well as information on funding programmes, contact persons and basic technical data on the network structures, the tool visualises the electricity and heat requirements of the localities. In the form of a map, possible energy saving potentials are revealed and concrete recommendations for action are suggested. In order to keep the obstacles as low as possible, TRAIL is programmed in such a way that actors in rural communities only need an up-to-date Internet browser and Internet access. Furthermore, no special software is required.

In the first project phase, the tool has already been successfully tested for four model regions in Thuringia. The municipalities of Großobringen, Neumark, Werther and Kahla will be joined in the second project phase by two more municipalities from Hesse and Bavaria. In addition, the quality and scope of the data - taking into account data protection - are to be improved and energy and ecological strategies in the fields of energy, water and waste are to be linked across sectors.

A new approach is particularly necessary in the fields of energy efficiency improvements, heat supply and the integration of renewable energies, which until now have mostly been the responsibility of the individual. For example, Community energy supply concepts or cross-municipal commercial developments are in many cases more efficient than the large number of individual investments in individual municipalities.

Funding agencies:

Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (BMWi)

duration:

11/2019 - 10/2022

contact person: 

phone (+49) 03643 584599

phone (+49) 03643 584390

Dipl. Wirtsch.-Ing. Andrea Lück

phone (+49) 03643 584672

Joint project with 7 partners from science and practice