Use Case: Energy Optimization on the Campus of the Berlin-Weißensee Academy of Art Berlin

Climate neutrality in the building sector – a project that sets an example

As part of their master's thesis, Kemal Sahan and Felix Langentepe, under the supervision of Prof. Kai Kummert (Berlin University of Applied Sciences), analyzed the energy optimization of the campus of the Berlin-Weißensee School of Art. The goal was to significantly reduce the CO2 emissions of the existing buildings—a contribution to climate neutrality in Germany by 2045.

The thesis was written in close collaboration with the art academy and was supported by the head of construction/FM Martin Jennrich, who provided valuable background information on construction and planning.

Challenge: Deciphering Energy Efficiency

As part of a complex energy project, the project managers were faced with a key challenge: Eight buildings with different uses had no individual consumption data. Instead, only central, aggregated consumption values for electricity and heat were available.

However, a detailed breakdown of energy consumption per building was essential for the development of targeted energy efficiency measures. This was the only way to make well-founded decisions on optimizing energy use.

Despite the limited database and technical complexity, it was necessary to carry out precise energy analyses. The aim was to develop future-proof supply concepts that are both economically viable and geared towards reducing emissions in the long term.

Solution With TOP-Energy

Thanks to TOP-Energy, the junior engineers were able to differentiate between the energy consumption of the buildings in accordance with DIN V 18599 and evaluate their technical equipment. They then modeled various supply scenarios—e.g., with photovoltaics, heat pumps, and storage systems—and simulated their energy flows. The software made it possible to transparently compare CO₂ emissions, payback periods, capital values, and break-even points. The result: a valid decision-making basis for an emission-free, economical, and technically feasible energy supply—and a model that shows how even heterogeneous buildings can be brought down to a climate-neutral denominator.

The Result: a Sound Basis for Decision-Making for Greater Climate Neutrality

The simulations with TOP-Energy enabled a clear comparison of the variants in terms of cost-effectiveness and CO₂ emissions. Capital value developments, amortization periods, break-even points, and emission trends were visualized in clear diagrams.

These reliable results formed the basis for a well-founded investment decision. The chosen solution brought all eight buildings—despite their different starting positions—to a common denominator: a future-oriented, technically feasible, and climate-neutral supply concept.

TOP-Energy succeeded in reducing complexity, mapping transparent energy flows, and at the same time creating the conditions for flagship projects in the field of sustainable building management. The project shows how targeted simulation and smart planning can make a significant contribution to the energy transition in the building sector with the goal of zero greenhouse gas emissions.

Target Groups of TOP-Energy: Who Benefits From the Software?

Young engineers & master's students
Aspiring engineers & doctoral students
Planning offices & municipal energy planners

From Theory to Practice: the Work of Kemal Sahan & Felix Langentepe

Kemal Sahan and Felix Langentepe, then students at the Berliner Hochschule für Technik (University of Applied Sciences), acquired the physical principles and tools of engineering during their bachelor's degree in "Building and Energy Technology" and specialized in energy optimization during their master's degree in "Planning of Sustainable Buildings". They dealt with the determinants and strategies for the energy system optimization of multifunctional properties. As part of their master's thesis, supervised by Prof. Kai Kummert, they investigated how the campus of the Berlin-Weißensee Academy of Art could be optimized in terms of energy efficiency.

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