The German MULTIPLY municipalities are ready to get to work. The combination of large cities such as Hamburg, Moenchengladbach, Kiel and Halle and smaller ones like Recklinghausen, Boeblingen and Emmendingen promises interesting insights into their districts and offers plenty of learning opportunities amongst each other and beyond.

The district of Lokstedt in Hamburg is an instructive example of how to successfully engage citizens in climate friendly district development. Numerous proposals and measures have been developed in close cooperation with the city administration. In Halle’s Lutherviertel a combined heat and power (CHP) plant provides space heating and warm water to households via a local heating network in combination with district heating for peak loads. This includes a large newly built thermal storage tank where excess electricity production from renewables can be stored for later use. Emmendingen’s district Buerkle-Bleichle is a best practice example for private homeowners’ energetic refurbishment. Due to a targeted district campaign by the city administration the renovation rates could be raised significantly and the successful district campaign was expanded city-wide. Recklinghausen plans a mixture of new climate friendly housing and energetic refurbishment of existing buildings in the Hillerheide district. Moenchengladbach’s inner city district Rheydt will be redeveloped with a focus on climate and social equity and in Boeblingen the city administration intends to redesign an industrial area by involving the close-by district Rauher Kapf. Key aspects like climate protection issues will be integrated into the city planning and development. The redevelopment area Holtenau Ost in Kiel is becoming a prototype for sustainable and climate friendly urban development. The aim is a high percentage of local renewable energy for power and heat. Therefore, the aspect of energy planning is implemented in the entire development process – from urbanistic competition to building planning and contracts.

All of the German municipalities are eager to receive best practice tips in integrated urban planning from each other and external experts. We are looking forward to delivering just that within the peer learning scheme of MULTIPLY.