Should listed buildings also be equipped with solar modules?
The fashion house Echter would like to do that - which would, however, set a precedent for the ensemble “Obere Stadt” and probably for the whole of Weilheim.
If the city council's building committee has its way, however, the matter is clear.
Weilheim
- It would be a logical step for the Echter fashion store to put a photovoltaic system (PV) on the roof of the well-known commercial building on Rathausplatz.
"We have been climate-neutral for two years," says managing director Christian Echter - because, for example, they only get green electricity from regenerative systems and have "tackled big power guzzlers": Since the renovation in 2015, groundwater has been used for cooling, and the lighting has been completely switched to LED.
Problem with "wild roof landscape"
With the planned PV system one wants to become even more ecological and increase the own share of electricity generation. However, the “wild roof landscape” of the building is only suitable to a limited extent, explains Echter, as the roofs and gables sometimes shade each other. Therefore, "all possible roof areas" should be equipped with PV modules, as Weilheim's city master builder Andrea Roppel-Sommer put it when the city council's building committee discussed the plans at its September meeting.
The south-facing roofs are particularly important for this.
This is of course exactly what is on the “front side” of the listed ensemble “Obere Stadt”, to which the Echter building belongs.
Anyone who “changes a structure there in such a way that it can affect the appearance of the ensemble” needs permission under monument law.
According to the city building authority, no photovoltaic systems have so far been installed on the south-facing roof areas of the Upper City that are visible from the street.
Mayor calls for "a rethink"
In the opinion of most building committee members, however, this general rejection is no longer appropriate.
In the course of the energy transition, one must “be open to such systems,” said Mayor Markus Loth (BfW).
He called for “a rethink in the city council” and “a clear commitment to the PV system” - especially since the solar modules could hardly be seen from below.
SPD representative Horst Martin would not mind if you saw her: "That belongs to our time, we need it and should support such efforts by builders." and you can see them too. "
"That will also come at Marienplatz"
Most committee members would be happy that a “yes” would have consequences for the entire city center in the event of real consequences (“that will also happen at Marienplatz”, according to the city architect).
She wanted "in any case as much photovoltaics as possible," said Green representative Luise Nowak.
“Basically as much as possible”, Gerd Ratter (ÖDP) went too far: “But it doesn't bother here,” he said of the Echter project.
Klaus Gast (CSU), who is also the district home nurse, was the only one to advocate “to take a very specific look at how far you would see it”.
Guest literally: “With all my love - I would also be a little careful.
Unfortunately, Weilheim has not always handled its monuments particularly well. "
Majority for "maximum solution"
In the end, against Gast's voice, the building committee spoke out in favor of the “maximum solution” on the Echter roof.
However, the city cannot make a decision, but can only issue an opinion.
The lower monument protection authority in the district office is responsible for the permission under monument law.
In coordination with the monument office, the office building was also built in 1978 and “the facade was redone” in 2015, Christian Echter explains to the “Weilheimer Tagblatt”.
The house itself is therefore “not a historical building”.
Which is why, according to him, a PV system should also be possible on the south roof.
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