To save energy: Cologne switches off the light - also at the Cologne Cathedral

Created: 08/08/2022 17:21

By: Nina Büchs

One energy-saving measure includes, among other things, switching off the lights in buildings such as the Cologne Cathedral.

(Archive image) © Norbert J. Sülzner/Imago

Turning off the lights and heating less – these are just some of the measures that the city of Cologne intends to use to save energy in the future.

Even the cathedral is soon dark at night.

Cologne – As a result of the increased energy and gas costs, the city of Cologne and the municipal companies have now agreed on numerous energy-saving measures.

According to a statement, the street lighting should be dimmed down to 50 percent at 11 p.m.

An overview of what will change in Cologne in the future.

Cologne: Energy and gas prices are rising – this is how the city wants to save costs

The lighting in representative buildings such as Cologne Cathedral should also be switched off at 11 p.m., it is said.

24RHEIN reports that there will also be less heating in the city offices in the future.

The catalog of measures at a glance:

• Street lighting in Cologne is dimmed down to 50 percent at 11 p.m., switched on later and switched off earlier

• The lighting of certain buildings (e.g. Cologne Cathedral, Romanesque churches, historic town hall, Hohenzollern Bridge, Severins Bridge) and other lighting at a total of over 132 objects will be switched off initially at 11 p.m. and from autumn at 10 p.m

• The lighting of the pylons at the RheinEnergie Stadium will be switched off

• The temperature in the municipal offices should be a maximum of 19 degrees during the heating period

• In summer, the air conditioning of the rooms is reduced to a minimum

• In the schools where there is no open all-day school or holiday operation, the suspension of a room temperature reduction is reintroduced during the holiday period

• City employees are once again made aware of energy-efficient behavior

• The operating parameters (e.g. room temperature and energy consumption) are adjusted, for example in vehicle halls, car washes, warehouses, etc., so that they are only kept frost-free

As early as July, 24RHEIN asked city spokesman Alexander Vogel whether the lighting in Cologne Cathedral could be reduced in the future.

"A reduction in lighting is conceivable by adjusting the switching times and is currently being examined," Vogel said at the time.

So now it really happens.

Cologne: City wants to save energy and gas - that's the background

One thing is certain: In Cologne, it could get darker in the evenings faster than usual.

At least there is less lighting than before.

In autumn and winter, employees of the city of Cologne should also have something warmer with them in the office, such as a thick sweater.

Because it is heated to a maximum of 19 degrees.

The background to the austerity measures is the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the city explains.

In response, the German government has launched various sanctions against the Russian state.

“Whereas the prices for oil and natural gas had already risen sharply on the energy market, this development has intensified and was superimposed by the fact that the supply of natural gas and oil to the Federal Republic of Germany depends to a large extent on Russian imports.

This prompted the Ministry of Economics to trigger the early warning stage of the 'gas emergency plan' on March 30, 2022," the city said.

Against this background, the city and the municipal companies have agreed on measures to save energy.

Cologne: Rheinenergie raises gas prices - increase in costs to 133 percent

RheinEnergie recently reported that gas prices would rise in Cologne.

In the future, citizens will have to dig deep into their pockets.

Because the price per kilowatt hour increases by 133 percent, the Cologne-based company announced.

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Cologne: Enormous increase in energy and gas costs - Mayor Reker appeals to the people of Cologne

Cologne's Lord Mayor Henriette Reker spoke urgently about the current situation - and also appealed to the citizens: "Everyone should make a contribution to save energy and thus prevent a possible emergency in autumn and winter.

I am already asking the people of Cologne to save energy wherever they can.

Every contribution helps.”

In autumn and winter in particular, the measures in the area of ​​energy security should be able to be implemented and coordinated at short notice - responsibility for this will be borne by the "Energy Security Task Force" in a crisis team headed by City Director Andrea Blome.