Scenario-Based Planning for Building Operations
In the upcoming months and throughout the entire Winter Semester 2022/23, we may face a drastic change in the energy supply that we cannot accurately predict today. This is particularly true for natural gas supplies and thus also for district heating.
Therefore, we are introducing a scenario-based plan related to energy supply for the operations and use of University buildings. Measures for specific locations will be decided upon by the colleagues and researchers responsible.
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Areas
Teaching operations (seminars and lecture halls)
- Energy-saving goal: 15 percent
- In person
Organizational measures
- Heat and ventilate appropriately, e.g., do not keep windows open, reduce room heating by roughly 1–2°C, reduce heating when ventilating / opening windows.
- Turn off unnecessary electric equipment.
- Avoid leaving devices in stand-by mode—turn them off at the source when not in use.
- Shorten operating hours and avoid nighttime and weekend use.
- Increase awareness among building staff and security and instruct them to lower thermostats in unused rooms and close open windows.
- Do not keep building doors open.
Building measures
- Adjust central regulation/control of building technology.
- Upgrade workload capabilities of high-consuming electrical equipment.
Operational measures
- Increase staff awareness of regular checks for compliance with/support for organizational measures.
- Set room temperatures in accordance with current and updated regulations.
- Ventilation / air conditioning:
- Reduce heating at night (reducing air quantities) and supply air temperatures.
- Suspend corona-related operational conditions, i.e., resume heat-retrieval ventilation / air conditioning and reduce amount of fresh air in accordance with regular technical operations.
- Improve heating and ventilation using heating curve / nighttime heat reduction.
- Shut off hot water at sinks in restrooms.
- Use of student workstations in the foyers is prioritized.
- Significant reduction
- Offer in-person teaching in accordance with operational restrictions.
Organizational measures
- If necessary, move classes to locations with better supply conditions.
Building measures
- Ensure doors and windows are not opened unnecessarily.
Operational measures
- Set room temperatures in accordance with current and updated regulations.
- Keep windows and doors closed as much as possible.
- Shut off hot water at sinks in restrooms.
- Use of student workstations in the foyers is prioritized.
- Drastic reduction
- Offer in-person teaching in accordance with operational restrictions.
Organizational measures
- If necessary, move classes to locations with better supply conditions.
Building measures
- Limit natural ventilation to a minimum.
- Seal any building openings and add insulation as necessary.
Operational measures
- Continue to reduce room temperatures and/or ensure frost protection while considering prevention of mold formation.
- Minimize natural and machine-powered fresh-air ventilation.
- Shut off hot water at sinks in restrooms.
- Use of student workstations in the foyers is prioritized.
Experimental operations (e.g., laboratories, green house, climate chambers, clean rooms)
- Energy-saving goal: 15 percent
- In person
Organizational measures
- Heat and ventilate appropriately, e.g., do not keep windows open, reduce room heating by roughly 1–2°C, reduce heating when ventilating / opening windows.
- Shut off fume cupboards after use providing these are not marked as hazardous substance cupboards.
- Turn off unnecessary electric equipment.
- Avoid leaving devices in stand-by mode—turn them off at the source when not in use.
- Shorten operating hours and avoid nighttime and weekend use.
- Increase awareness among building staff and security and instruct them to lower thermostats in unused rooms and close open windows.
- Do not keep building doors open.
Building measures
- Adjust central regulation/control of building technology.
- Upgrade workload capabilities of high-consumption electrical equipment.
Operational measures
- Increase staff awareness of regular checks for compliance with/support for organizational measures.
- Set room temperatures in accordance with current and updated regulations.
- Ventilation / air conditioning: Reduce heating at night (reducing air quantities) and supply air temperatures.Suspend corona-related operational conditions, i.e., resume heat-retrieval ventilation / air conditioning and reduce amount of fresh air in accordance with regular technical operations.
- Improve heating and ventilation using heating curve / nighttime heat reduction.
- Shut off hot water at sinks in restrooms.
- Significant reduction
- In person
- Restricted operations
Organizational measures
- If necessary, move lab work to locations with better supply conditions.
Building measures
- Ensure doors and windows are not opened unnecessarily.
Operational measures
- Set room temperatures in accordance with current and updated regulations.
- Keep windows and doors closed as much as possible.
- Shut off hot water at sinks in restrooms.
- Drastic reduction
- Emergency operations
Organizational measures
- Secure emergency operations
Building measures
- Seal any building openings and add insulation as necessary.
Operational measures
- Continue to reduce room temperatures and/or ensure frost protection while considering prevention of mold formation.
- Minimize natural and machine-powered fresh-air ventilation.
- Shut off hot water at sinks in restrooms.
Offices
- Energy-saving goal: 15 percent
- In person
Organizational measures
- Heat and ventilate appropriately, e.g., do not keep windows open, reduce room heating to roughly 1–2°C, reduce heating when ventilating / opening windows.
- Turn off unnecessary electric equipment.
- Avoid leaving devices in stand-by mode—turn them off at the source when not in use.
- Shorten operating hours and avoid nighttime and weekend use.
- Increase awareness among building staff and security and instruct them to lower thermostats in unused rooms and close open windows.
- Do not keep building doors open.
Building measures
- If necessary, optimize BEMS/DDC for energy-using operations.
Operational measures
- Increase staff awareness of regular checks for compliance with/support for organizational measures.
- Set room temperatures in accordance with current and updated regulations.
- Maximize heat retrieval ventilation / air conditioning and reduce amount of fresh air according to regular technical operations.
- Shut off hot water at sinks in restrooms.
- Significant reduction
- In person
- Restricted operations
Organizational measures
- Depending on activity, move to another location and/or work from home.
Building measures
- Ensure doors and windows are not opened unnecessarily.
Operational measures
- Set room temperatures in accordance with current and updated regulations.
- Keep windows and doors closed as much as possible.
- Shut off hot water at sinks in restrooms.
- Drastic reduction
- Work from home as a rule.
Organizational measures
- Depending on activity, work if possible at another location or from home.
Building measures
- Seal any building openings and add insulation as necessary.
Operational measures
- Continue to reduce room temperatures and/or ensure frost protection while considering prevention of mold formation.
- Minimize natural and machine-powered fresh-air ventilation.
- Shut off hot water at sinks in restrooms.
Libraries (group work rooms)
- Energy-saving goal: 15 percent
- In person
Organizational measures
- Heat and ventilate appropriately, e.g., do not keep windows open, reduce room heating to roughly 1–2°C, reduce heating when ventilating / opening windows.
- Turn off unnecessary electric equipment.
- Avoid leaving devices in stand-by mode—turn them off at the source when not in use.
- Shorten operating hours and avoid nighttime and weekend use.
- Increase awareness among building staff and security and instruct them to lower thermostats in unused rooms and close open windows.
- Do not keep building doors open.
Building measures
- Adjust central regulation.
Operational measures
- Increase staff awareness of regular checks for compliance with/support for organizational measures.
- Set room temperatures in accordance with current and updated regulations.
- Maximize heat retrieval ventilation / air conditioning and reduce amount of fresh air according to regular technical operations.
- Shut off hot water at sinks in restrooms.
- Significant reduction
- In person
- Curtail operations.
Organizational measures
- Prioritized operation with limited supply and reduction of opening hours if necessary
Building measures
- Ensure doors and windows are not opened unnecessarily.
Operational measures
- Set room temperatures in accordance with current and updated regulations.
- Keep windows and doors closed as much as possible.
- Shut off hot water at sinks in restrooms.
- Drastic reduction
- Limit in-person activity.
- Significantly reduce operations.
Organizational measures
- Prioritized operation with limited supply and reduction of opening hours if necessary
Building measures
- Limit natural ventilation to a minimum.
- Seal any building openings and add insulation as necessary.
Operational measures
- Continue to reduce room temperatures and/or ensure frost protection while considering prevention of mold formation.
- Minimize natural and machine-powered fresh-air ventilation.
Libraries (lending, lending desk, open-access media)
- Energy-saving goal: 15 percent
- In person
Organizational measures
- Heat and ventilate appropriately, e.g., do not keep windows open, reduce room heating to roughly 1–2°C, reduce heating when ventilating / opening windows.
- Turn off unnecessary electric equipment.
- Avoid leaving devices in stand-by mode—turn them off at the source when not in use.
- Shorten operating hours and avoid nighttime and weekend use.
- Increase awareness among building staff and security and instruct them to lower thermostats in unused rooms and close open windows.
- Do not keep building doors open.
Building measures
- Adjust central regulation.
Operational measures
- Increase staff awareness of regular checks for compliance with/support for organizational measures.
- Set room temperatures in accordance with current and updated regulations.
- Maximize heat retrieval ventilation / air conditioning and reduce amount of fresh air according to regular technical operations.
- Shut off hot water at sinks in restrooms.
- Significant reduction
- In person
- Curtail operations.
Organizational measures
- Limit library operations, including temporarily shorter opening times.
Building measures
- Ensure doors and windows are not opened unnecessarily.
Operational measures
- Set room temperatures in accordance with current and updated regulations.
- Keep windows and doors closed as much as possible.
- Shut off hot water at sinks in restrooms.
- Drastic reduction
- Limit in-person activity.
- Interlibrary loan
Organizational measures
- Completely or significantly curtail library operations, including shorter opening times.
- Set up optional interlibrary loans.
Building measures
- Limit natural ventilation to a minimum.
- Seal any building openings and add insulation as necessary.
Operational measures
- Continue to reduce room temperatures and/or ensure frost protection while considering prevention of mold formation.
- Minimize natural and machine-powered fresh-air ventilation.
Data center and data network distribution rooms
- Energy-saving goal: 15 percent
- Completely secure operations
Organizational measures
- Optimize server, storage, and communication infrastructure.
Building measures
- Review efficiency of current cooling systems; if necessary, optimize.
Operational measures
- Review necessary room temperatures; if necessary, optimize.
- Significant reduction
- Completely secure operations
Organizational measures
- Optimize server, storage, and communication infrastructure.
Building measures
- Review efficiency of current cooling systems; if necessary, optimize.
Operational measures
- Review necessary room temperatures; if necessary, optimize.
- Drastic reduction
- Completely secure operations
Organizational measures
- Optimize server, storage, and communication infrastructure.
Building measures
- Review efficiency of current cooling systems; if necessary, optimize.
Operational measures
- Review necessary room temperatures; if necessary, optimize.
External users (student dining halls and cafeterias)
- Energy-saving goal: 15 percent
- In person
Organizational measures
- Heat and ventilate appropriately, e.g., do not keep windows open, reduce room heating to roughly 1–2°C, reduce heating when ventilating / opening windows.
- Turn off unnecessary electric equipment.
- Avoid leaving devices in stand-by mode—turn them off at the source when not in use.
- Shorten operating hours and avoid nighttime and weekend use.
- Increase awareness among building staff and security and instruct them to lower thermostats in unused rooms and close open windows.
- Do not keep building doors open.
Building measures
- Adjust central regulation.
- Upgrade workload capabilities of high-consumption electrical equipment.
Operational measures
- Set room temperatures in accordance with current and updated regulations.
- Maximize heat retrieval ventilation / air conditioning and reduce amount of fresh air according to regular technical operations.
- Shut off hot water at sinks in restrooms.
- Significant reduction
- In person
Organizational measures
- Prioritized operations including restrict opening times and menu items
- Optional food truck with independent provision and waste disposal.
Building measures
- Ensure doors and windows are not opened unnecessarily.
Operational measures
- Set room temperatures in accordance with current and updated regulations.
- Keep windows and doors closed as much as possible.
- Shut off hot water at sinks in restrooms.
- Drastic reduction
- No operations as a rule
Organizational measures
- Prioritized operation including significantly restrict opening times and menu items if necessary
- Optional food truck with independent provision and waste disposal.
Building measures
- Limit natural ventilation to a minimum.
- Seal any building openings and add insulation as necessary.
Operational measures
- Continue to reduce room temperatures and/or ensure frost protection while considering prevention of mold formation and protecting technical equipment.
Special measures for all locations
As a rule, in cases of reduced heating you may set up electric heaters on the basis of justified need and only in consultation with Department 8 to prevent overloading electrical systems and prevent risk of fire, as well ensuring we meet our energy saving goals.
Special measures at Klein Flottbek
- Prepare and if necessary implement prioritized greenhouse usage.
- Observe changing conditions when using fume cupboards (if these have not been classified as hazardous substance cupboards).
- Do not operate 24/7; shut after after using; advise / attach sign advising these have been shut off.
Special measures at Martin-Luther-King-Platz (MLKP)
- Laboratories and the glass-blowing workshop are supplied with natural gas. Because only small amounts are involved, we assume that the permanent supply can continue; optionally, you can take precautions and set up your own stock of mobile gas burners and cartridges.
- Observe changing conditions when using fume cupboards (if these have not been classified as hazardous substance cupboards).
- Do not operate 24/7; shut after after using; advise / attach sign advising these have been shut off.
Special measures for University Sports (Sportpark)
- Optimize heating and ventilation regulation in and around gyms.
- Frequency converters to regulate the number of rotations in ventilation motors have been installed to save electric energy.
- Technical facilities run only during building opening times; otherwise, they are inactive.
- These measures have been agreed with users.
Special measures for Stellingen and Bergedorf
- Decentralized local heat distribution networks provide heating using local gas burners at both locations.
- In Stellingen, a smaller burner (currently in reserved for backup purposes) is being prepared for use.
- Because it is heated with natural gas (higher risk of outages), Stellingen needs to be prepared for electric heating.
More information on the supply situation with diesel and electricity
Levels and evaluation for each scenario take primary energy providers into account for each location. As a rule, heating is provided in the form of either gas or district heating; Universität Hamburg does not use a combination at individual locations. Secondarily, most locations have a nominal need for diesel for emergency power supply / back-up systems for security-related institutions.
In the last few years, there have been isolated cases requiring use of emergency power supply systems at Universität Hamburg but standard operations were resumed within minutes or hours. Thus, according to current risk assessments, we do not require any further planning scenarios. We plan to keep fuel tanks full.
There is currently no information about possible shortages in energy supply from Hamburg providers. Buildings are technically up to standard for the known short-term outages.