For readers from abroad, it can sometimes be difficult to get a balanced view of the direction that the new energy economy in Germany is taking. It has to be pointed out that good old Deutsche Welle, once considered merely a colorful window into German culture, has taken energy and environmental reporting to a new level. Coverage includes reports about the expansion of renewable energies, the impact of the financial crisis on this industry, the attempts of German energy companies to build new nuclear power stations outside of the country, consumer action that is taken to reduce energy consumption, and much more — with lots of diverging viewpoints and intriguing interview sources. [mehr...]
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Besuchen Sie uns auf unserem virtuellen Messestand auf der CleanEnergy Exhibition in Halle 4, Stand 130.
At present, however, it is elder affluent consumers who dominate the market. They are customers who in the majority of cases already own a house and who are affluent enough to purchase an energy-plus home, which costs more than regular houses. However, the Haas Group is already working on an offering for the mass-market which will be based upon the latest ecological standards and which will be afforable to a broader audience.
While Germany is a key market for the Haas Group, its efforts to market energy-positive houses don’t stop here. “In many cases, we test the product in Germany and then move into other markets. We have launched similar concepts in Swizerland and in Italy.” Other target markets include France, England, Austria, the Tschech Republic, Poland, and increasingly Russland, says Stranzinger.
One of the future key markets is Scottland, where houses are by tradition built in a light-weight manner that consumes large amounts of energy for construction and heating. In the face of the European climate protection goals and rising energy prices, Scottish house buyers are increasingly intersted in construction methods that are low-carbon and energy efficient.
Like most capital-intensive businesses, the enthusiasm of the construction business has been dampered by the financial crisis. However, the revision of the Energy Efficiency Law (EneV) in 2009 gives reason to hope for new momentum, especially in the green building business. The law says that until 2012, energy efficiency in the building sector will need to grow to another 30%. If this legislation is supported by government benefits to house builders, chances are that green building will become the new standard.
The Haas Group will be exhibiting at the Heim & Handwerk trade show in Munich (Hall B3.330/334) from November 27 to December 7, 2008.
- Birte Pampel
So who is Utopia?
Germany has a long tradition of consumers pursuing a sustainable lifestyle. It starting with the Birkenstock wearers in the early Eighties and the first health food stores selling sustainably produced veggies at rocket prices. Utopia however is much younger than this movement and it targets an altogether different type of consumer.
The “largest online community [mehr...]
Utopia Konferenz 2008: “We need a social epidemic”
Vor wenigen Tagen hatte Utopia seinen ersten Geburtstag gefeiert. Nun setzt Deutschlands größte Community für nachhaltigen Lebensstil und Social Business noch eins drauf und startet die erste Utopia-Konferenz.
Der erste Referent ist Greg Craven, seines Zeichens Lehrer in einer ländlichen Highschool in den USA. Craven fing vor einigen Monaten an, auf YouTube über [mehr...]
Welcome to Reality, Mr. President-Elect
by Bill McKibben
Our eight-year interlude from reality draws to a close, and the job of cleaning up begins. The trouble is, we’re not just cleaning up after a failed US presidency. We’re cleaning up after a two-century binge.
Barack Obama won an historic victory this week, and with it the right to take office under the most difficult circumstances [mehr...]
Pinch me!
An email from Michael Moore. Just to express our joy and happiness. Maiken
Friends,
Who among us is not at a loss for words? Tears pour out. Tears of joy. Tears of relief. A stunning, whopping landslide of hope in a time of deep despair.
In a nation that was founded on genocide and then built on the backs of slaves, it was an unexpected moment, shocking [mehr...]



