Starting tomorrow the Oberhof region will be in a buzz for 12 days. The world's biathlon elite will descend on the Thuringian Forest, battling for the world championship medals on the ski trail and at the shooting range. Tens of thousands of fans are expected at the biathlon ARENA on the Rennsteig. When cheering on the top athletes, it may be forgotten that the winter sports venue has been preparing for the 2023 World Championships since 2019 with extensive renovations. The complex is being adapted both to meet sports standards and current requirements concerning climate compatibility and energy saving. Experts of the Stuttgart-based consulting company Drees & Sommer SE assisted the administration union Thüringer Wintersportzentrum Oberhof in designing and implementing a carbon-neutral energy concept. The objective: a supply of heating, cooling and power that is sustainable, independent and as cost-efficient as possible for the sports facilities and the Oberhof site.
The approaches to the project and the methods used are matched perfectly to the climatic conditions in Oberhof and the conditions specific to the winter sports venues. The main goals of the new energy concept are the use of waste heat from the refrigeration systems of the sports facilities, the construction of a new energy centre including the construction of a district heating network and all in all to become independent from external heat and power suppliers.
The energy design project is so far unique in the winter sports sector and benefits from funding by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and the Thuringian Ministry of Environment, Energy and Nature Conservation. Drees & Sommer’s experts assisted the administration union Thüringer Wintersportzentrum Oberhof in the public grants management. Implementation of the new energy concept is expected to be completed by 2026. The sports venues in Oberhof are on track to carbon neutrality.
Find more information in our press release.