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Campus - 10.07.2024 - 09:16 

Another photovoltaic system to be installed on campus

A photovoltaic system will be built on HSG's Holzweid Continuing Education Center this summer. Following the inauguration of a system on the HSG sports hall in spring 2024, the University is thus further increasing its own production of sustainable electricity.

The photovoltaic system will be built on these two buildings at the Holzweid further education centre this summer.
 

HSG has set itself the ambitious goal of achieving net-zero carbon neutrality by 2030. An important step towards this is the ongoing expansion of the supply of sustainable energy. In March 2024, a large solar installation on the HSG sports hall was officially inaugurated - and now the next project is already following: a further installation will be built this summer on the roofs of the Alumni House and the Hans Ulrich Auditorium. Both buildings belong to the HSG's Holzweid Continuing Education Center (WBZ).

HSG students find suitable roof areas

"We are delighted that the system can be realized after a long period of planning. It is important that as many of us as possible make a contribution to sustainable electricity production," says Michael Domeisen, managing director of the HSG Foundation. The Foundation is a co-owners of the WBZ buildings and land. "The roofs are ideally suited for the construction and operation of a photovoltaic system," says Domeisen.

HSG is basing the planning of this and any other systems on its roofs largely on an analysis by HSG students. As part of the Master's certificate in "Managing Climate Solutions" (MaCS), they examined the roofs of all HSG buildings for their suitability (composition, orientation, ownership, etc.). The HSG sports hall and the WBZ stood out as the most promising roof areas for solar panels.

The students were also involved in the planning and financing of the system on the HSG sports hall - in close cooperation with Rolf Wüstenhagen, HSG professor of Renewable Energy Management, and various members of the HSG administration. This system was financed via a crowd investment. Private individuals were able to buy individual panels. Many of them come from the region or are members of the HSG Community.

HSG meets up to 20 percent of its electricity needs with solar panels

The system on the WBZ is financed, built and operated by St.Galler Stadtwerke. An output of around 83,000 kWh per year is expected. This is roughly equivalent to the annual electricity requirements of 20 single-family homes. "HSG will use most of the electricity produced on site itself," says Markus Steiner, Head of Construction + Technology at HSG. He was involved in the planning of all previous systems on the HSG campus.

According to Steiner, HSG will meet approximately 20 percent of its electricity requirements with self-produced, sustainable energy.
The photovoltaic systems on the library, the sports hall, SQUARE and the temporary classroom building also contribute to this.

SQUARE, which was opened in 2022, is completely supplied with sustainable energy all year round thanks to a geothermal probe, photovoltaic system and hydroelectric power from external sources, making it climate-neutral in operation.

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