The EnEff Campus at TU Darmstadt: The Energy Transition in a Real-World Laboratory
2026/02/26
On February 26, 2026, the symposium “Future Neighborhoods – Energy Systems in Existing Buildings” was held at TU Darmstadt. The event was organized by the research team of the EnEff:Stadt Campus Lichtwiese project, led by the Design and Sustainable Construction (ENB) department within the School of Architecture.
Against the backdrop of climate protection goals and the transformation of existing energy systems, the symposium presented the latest findings from the project’s second phase as well as new insights from the ongoing third phase. The program was complemented by presentations from both the research and practical sectors—including discussions on municipal heating planning in the city of Darmstadt and innovative control and modeling concepts for existing buildings. A poster session also provided insights into further research conducted at TU Darmstadt.
Around 70 participants from academia, planning, and public administration took the opportunity to exchange ideas on strategies for climate-neutral neighborhoods and the heating transition in existing buildings.
Another symposium is planned to mark the conclusion of the research project.
Interdisciplinary Research for the Energy Transition: The EnEff Campus Lichtwiese
The BMWE-funded research project “EnEff:Stadt Campus Lichtwiese” at TU Darmstadt is an interdisciplinary research and demonstration project through which TU Darmstadt demonstrates how the energy transition can be implemented in practice at the neighborhood level. Specifically, the Lichtwiese Campus serves as a real-world laboratory where electricity, heating, and cooling supplies are intelligently networked, digitally monitored, and gradually developed toward climate neutrality.
In the EnEff:Stadt Campus Lichtwiese project, researchers from the fields of electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, architecture, and energy information systems are conducting interdisciplinary research on the energy transition in the neighborhood.
