Keep cool – Summer heat protection for historic buildings

Registration is required for this event. There is a fee.

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Fri, 06 Nov

Short description

Conference organised by WTA Germany, IRB Fraunhofer and the Association of State Heritage Authorities (VDL)

Rising temperatures, more frequent heatwaves and changing usage requirements are presenting new challenges for the management of historic buildings. Whilst winter thermal insulation has been a focus for many years, summer thermal insulation is becoming increasingly important in historic buildings. How can historic buildings be adapted to a warmer climate without compromising their heritage value or their appearance? What potential do traditional construction methods offer, and which technical and planning solutions are compatible with the requirements of heritage conservation?
Organised by WTA, Fraunhofer IRB and the Association of State Heritage Authorities (VDL), this conference examines current issues surrounding summer thermal protection in historic buildings, covering a range of topics from historical strategies and planning and technical approaches to practical experience in heritage conservation. The focus is on the challenges of climate adaptation, the demands of modern uses, and the search for solutions compatible with heritage conservation. Drawing on examples from research and practice, the conference will highlight ways in which historic buildings can remain comfortable to use in the future – when summer becomes a stress test and summer heat protection turns into a demanding planning task balancing climate adaptation, building use and heritage compatibility.

Description

From 09:00 Arrival, registration, coffee

09:30 – 09:50 Welcome/Introduction

Volker Schweizer, Fraunhofer IRB

Silke Vollmann, Association of State Heritage Authorities

Paul Wirtz, WTA GmbH


Session 1: Keynote presentations

Moderator: Silke Vollmann

09:50 – 10:20 am Historical solutions for summer heat protection

Dr Thomas Wenderoth, Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments

10.20 – 10.50 am When summer becomes a stress test – Summer heat protection as a planning challenge balancing climate adaptation, building use and heritage compatibility

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Peggy Freudenberg, University of Kassel


10.50 – 11.20 am Coffee break


Session 2: Technical Aspects

Moderator: Volker Schweizer

11.20 – 12.00 System technology for summer heat protection

Lutz Baumann, Niehsen-Baumann Engineering Consultants

12.00 – 12.30 Historic school buildings in the context of climate change

Julia Ludwar, Lower Heritage Protection Authority, City of Darmstadt / Tanja Schulz, Passive House Institute GmbH, Darmstadt


12.30 – 14.00 Lunch break


Block 3: Practical examples, projects

Moderator: Ansgar Brockmann

14.00 – 14.30 Keeping heritage buildings cool! Summer heat protection for windows in listed buildings

Sybille Haseley/ Ruth Klawun, Berlin State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments

14:30 – 15:40 Practical examples from the federal states

- Protection for the angels – Protestant Church in Odensachsen

Jürgen Krieg, Krieg+Warth Architects, Eichenzell

- Intense heat in the hyperbolic paraboloid – Friedrich-Ebert-Halle in Ludwigshafen

Dr.-Ing. Roswitha Kaiser, retired Director of the Rhineland-Palatinate State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments, Directorate-General for Cultural Heritage

- High-tech – Summer heat protection at Munich’s ‘Postpalast’

Harald Scharrer, Lower Heritage Protection Authority, City of Munich

- How little is enough? Summer heat protection at the Eiermann Building in Apolda

Constanze Hüther, Thuringian State Office for Heritage Conservation and Archaeology


15:40 – 16:00 Summary / Closing discussion

Paul Wirtz, WTA GmbH


Registration is required for this event. There is a fee.

Further details can be found at www.wta-international.org/de/nationale-gruppen/wta-deutschland/fachkongress-denkmal-2026.

Organiser

Information about the program

Event Location

CCL, Multi-purpose area 1, Level 0