CERT_OPT

As part of the CERTEB_OPT project, several partners from the Greater Region are working to reduce the energy consumption of public and school buildings. The aim is to make the energy performance certificate for buildings more understandable as a useful tool for reducing energy consumption and thus bringing about lasting change. The project is supported by various scientific and practical partners, including universities, research institutions and regional partners.

• Université de Liège (Koordination)
• Universität Luxemburg
• RPTU Kaiserslautern
• CentraleSupélec Metz
• Hochschule Trier / Landkreis Trier-Saarburg
• MINT-Campus St. Ingbert

What is the project's goal?

The main goal of the CERTEB_OPT project is to significantly reduce the energy consumption of buildings. This will be achieved by using the energy passport as a central instrument. In pilot schools, students and teachers will jointly analyse the energy consumption. The aim is not just a theoretical examination of the topic of energy efficiency, but a practical application in which concrete savings potentials are identified and implemented. Another important goal is to reduce energy consumption in these buildings by at least 15% – without sacrificing the comfort of the users or having to carry out renovation work. This shows that savings can also be made with simple and practical measures.

How is the project implemented?

The project is divided into five work packages, ranging from analysing the status quo to evaluating and developing recommendations for action. At the beginning, the current energy consumption of the buildings is carefully recorded and analysed. On this basis, optimisation measures are developed and then implemented in the pilot schools. In the third phase, the students and teachers are actively involved in implementing the measures. They learn how to reduce the energy consumption of their buildings through simple but effective changes in their daily operations. The focus is on the topics of energy efficiency, comfort and the conscious use of resources. The project ends with a detailed evaluation and a final report summarising the results and recommendations for the future. The aim is to ensure that the experience gained and the results obtained can be applied not only in the pilot schools but also in other schools and public buildings.

What role do young people play?

Involving young people is a central aspect of the project. They are not only the target group of the project, but are also actively involved in implementing and disseminating the results. Pupils not only learn the theory of energy efficiency, but also put their knowledge into practice by analysing the energy consumption of their own schools and reducing it through optimisation. These experiences give young people valuable insights for their future and motivate them to continue to engage with the topic of climate protection outside of the project.

Dissemination of results

Another important aspect of the project is the broad dissemination of the results. At the end of the project, the partners will organise a major public event to present the results and experiences gained. This event is aimed not only at the pilot schools, but also at all other interested schools, caretakers, public building owners and the general public. The aim is to disseminate the project's findings throughout the Greater Region, thus bringing about long-term change. In addition, the project is supported by scientific publications that underpin the project's scientific claim and help to ensure that the results also attract international attention.

CERTEB_OPT

The CERTEB_OPT project is an innovative step towards a more sustainable and energy-efficient future for our buildings. By closely involving the scientific and educational communities and the general public, it demonstrates that significant savings in energy consumption can be achieved without expensive renovations and with simple measures. The involvement of young people in particular is a forward-looking approach that not only yields short-term results but also strengthens long-term awareness of energy efficiency and climate change mitigation in society.