Now it’s happening: Power from the sun

Now it’s happening: The photovoltaic system (PV system) is in the process of being installed! It will be some 4 to 5 weeks until it is finished but then the system will start its work for the FESB.

It has been a long and rocky road to get this far. The following section provides you with some of the mile-stones worth remembering.

Approximately 3 years ago, the managing director Clemens Volber and the company DEMACS developed the idea to install a system on the roof of the school building on 14 Christburger Straße in order to generate solar power. Extensive research followed, together with the head of operations, Erdmann Timm: how large should this system be, who should manufacture/install it, how much it will cost, and how much compensation for electricity fed into the grid we can expect. Everything was pretty complicated at first. Soon it became very obvious that an installation of such a system alone wouldn’t be all it takes. Thorough research revealed that the energy costs skyrocketed and will continue to go up to such an extent that the operation of our schools may no longer be guaranteed.

Based on all these facts we had to think about some general issues regarding our location Christburger Straße: what will energetic restorations that will not only result in a profound decrease of energy costs but will also keep them affordable in the long run have to entail. As anyone who has been keeping up with this endeavor, or was directly or indirectly involved will recall, following measures were eventually decided on:

1. The installation of a photovoltaic system on the roof of the school building;
2. Restoration including new roofing of the entire school roof;
3. Renewal of the completely oversized heating system;
4. Renewal of the pumping and control system;
5. Renovation and/or replacement of the windows;
6. Thermal insulation of the roof.

In the meantime, the old shingles have been removed and the new shingles, “Old-Berlin beaver” are currently being fixed. The substructure for the modules of the photovoltaic system is being installed on the backside of the roof. The building of the compartment walls will start this week so that there will be a consistent picture as well.

The expert opinion evaluation of the windows determined how the old, partially original windows can be repaired or renewed. All construction measures are supervised by monument protection representatives, whom we consulted before taking any steps. We are especially thankful for the good collaboration in this matter. The heating and control system was inspected one more time and now that restoration work has begun as well.

At this point, we would like to repeat our sincere thanks to all companies involved for their to date extremely constructive cooperation in many problematic issues, especially to the construction company FX Bau, Mr. Rall and his employees.

All restoration measures have a financial volume of approximately 1.2 m Euros. How to pay for such a measure that – on top of it – is urgently needed? Firstly, a solid interim financing contract had to be worked out with a bank. Successfully. Secondly, all companies that have been commissioned so far have donated parts of their services to the school body. Thirdly, it is just as vital for us to receive finances from other channels, be it donations or interest-free loans. Right now, the donations we have received so far amount to 20,100 Euros. Although it is a lot of money, it will be nowhere near enough. We would like to take this opportunity and ask you for your support. Every single cent you give us ensures the school operations in the long-run; your donation allows the children who are our students now and also those who will be in the future to continue their education. For this reason we have opened a donations account for the energetic restoration of our school building 14 Christburger Strasse:

Bank: DKB Deutsche Kreditbank AG
Bank code: 120 300 00
Account Number: 100 500 6000
Reason for payment: Energetic restoration C14

Thank you and God bless you!

(This information is from October 27, 2008)

Chronology of the construction process
(bottom to top):