It is still winter. The air is damp, but not icy. A break before the next hot summer arrives - and with it the oppressive heat that puts the Centre for Young and Old (ZenJA) in Langen to the test almost every year. ZenJA is a meeting place, colourful, lively and full of people who find community and support here: Children, pregnant women, families, single parents, senior citizens and the elderly. But many of them belong to the group that is particularly sensitive to heat. So what to do when temperatures rise and shade is a rare commodity?
The challenge
The sun means well in summer - perhaps too well. It beats down on the south front, the terrace, the garden and the playgrounds. There is little shade, and where it does exist, such as under large parasols, the heat builds up. The roller shutters could provide relief, but they also darken the rooms and close off access to the outside - not an option for a house that lives openness.
A solution was urgently needed. And it came - not as an expensive masterplan with a large budget, but as a creative, collaborative and feasible strategy. What fails in many organisations due to the perceived or real hurdles of funding becomes an opportunity at ZenJA. Because there is something valuable here: people with ideas, openness and drive.
A problem? Or a new departure?
Together with Monika Maier-Luchmann and her dedicated team, we set to work. The first step was to systematically analyse the climate risks: not just heat, but also heavy rain, drought, storms and hail. The ZenJA team contributed valuable experience from everyday life. Where are the biggest challenges? What measures can help immediately?
A workshop with employees and volunteers brought the next wave of ideas: pragmatic, creative, unconventional. And while some began sceptically, it quickly became clear that something was being created here that would not only help combat the heat, but also make the centre even more liveable.
The solutions: Simple, natural, effective
Some of the best ideas are often the ones that are easy to implement but are often overlooked. Some solutions required less money but rather rethinking:
- Training for staff on heat protection and correct behaviour
- Adapting duty and event schedules to hot days
- Optimised shading and ventilation routines
- A heat action plan and free drinking water for everyone
Nature as an ally
But the ZenJA needs more - and is pinning its hopes on nature-based measures. After all, why fight nature when it offers the best cooling?
- More large trees for shade, fresh air and a habitat for birds and insects
- A green roof that not only cools the building, but also absorbs heavy rainfall and warms in winter
- A green veranda and pergola on the south side, which provide shade in summer and let in light in winter
Technology that is not at the expense of the environment
Air conditioning? No, too expensive and too energy-intensive. But there are clever alternatives:
- Awnings and lightweight canopies, for example for an outdoor kitchen
- Smart shading solutions that enable air circulation
- Night ventilation
- Materials that heat up less
A plan with a future
Of course, financial resources are also required. But the first major step - drawing up the climate adaptation plan - was supported by the federal programme ‘Climate adaptation for social institutions’. Now it's time to tackle phase 2: implementing the ideas. And if one funding programme doesn't work out? Then the ZenJA team will find another solution step by step - with its experience, network and passion for the centre.
What began as a challenge became an opportunity. Not only to better endure the heat, but to make ZenJA even more beautiful, sustainable and future-proof. The process continues. And with this energy, something good can only come of it.
I am excited.