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Implementing heat infrastructure planning robustly (W-rob)

A transdisciplinary project for a socially robust heat transition

Latest News
Previous Communications
Project
Network
Results

Welcome!

The decarbonization of our heating supply presents us as a society with a major challenge. Cities and municipalities currently have an important key role to play in this task: they must coordinate the conversion of the heat supply and thus create planning security for all stakeholders.

The “Implementing heat infrastructure planning robustly – W-rob” project supports municipal stakeholders in overcoming the biggest challenges currently facing heat infrastructure planning in the best possible way – through a socially robust implementation of heat infrastructure planning. This means:

  1. the planning is carried out in a methodically comprehensible, transparent and legally compliant manner (process design)
  2. the results are accepted and not regarded as unfair (content/results)
  3. Private actors that are not directly regulated also participate in the implementation of locally prioritized measures in a trusting and timely manner (activation for implementation).

Latest News

Z

15.12.2025

New guidelines for implementing municipal heating plans from KoWaP-Pro

In three guidelines published today, the Environmental Energy Law Foundation, together with its research partners adelphi research gGmbH and Prof. Dr. Jürgen Knies (Bremen University of Applied Sciences), provides practical guidance and legal advice on the process steps and procedures required to implement the targets and measures set out in the heating plans.

The guides provide specific information and advice for local authorities, energy suppliers, and citizens who need to work together to shape the heat transition. They also highlight best practice examples that are already available today, as well as selected legal topics in several focus chapters.

To the guidelines
Z

11.11.2025

Conference ‘The upcoming implementation of heating plans – challenges and solutions for energy infrastructure and building efficiency’

On 11 November 2025, Clara Brühl, research assistant for the W-rob project, took part in the conference ‘The upcoming implementation of heating plans – challenges and solutions for energy infrastructure and building efficiency’, organised by the Environmental Energy Law Foundation (Stiftung Umweltenergierecht) in Würzburg. The participants were mainly lawyers who look at the heating transition from a practical and a research perspective. The presentations introduced and discussed the legal framework and possible scenarios for increasing building efficiency, expanding heating networks and decommissioning gas networks.
The exchange highlighted in particular the legal framework, obstacles and design options for the successful implementation of the heating plans. The conference provided valuable input for further work in the W-rob project.

To the event page
Previous Communications
Häuser, Bäume und Felder im Smog gehüllt

Project

The “Implementing heat infrastructure planning robustly – W-rob” project supports municipal stakeholders in overcoming the biggest challenges currently facing heat infrastructure planning in the best possible way – through a socially robust implementation of heat infrastructure planning.

chevron-right More about the project

Network

The core team of W-rob includes:

  • apl. Prof. Dr. Philipp Späth (Freiburg University)
  • Prof. Dr. Cathrin Zengerling (Freiburg University)
  • Prof. Dr. Sören Becker (Marburg University)
  • Hannah Stroebel (NELA e.V. Next Economy Lab)

Contractors are:

  • Baumann Rechtsanwälte
  • Stadtwerke Konstanz GmbH
  • Umwelt- und Energieagentur Kreis Karlsruhe
  • GEF Ingenieur AG

Practice Partners are:

  • 10 municipalities in Baden-Württemberg, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia
  • 4 energy agencies: KWW, KEA-BW, UEA Kreis Karlsruhe, EA-Regio Freiburg
  • BadenovaWÄRMEPLUS
More about the network

Results

The project produces the following results:

  • Specifically formulated, practical recommendations for action for those responsible for planning, grid operators and civil society groups for the robust design of the process, content and implementation of heat infrastructure planning.
  • Policy recommendations: Regulatory options that facilitate decarbonization.
  • Communication of further research needs.
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