Sun meets monument protection: Landsberg revolutionizes with solar framework plan!

Sun meets monument protection: Landsberg revolutionizes with solar framework plan!

In an exciting connection between monument protection and renewable energies, the excursion group from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Landsberg am Lech is bringing a breath of fresh air. 21 architecture students are studying the old town and the challenges that climate protection brings with it. Your goal? A sustainable coexistence of historical buildings and modern energy concepts. Reports on how the city of Landsberg am Lech is relying on renewable energies as part of the nationwide trend landsberg.de.

A forward-looking step was taken in 2023 with the change to the Bavarian Monument Protection Act. This enables the installation of solar systems on listed buildings as long as monument protection does not predominate. This particularly gives municipalities with historical substance leeway to create a solar framework plan that analyzes potential for energy generation. The city of Landsberg plans to specifically develop this solar framework plan as part of a municipal monument protection concept (KDK) on September 11, 2024.

Step-by-step implementation and research work

As part of the project, a comprehensive analysis of the visibility of monuments and the historical spatial qualities will also be carried out. On March 26, 2025, the Building, Planning and Environmental Committee presented the interim results of the students, who intensively researched individual monuments and city views of significant art history. Geodata was specifically prepared to assess the visibility of the roof areas in the old town. The design requirements were also divided into different categories to ensure individual coordination depending on the location.

Mayor Doris Baumgartl praised the students' objective and comprehensible work and looks forward to the next steps in the process, which include public participation.

Framework conditions for solar systems

Another aspect that is becoming increasingly important are the legal requirements for installing solar systems on or near monuments. The Bavarian State Office for Monument Preservation has published a brochure entitled “Solar Energy and Monument Preservation”. This not only provides instructions for installing solar systems, but also shows successful practical examples. The brochure is aimed at monument owners, builders, planners and other interested parties and can be requested free of charge denkmalnetzbayern.de is to be read.

A current court case illustrates the balance between monument protection and climate protection: A homeowner won the right to install a solar system on his listed half-timbered house before the Braunschweig Administrative Court. It was argued there that the roof area was not visible from public streets. The court rated the visual impact as low, which shows that solar systems on listed buildings are possible under certain conditions. The decision could be groundbreaking for future approvals, as it emphasizes the state's goal of climate protection in the Basic Law baurechtsiegen.de is explained.

In summary, it shows that Landsberg am Lech has a good hand with its innovative approach to sustainable development. Combining monument protection with modern energy concepts could also open doors elsewhere and make a valuable contribution to climate protection.