Delmenhorst goes green: first bus stops with living roofs!

Delmenhorst goes green: first bus stops with living roofs!

In November 2023, Delmenhorst took a green step towards sustainable mobility. Three bus stops have been equipped with green roofs, which not only brighten up the cityscape, but also offer a variety of climate and environmental benefits. The city administration insists on being at the forefront of greening the stops - the city alone covers the costs of 2,360 euros per green roof. The first stops with these green roofs are on Brendelweg, at the final stop Hilversumer Straße and on Feldstraße, as the Weser-Kurier reports. The decision to green the area can be traced back to a council decision from November 2019, which declared Delmenhorst a “climate model city”.

Green roofs are particularly important in times of climate change. They consist of hardy plants that contribute to microclimate protection and bind CO2. They also make a valuable contribution to noise protection. The city also plans to equip more bus stops with such roofs by 2026 - primarily in heavily frequented locations. The first preparatory measures have already been initiated, but the implementation of further projects depends on the approval of outstanding funding applications. Particularly attractive for the city are stops where at least ten passengers wait every day.

Planned measures and funding

The city of Delmenhorst is aware of its responsibility and relies on exemplary projects to improve the quality of life. Four more stops with green roofs are to be built in the coming years, provided funding from Lower Saxony is approved. Over 75% of the total costs of the new waiting halls are covered by funding from the state of Lower Saxony. This shows how seriously the city takes the issue of sustainability, because the existing waiting halls cannot be equipped with green technology because they are not suitable for it due to static restrictions. Proposed future candidates include Lange Straße, Oldenburger Straße and Elsässer Straße.

However, it's not just the bus stops when it comes to climate-friendly measures in Delmenhorst. The city is also pursuing a comprehensive strategy to make its energy supply more sustainable. As mentioned on the Climate Model City website, avoiding unnecessary energy production, storage and transport is considered a key factor in energy savings. The city also refers to energy-efficient building renovations in order to significantly reduce gas and heating oil costs.

A look into the future

In addition, the importance of a broad awareness campaign about electricity consumption is emphasized. The goal is to sensitize all urban actors – from private individuals to public bodies – in order to shape a sustainable future together. The general conditions could also be improved through cooperation with companies and housing associations. Another exciting development is the idea of ​​setting up energy cooperatives to finance environmentally conscious projects.

To ensure the success of these measures, the city would like to count on the support of its citizens and calls on everyone in Delmenhorst to actively participate in creating a more climate-friendly city. Whether using public transport, in private households or in industry – together we can do it! The first green stops have already shown that the path to becoming a model climate city is being successfully pursued, as the Weser-Kurier describes in detail. The path is clear and we can look forward to seeing how Delmenhorst develops in the coming years.