35 running Projects // 371 Projects in total

• PADO – Processes and Implications of Dune Breaching at the German Baltic Sea Coast Subproject Economic Valuation

  An implementation of coastal protection processes does not only affect the flood risk for coastal land uses, but also the natural coastal scenery, coastal biodiversity and groundwater quality. For decisions on coastal [...] More

• Regional flexibilities of prosumers in households and in the commercial sector Determination of regional flexibilities as part of the project „WindNODE – showcasing smart energy systems from northeastern Germany”

  In the decentralised energy transition, it is possible for households, prosumers and businesses to make their energy consumption more flexible. As a result, they can shift their energy demand to times of high supply. This [...] More

• Municipalities in Climate Emergency: Processes, Properties and Focuses

  With the worldwide movement of local communities and municipalities, as well as state and regional governments, to declare a climate emergency, they acknowledge the urgent need for climate protection and initiate or increase [...] More

• Urban Heat Shift Participatory Transformation of Coupled Infrastructures, Focusing on Heat Supply in Berlin

  

  Almost 50% of final energy consumption in Germany is used for heating, thus heat consumption is an important factor when it comes to tackling global challenges such as climate change, energy efficiency and resource [...] More

• Sustainable bioeconomy in Brandenburg – Examples of climate-friendly and environmentally friendly regional value chains

  In April 2014, the Federal State Government of Brandenburg passed its Sustainability Strategy. One of the 16 fields of action focus on the management of „natural resources as the economic potential of a sustainable regional [...] More

• Detailed Economic Analysis of Individual Policy Instruments and Measures for Climate Change Adaptation

  Climate change affects Germany in various ways, for example by increased storms, heat waves and extreme rainfall. The research project analyses to what degree adaption measures and instruments can reduce the expected damage [...] More

• Value of Green Urban Spaces Evaluation, Management and Communication as a key for climate resilient and near-natural green spaces

  

  The research project aims at supporting communal activities for identifying, selecting and realising measures for greening public spaces that at the same time enhance climate resilience of cities and contribute to the [...] More

• KonsumWende Sustainable consumption for the preservation of ecosystem services and biodiversity worldwide

  The consumption of goods and services has become a defining characteristic of modern-day (industrial) societies and is accompanied by an enormous and continuously increasing use of resources. Agricultural production is for [...] More

• The governance of deep transitions: The role of International Organisations

  The subproject ‘The governance of deep transitions: The role of international organisations’ is part of a larger research project based at the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU), University of Sussex (SPRU) in the UK and is [...] More

• Approaches to Resource Conservation in the Context of Post-Growth Concepts

  

  The recent institutions of society and economy are mainly focused on economic growth, measured in Gross National Product (GDP). This enhances a consumption of resources that is incompatible with planetary boundaries. Current [...] More

• The Crafts as Shapers of the Heating Transition (c.HANGE)

  The energy transition does not work without a heating transition. More than 80 percent of households' energy consumption is due to the provision of space heating and hot water supply. The average age of heaters in residential [...] More

• Future Potentials of a Rural Bio-Economy Analysis and Assessment of Value Chains of a Multiple and Cascade Based Usage of Renewable Raw Resources (Phase I)

  A resource-efficient economy based on renewable resources, with less or even no use of fossil resources at all – that is the objective of the German “National Policy Strategy on Bioeconomy”. The German Federal Government [...] More

• Consumer Role New Consumption Practices and Changes in the Consumer Role

  In recent years, collaborative economy practices have been boosted substantially by the advent of the Internet and the proliferation of digital networks. As collaboration between strangers has been greatly facilitated by the [...] More

• AcceptEE - Factors for promoting acceptance of renewable energies

  The acceptance of renewable energies is a central condition for a successful German "Energiewende". Therefore, this project aims to investigate the question whether a nature and environmentally friendly expansion of renewable [...] More

• Regional Usage of Groundwater in Climate Change

  

  The goal of this project is to find workable solutions to cover the regional needs of water in the future, regarding to the aspect of climate change. Management strategies towards the regional water resources, the development [...] More

• Scientific Support of Processes for an Enforced Consideration of Environmental Criteria in Public Procurement (GPP)

  Main objective of the project is to support the German Federal Environment Agency in its activities to strengthen green public procurement (GPP) in Germany. The very first task of the consortium consists of drafting a [...] More

• Linking Innovative Forms of Living With Mobility Services in Business Models Housing Providers and Initiatives as Initiators and Actors of Socio-ecological Change

  Housing and mobility are closely interlinked in everyday life. They shape land uses, environmental quality and quality of living. In order to minimize social and ecological impairment, it is useful to consider housing and [...] More

• Carbon-neutral regions as strategic approach for support of sustainable consumption patterns Analysis and development of political recommendations

  The chances of regional policy approaches for climate protection become more and more clear. Strategies like “climate-neutral region” or “100 percent renewable-energy region” are an indicator for promising approaches. The [...] More

• Renewable Energy Projects in Lignite Mining Regions

  The Climate Action Plan 2050 states that the climate protection goals can only be achieved, if there is a gradual reduction of coal-fired power generation. To ensure a bearable development for the affected lignite mining [...] More

• Investigation of the ecological importance of disposable drink cups for out-of-home consumption and possible measures to reduce consumption

  The change in living and working conditions over recent years has led to an increase in out-of-home consumption. Convenience also applies to the consumption of soft drinks and hot beverages. The total quantity of takeaway [...] More

• Marktstudie: Nachhaltige biobasierte Produkte, Gütezeichen, Hersteller und Bedarfe der öffentlichen Hand Artikel für den Bürobedarf

  Dieses Projekt unterstützt die Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe dabei, den Markt im Segment biobasierter Büroartikel systematisch zu erfassen – von Büroklammern, Holz- und Biokunststoff-Stiften und Mousepads bis hin zu [...] More

• Cooperation and participation process for the further development of the German Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change (participation process DAS)

  In consideration of the ongoing climate change, adaptation to its inevitable consequences has gained relevance in recent years both in research and in politics. In Germany, the Federal Government resolved the German Strategy [...] More

• PeerSharing

  

  The project “Peer-Sharing” focuses on innovative online-platforms, which act as an intermediary for peer-to-peer (consumer to consumer) lending, buying or swapping of products or services. At this point digital peer-to-peer [...] More

• Needs and Opportunities for Climate Resilient and Sustainable Design of National and Cross-Border Infrastructure

  The result of the research project will be the systematization and processing of existing knowledge concerning the development dynamics, the guiding principles and the interdependencies of the infrastructures and possible [...] More

• Innovative System Solutions for a Transdisciplinary and Regional Ecological Flood Risk Management and River Basin Management/Water(course) Development Close to Nature

  Aim of the project is to develop tools for a management on river basin level, which contribute to a systematic synergetic effect in the implementation of two directives of the European Union (EU): the Water Framework [...] More

• Commons-based Peer Production in Open Labs (COWERK)

  

  The project COWERK intends to examine the adoption of cooperative ways of organizing the economy by using the example of open-access labs. The project has the aim of analyzing the adoption of new technological methods in the [...] More

• Internet-Based Value-Added Calculator for Energy-Saving Building Refurbishment

  

  The economic effects of energy efficiency measures and especially those of energy-saving building refurbishment are barely mentioned in regional energy concepts. In view of this fact the German Federal Ministry for the [...] More

• Regional and economic potentials of agro-forestry systems Economic analysis of value-added chains for evaluation and quantification of the economic factor of agro-forestry systems in a model region of the research project called AUFWERTEN

  The innovation group AUFWERTEN aims to investigate into needed preconditions for a stronger implementation of agro-forestry systems in rural areas. For that, an trans- and interdisciplinary approach is applied. The IÖW will [...] More

• LowExTra – Low-Exergy-Grids for Storing and Distributing Heat at Different Temperature Levels

  The objective of the project is to investigate and develop a new, intelligent and democratic district heating grid. The grid is - in contrast to exisisting district heating systems with one flow line and one return line - [...] More

• Ranking of sustainability-related product information in E-Commerce (Top100 Online Shops)

  Product information serves to provide consumers with information and guidance about the sustainability of goods. Thus, product information works as a decision-making aid between more or less sustainable products. Given the [...] More

• IT and Electrical Power Supply: Potentials and Risks of Coupling Regarding Vulnerability and Resilience

  

  With the Energiewende Germany has to arrange a fundamental transformation of the energy system, which will be characterized by a high content of volatile renewable energies. The accompanying fluctuations of the energy supply [...] More

• Sustainability Strategies and Policies: Challenges and Approaches

  The project supports the Federal Environment Agency and the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety in the further development of the sustainability and environmental programs [...] More

• Procurement Specifications Considering Biodiversity - Feasibility Study and Action Plans for German Public Procurement and the Construction Sector

  Per year around 480 billion Euro are spent on the public procurement in Germany. This market power can contribute to the conservation of biodiversity if e.g. biodiversity criteria are embedded in public tenders and thus it [...] More

• Current discussion on the introduction of an innovation principle and the relationship to the precautionary principle Short Study

  In order to improve the innovation climate in Germany and Europe, representatives of research-intensive large companies and meanwhile the EU are calling for the introduction of an “innovation principle”, which should [...] More

• Innovative Cooperations of NGOs and Corporations for a Sustainable Economy

  Cooperation between corporations and NGOs offer the potential to generate or co-develop sustainable business models and practices.  At the same time they are suposed to contribute to the organisational development and [...] More

• Value-Added and Employment Effects of Photovoltaics and Wind Energy in the Netherlands

  The aim of the collaboration between the ECN and the IÖW was an adaption of the methodology of the IÖW WeBEE model for the Netherlands as well as the application of the model in order to achieve first results for value added [...] More

• Mobility Transition – The German Automotive Industry in Upheaval

  On behalf of the think tank Denkwerk Demokratie, IÖW has examined the conditions for a mobility transition as well as its implications for the German automotive industry. Denkwerk Demokratie is financed by trade unions and [...] More

• Prosumer potentials in NRW 2030

  Prosumers play a major role within the discussion about the shaping process of the energy turnaround. Furthermore and in line with the amendment process of the EEG 2017, participation possibilities of tenants were discussed [...] More

• „Mieterstrom“ – Obstacles and Potentials

  Based on the study “Mieterstrom: Legal Classification, Forms of Organisation, Potentials and Economic Efficiency of Tenant-run Electricity Models” commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, the [...] More

• Added Value of a Regional Energy Transition in the Lusatian and Rhenish Lignite Mining Regions Value-Added and Employment Potentials by the Expansion of Photovoltaics and Wind Energy

  For the launch of a new green power tariff in May 2017, Greenpeace Energy commissioned the IÖW to conduct a brief study. The aim of the study was to analyze potential value-added and employment effects in 2030 by the [...] More

• Heating with straw An analysis of regional economic and ecological effects of straw fired-heating plants

  With this project, the IÖW aims to show which regional economic effects might be associated with the production, installation and operation of straw-fired heating plants, i.e. to what extent regional value added and [...] More

• Analysis of Approaches to Alternative Economy: Effects of Sustainability and Need for Action for the State Politics of North Rhine-Westphalia - An Explorative Analysis

  The project examines the complex concept of alternative economy with an explorative approach, it points out possibilities of social, economic and ecological effects and deduces needs for action for the state politics of North [...] More

• Scientific Support of Processes for a Green Public Procurement (GPP)

  Main objective of the project is to support the German Federal Environment Agency in its plethora of activities to strengthen green public procurement (GPP). To realise it, different activities are envisaged which refer to [...] More

• IÖW/future-Ranking of Sustainability Reports 2015

  Since 1994 the IÖW/future Ranking of Sustainability Reports regularly assesses the extra-financial reports of the largest German companies on the one hand and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on the other. The basis [...] More

• Resilient Design of the Energy System Exemplified by Options of Transformation in the EE-Methane-System and Regional Self-Suffciency (RESYSTRA)

  The German „Energiewende“ is understood as a project of societal transformation with the goal to create a resilient energy system. Due to path-dependency, such transformation cannot be achieved by public regulation only, but [...] More

• Participatory Design of consumer-oriented Innovations for Smart Grids (InnoSmart)

  Due to the energy transition, all stakeholders in the energy industry are facing fundamental challenges. They have to realign and coordinate their positions, strategies, decisions and actions. This also applies to private [...] More

• Systemic Transformation of the Energy Supply in the Existing Housing Stock Sustainability Assessment of Different Refurbishment Options in Residential Buildings in Two Model Regions

  The central objective of the project is to identify possible development pathways for heat supply in the existing housing stock, which take into account social needs, are accepted by stakeholders, and enable a reduction of [...] More

• Brief study on a re-design for the existing EEG cost apportionment

  In a brief study, resulting effects of a change in the distribution mechanism of the costs for the EEG apportionment were examined. The re-design proposed an extension of the basis for the EEG apportionment which not only [...] More

• Waterflows in Germany II Education for Sustainability, Information Transfer to Experts in Water Management and International Networking

  The project "Water flows in Germany" starts into a second phase in which it will create an educational package for schools. Since 2011 the project has collected information about water and its use in Germany and presented it [...] More

• Future Building: Quantification of Rebound Effects After Thermal Retrofits of Non-Residential Buildings/Federal Properties

  Um Rebound-Effekte und deren Ursachen bei der Sanierung von Nichtwohngebäuden genauer zu untersuchen, hat das Projektteam Zukunft Bau im Rahmen einer Sondierungsstudie eine Methodik dafür entwickelt und in ersten Fallstudien [...] More