Cologne's Hölderlin-Gymnasium: Students without heating in the summer heat!

Cologne's Hölderlin-Gymnasium: Students without heating in the summer heat!

The heating problems that recently occurred at the Hölderlin-Gymnasium in Mülheim have turned into a wasted opportunity for those responsible in the city of Cologne. On July 2, 2025, Rheinenergie finally switched off the high school's heating system. This happened after the radiators in 26 of 70 rooms continued to run despite the summer temperatures. The Kölnische Rundschau reported that the city initially insisted that the heating system must continue to run to supply hot water to the showers in the gym. But now it's clear: the showers no longer stay warm.

The cause of the high temperatures can be understood. A functioning heating system that is always in full use ensures unpleasant room temperatures. There are “authority models” in classrooms in particular that cannot be regulated manually. A worrying situation, as a total of 64 thermostats and radiator valves in almost 30 classrooms are defective. This was reported to the city in March, while a fault report about the high room temperatures was received by the building management on June 17th. It remains unclear why this important information was only forwarded to the responsible department three months later.

The condition of the high school

The situation in the main building of the Hölderlin High School, which was built in 1912, is particularly critical. A complete demolition is on the cards, followed by a new building. The city of Cologne has already commissioned the replacement of the defective thermostats and radiator valves, but this should take place at short notice so that the students can at least enjoy cooler temperatures on Thursday. So far there have been no comparable problems at other schools in Cologne.

This problem is also accompanied by the general energy crisis. The North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of Education emphasizes the importance of face-to-face teaching under conducive conditions, even if there are specific regulations for schools that apply in times of limited gas supply. The state government supports energy saving measures that do not affect teaching operations. This shows how important it is to use energy outside of school in an environmentally conscious manner.

Innovations at school locations

In parallel to these challenges, there is also progress at the school location with regard to the energy transition. However, some difficulties arose with the planned installation of a heat pump in order to make heating and electricity requirements emission-free in the future. The Umweltbundesamt reports on problems with the installation, in particular on uncertainties regarding sound pollution and static conditions. Additionally, choosing to locate the heat pump near the entrance could cause additional noise pollution. Due to the technical difficulties with the hydraulic switch, which is responsible for connecting the gas boiler, the heating is not supplied with heating water as planned, but there is only circulation through the switch.

Overall, it is clear that the sequence of problems and solutions at the Hölderlin-Gymnasium pays tribute to achievements. Nevertheless, the hope is expressed that those responsible with a good hand can soon improve the situation in order to rectify the school environment and ensure a pleasant learning atmosphere.