IFA 2022: German electrical associations all about sustainability

After a two-year break due to the pandemic, the Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies (VDE), the Central Association of German Electrical and Information Technology Trades (ZVEH) and the Association of the Electrical and Digital Industry (ZVEI) are back together in Berlin. The joint booth at IFA Next (Hall 20) will focus on the topics of "energy efficiency" and "sustainability".

The pressure to switch from fossil fuels to renewables has increased once again as a result of the Russia-Ukraine war. Gas and oil are passé as heat suppliers; the future belongs to electric solutions based on green electricity, such as heat pumps and photovoltaic (PV) systems. With the shift to an all-electric society, the building is also becoming more of a focal point: This is where all the important threads will come together in the future in the course of the energy transition: In the building, energy is no longer just consumed, but also generated and stored. This is helped by PV systems, battery storage and heat pumps, but also smart applications, integrated energy management and e-vehicles that can simultaneously serve as storage via bidirectional charging. The building thus represents the backbone of the energy transition. After all, electrification, digitization and the use of smart technologies alone can reduce energy consumption in the building sector by around 65 percent.

This year, the joint booth of VDE, ZVEH and ZVEI will present various facets of energy efficiency and sustainability on 225 square meters. The spectrum ranges from the sustainable use of consumer products to smart building technologies and their safety and efficiency. With edutainment elements and real hands-on technology in the E-House, visitors learn more about the possibilities of using energy and electricity efficiently while increasing comfort. 

The location in the newly established sustainability area of the IFA underlines the importance of modern and innovative building technologies for a sustainable, climate-neutral future. The three associations and their members are actively working to shape this future. After all, consistent electrification and digitalization, as well as the use of smart technologies, can reduce energy consumption in buildings by up to 65 percent and significantly reduce the carbon footprint. Considering that existing buildings in Germany account for 35 percent of total energy consumption, there is enormous potential here in terms of climate targets.

Buildings are rightly increasingly becoming the focus of political and public debate, because they are the backbone of the energy transition: Energy is no longer just consumed here, but also produced, stored and distributed; energy consumption is controlled sustainably. The House of Smart Living vividly demonstrates how this can be done: Here you can see how a photovoltaic system, heat pump and storage system can help to reduce energy consumption and dependence on the power grid.

An integrated energy management system, which in addition to these components also incorporates the charging infrastructure for the e-vehicle, household appliances, roller shutters and air conditioning system, ensures that the e-car is always charged with solar power and the washing machine is only switched on when there is still sufficient PV power available or the electricity drawn from the power grid is particularly cheap at the moment. The intelligent system takes into account weather influences - the dishwasher only switches on when there is a high level of PV generation - as well as the habits and requirements of the people living in the house (e. g. heating starts one hour before returning to the house and ensures desired temperature until then). The applications shown in the house are not dreams of the future, but "state of the art" and invite you to test them playfully.

"We can all play a part in the energy transition. The e-industry has the tools and the know-how to make buildings more energy efficient and even energy self-sufficient. At the IFA, we can vividly communicate what options are available and thus promote smart building technologies," says ZVEH CEO Ingolf Jakobi.

VDE CEO Ansgar Hinz: "Consumers benefit enormously from the many new climate-efficient solutions and innovative products that make life easier and more sustainable. We see it as our task to ensure safety and high quality standards in the process."

Wolfgang Weber, Chairman of the ZVEI Executive Board: "Sustainability and the efficient use of resources is a megatrend - and not just at IFA. This was also shown by a ZVEI consumer survey, in which a quarter of respondents said that they had repairs carried out on electronic devices in the home for environmental and sustainability reasons, or carried them out themselves. With its innovations, the electrical and digital industry is taking this important development into account."