Geothermal Project in Luebeck

• Housing for up to 1,000 residents across approximately 11.5 hectares in the St. Gertrud district
• Energy supply via a low-temperature district heating network using geothermal energy and heat pumps
• BAUER Resources installed 135 geothermal probes at an exceptional drilling depth of 170 m 

Hanseatic City of Luebeck – Creating new housing while advancing sustainable energy solutions ranks among the top priorities of modern urban development. As part of the development of a new residential neighborhood in Luebeck’s St. Gertrud district, modern housing for up to 1,000 residents is currently being built approximately 2.5 km east of the city’s historic center. With this project, the Hanseatic City of Luebeck is delivering one of its flagship residential developments, combining much-needed housing with a sustainable energy supply concept.

Residential development and land use

The former Lauerhof allotment garden site is being transformed into an energy-efficient residential community featuring a mix of multi-story apartment buildings, townhouses, and semi-detached homes, all supplied with sustainable heating. Covering approximately 11.5 hectares, the Schlutuper Strasse/Lauerhofer Feld development plan provides for balanced residential use across roughly 53,700 m², including 89 townhouses and semi-detached homes as well as 14 multi-family residential buildings. The project also includes the construction of a parking garage with approximately 3,600 m² of floor space, around 41,000 m² of green and community-use areas, and more than 21,200 m² of road infrastructure.

Energy supply via a low-temperature district heating network

A defining feature of Luebeck’s development project is its innovative energy concept, to which the BAUER Umwelt division of BAUER Resources GmbH contributed on behalf of Stadtwerke Luebeck Innovation GmbH. The heating supply is based on a low-temperature district heating network combined with geothermal probes and decentralized heat pumps. In practical terms, geothermal energy is extracted from the subsurface through geothermal probes and fed into a low-temperature district heating network for distribution throughout the neighborhood. More than 130 geothermal probes are interconnected through a water-filled pipe network and will ultimately provide the residential district with thermal energy. Decentralized heat pumps within the buildings then upgrade this energy and deliver heating to the individual residential units.

“On the one hand, a low-temperature district heating network utilizes the naturally available geothermal energy as its primary energy source,” explains Marcel Moesslang, Senior Site Manager Geothermal Energy at BAUER Resources GmbH. “On the other hand, the system allows heat to be returned to the ground during the summer months, enabling seasonal thermal storage and contributing to the cooling of the buildings.” Overall, the planned system maximizes the efficient use of renewable energy sources and enables a highly sustainable, low-carbon energy supply for the neighborhood.

135 probes, 23,552 drilled meters, and a depth of 170 meters 

The first of three construction phases carried out by BAUER began in November 2024. The initial scope focused on drilling operations. At 170 m each, the geothermal probes were the deepest ever drilled by the BAUER Umwelt division of BAUER Resources GmbH. In total, 135 geothermal probes were installed, representing a cumulative drilling length of 23,552 m. Drilling through fine sand was performed without casing using a KLEMM KR 806-3GW drilling rig.

Following completion of the geothermal probes, earthworks and connection works commenced, including the installation of eleven distribution chambers. Two temperature monitoring stations will continuously track subsurface temperature development throughout the district. During the final construction phase in autumn 2025, the geothermal probes were filled with a water-glycol mixture. Overall, on behalf of Stadtwerke Luebeck Innovation GmbH, the site team not only removed and disposed of 1,455 t of drill cuttings and 700 t of soil but also supplied and installed 750 t of sand – figures that represent an unusually large-scale undertaking even for the specialists at BAUER Resources.

Funding: The implementation of the heating supply concept is funded by the German Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA).