Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems IVI
Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems IVI

© Rico Ulbricht

Self-Sufficient Micro Settlement for an Energy-Conscious Lifestyle

© Rico Ulbricht
Layout of the Mittweida university campus including the AMSEL and Telewerk project buildings.

As a result of the two related research projects AMSEL and Telewerk, an experimental platform was built in the small town of Mittweida that will become a networked microsettlement together with the existing WERKBANK32 building. Together, Hochschule Mittweida, TeleskopEffekt GmbH, Volksbank Mittweida and Fraunhofer IVI carry out joint research into how modern living and working in rural areas can be realized while at the same time promoting the region.

The integrated, shared and networked settlement storage system offers a demands-based and self-sufficient heat and power supply infrastrucure. A central building equipped with home technology increases supply reliability. An intelligent control system is responsible for distributing energy in a needs-based way through usage-dependent load balancing between the networked buildings. Through the establishment of this pioneering, largely self-sufficient settlement supplied with regenerative main utilities, the revitalization of rural settlement areas will be supported in the long-term. As a result, more conscious ways of thinking and living will be fostered and dedicated technological solutions will be developed that in turn will increase the attractiveness of living and working in the countryside. 

Key research topics

  • comprehensive control system for largely self-sufficient utilities supply with high solar efficiency
  • robust telecommunication networking und automated load management system
  • application of functionally integrated utilities equipment in therchitectural and building physics design of the tiny house
  • production and manufacturing engineering for modular timber micro buildings with cubatures optimized for solar yield

Tomorrow's living and working in rural areas

Privacy warning

With the click on the play button an external video from www.youtube.com is loaded and started. Your data is possible transferred and stored to third party. Do not start the video if you disagree. Find more about the youtube privacy statement under the following link: https://policies.google.com/privacy

The simul⁺ model projects Telewerk and AMSEL combine technological innovation, sustainable construction and social research in a unique experimental ecosystem in Mittweida.

With the commissioning of the buildings, tomorrow's living and working in rural areas can now be tested on 173 m². This film was presented at the simul⁺ Future Forum on August 22, 2024.

New environments for working and living in energy-conscious functional buildings

Privacy warning

With the click on the play button an external video from www.youtube.com is loaded and started. Your data is possible transferred and stored to third party. Do not start the video if you disagree. Find more about the youtube privacy statement under the following link: https://policies.google.com/privacy

The tiny house settlement designed within the AMSEL-Projekt is currently developed in Mittweida at the Werkbank32 site. At the same site, a functional building with a minimum carbon footprint and and a structured energy and load management system is build within the scope of the TELEWERK project. Its building technology eqipment is networked with that of the tiny house.

In the video, Prof. Dr. Volker Tolkmitt of Hochschule Mittweida and Prof. Dr. Matthias Klinger, Fraunhofer IVI institute director, and others talk about their vision and the execution of their project.

(In German only; source: Saxon State Ministry of Regional Development)

This project was co-funded from tax revenues on the basis of the budget adopted by the Saxon State Parliament. The Saxon State Ministry of Regional Development (SMR) promotes the project within the scope of its simul+ future initiative.