In the heart of Berlin-Schöneberg stands a building with a remarkable history: the Pallasseum. This listed residential complex from the 1970s is now heated in a climate-friendly way — using waste heat from a neighboring Telekom ICT network node (Information and Telecommunications). Together with GEWOBAG and GASAG Solution Plus, we have developed a solution that systematically harnesses previously unused energy sources and converts them into a sustainable heat supply.
The project makes optimal use of the low-temperature waste heat generated at the ICT network node, below 30 °C. This heat is raised to a usable temperature of 75 °C via modern water-to-water heat pumps. With a generated heat output of 800 kW, the energy is transported via existing pipelines to a transfer station and from there routed through a local heating line approximately 140 meters long to the Pallasseum’s heating center, explains project manager Norbert Kalhoff, PASM Technology Development, Innovation Lead. In this way, around 500 apartments are reliably supplied with heating energy and hot water.
The heat pump forms the technical heart of the solution. It turns previously unused waste heat into a stable, predictable, and economically viable heat source. At the same time, an additional system benefit is created: the heat pump supports the cold-water circuit of the ICT network node and thus contributes to efficient cooling. Energy is not only supplied but optimized holistically.
The implementation of the project — particularly on the PASM side — placed high demands on planning and execution. Parts of the infrastructure are located in the more than 100-year-old listed corporate building (formerly a telecommunications office of the German Reichspost). Tight structural conditions, demanding sound-insulation requirements, and the installation of the heat pumps into the top floor of the technical building using a heavy-duty crane required precise coordination and technical expertise. In addition, regulatory frameworks — including the Energy Efficiency Act (EnEfG) — and the application for and approval of funding had to be managed. The project clearly demonstrates: decarbonization in existing buildings is challenging, but with the right expertise and strong partnerships it can be successfully implemented.
For us, the project has strategic importance. “ICT network nodes continuously generate heat that often remains unused. By integrating it into existing systems, we create a real win-win situation: fewer emissions and a stable heat supply,” explains Christopher Mathea, Head of Technology Development. The waste-heat utilization at the Pallasseum is a pilot project with exemplary character. Together with Deutsche Telekom, additional sites are being evaluated where similar synergies can be realized — both for external partners and within the Group.
Especially in urban areas, where ICT network nodes and residential districts are located close to one another, the intelligent use of waste heat opens up new perspectives for the heating transition. The Pallasseum project underlines PASM’s role as an enabler of sustainable energy solutions in the Telekom environment — technically sound, economically viable, and implemented in partnership.
