Modernisation of student halls of residence is proceeding

Reopening after modernisation: Student hall of residence Mainzer Straße 2a already fullly booked / Beginning of modernisation of student hall in Grünau

One and a half years after the beginning of its restructuring the student hall of residence Mainzer Straße 2a is not only ready for occupation again but also already fully booked – right at the start of summer semester 2023. A freshly rehabilitated single room in a shared flat in this student hall costs between 285 and 305 euros after the restructuring, a single apartment up to 365 euros – including incidental costs and furnishing. 

The costs for the modernisation of the about 200 places in the student hall Mainzer Straße 2a which amount to more than 6 million euros have been subsidised by the Free State of Saxony with 2.6 million euros. When the first phase of construction was finished in September 2022, minister of state Gemkow visited the Mainzer Straße and said about the progress of restructuring: "The Free State of Saxony regards caring for equal opportunities while studying as one of its essential tasks – so that studying in Saxony is successful, regardless of origin and financial situation. In order to achieve this, the Studentenwerke create an attractive and appopriate infrastrucutre at the different university locations. Affordable housing is an essential part of this infrastructure. This is how the Studentenwerke as well relieve the free housing market, where students often compete with other groups for affordable housing." 

There was a great need for rehabilitiation in the student hall complex Mainzer Straße 2a with altogether almost 200 places of residence, especially regarding the ventilation and heating systems as well as the sanitary facilities. In the bathrooms mould appeared increasingly. This is why rehabilitaion measures on the ventilation technologies, the supply and waste pipelines and on the roof have been taken.

During the restructuting the energy efficiency has as well been improved: The Studentenwerk from now on uses an intelligent system control for the ventilation. Instead of the previous uncontrolled individual ventilators in the bathrooms a central installation will regulate the exhaust air and humidity with the help of modern measure and regulation technologies in the future. Heat losses in the heating systems (heaters and hot water production) can be strongly reduced through the reconstruction. Among other things, the control technology of the radiators has been reconstructed and for the hot water there are effective hot water stations in each flat instead of the central treatment with long transport routes. The topic of energie efficiency has also been considered when it comes to the new roof waterproofing – with the help of a more efficient insulation. For these energy-saving measures the Studentenwerk Leipzig applied for a promotion of 449.000 euros at the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control within the programme "federal funding for efficient buildings".

At the beginning of April the Studentenwerk is going to start the next big modernisation measure: the modernisation of 247 places of residence in the student hall Mannheimer Straße in Grünau. This building project will according to the plan run until February 2024 and will cost approximately 8.5 million euros. It will be subsidised by the Free State of Saxony with around 2.5 million euros.

Almost all student halls of residence of the Studentenwerk Leipzig have been restructured completely with the help of state support in the 1990s. More than 20 years after the restructuring bigger modernisation measures especially when it comes to the domestic service facilities are highly necessary in order to ensure the rentability and the long-term value retention. Currently and in the next years there is a strong need for rehabilitation measures in lots of student halls at the same time, especially when it comes to the kitchens, the bathrooms and the housing technology. In 2022 besides the modernisation of Mainzer Straße 2a, the restructuring of 84 places of residence in the Tarostraße 12-28 was running.