Hamburg Heat Pump Forum 2026: Accelerating the Heat Transition Together
How can heat pumps be deployed quickly and widely in Hamburg? At the Hamburg Heat Pump Forum 2026, politicians, administrators, housing industry representatives, tradespeople, and experts came together to discuss solutions, study results, and best practice examples for the heat transition—with a clear call to action: let’s work together to implement these solutions now. Anke Butscher, managing partner of corsus, moderated the Heat Pump Forum.
With the Hamburg Heat Pump Forum 2026, the city of Hamburg sent a strong signal in support of the heat transition. The event was hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Energy, and Agriculture and the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing. Representatives from politics, administration, the housing industry, trade, planning, the energy sector, and civil society met in Hammerbrooklyn to discuss key issues surrounding the use of heat pumps in new and existing buildings. At the opening, Katharina Fegebank, Second Mayor and Senator for the Environment, Climate, Energy, and Agriculture, and Karen Pein, Senator for Urban Development and Housing, emphasized the importance of heat pumps as a key technology for a climate-neutral building sector. The focus was on feasibility, acceptance, and concrete support for property owners and housing industry. The message was clear: the technical and political conditions are in place in Hamburg – now it is time to take action together.
Important perspectives on the heat transition were then provided by the skilled trades. Andreas Kopp, deputy chairman of the Plumbing, Heating, and Plumbers’ Guild, highlighted market conditions, the availability of skilled workers, and challenges in planning and approval from the perspective of businesses.
A key item on the agenda was the specialist studies on the suitability of existing buildings for heating and their low-temperature capability. The BUKEA heating Suitability Study demonstrates where renewable heat sources can be used effectively in Hamburg, thus creating an important basis for municipal heating planning. In addition, Professor Elisabeth Endres from the Technical University of Braunschweig and Christian Götz from the engineering firm Hausladen presented the results of the BSU’s NT-Ready study, which shows the conditions under which existing buildings are suitable for the use of heat pumps.
Interactive expert discussions presented and discussed examples of best practice in Hamburg, including examples of heating networks and apartment buildings with heat pumps from the housing industry provided by the non-profit building cooperative Bergedorf Bille and the Hanse building cooperative. Other topics included the mass rollout of heat pumps and their performance during winter temperatures. The program was complemented by exchange formats in the foyer, offering space for feedback, visions, dialogue and networking.
Finally, the focus turned to the future: Peter Friemert from ZEBAU noted that the solutions for achieving a climate-neutral heat supply by 2040 are already known. What matters now is their consistent implementation. The Hamburg Heat Pump Forum 2026 made it clear that the heat transition is challenging, but achievable if we work together.
corsus supports municipalities in identifying key levers, developing strategic orientations, and addressing central aspects of sustainable municipal and urban development. The company designs and facilitates dialogue formats with key municipal stakeholder groups and advises political decision-makers and local administrations. corsus translates strategic objectives into monitoring processes and sustainability reporting at the municipal and district levels.
