Erlangen is investing 71 million euros in school modernization by 2029!

Erlangen is investing 71 million euros in school modernization by 2029!

At the most recent meeting of the Erlangen City Council Building Committee, the extensive investments in the school renovation program and the “Future Primary Schools and All-Day Care” program were discussed. According to the city administration, over 206 million euros have already been invested in the construction and equipment of the schools between 2007 and 2024. Despite budget financing, the financial resources for the coming years are comprehensive, with a total volume of over 71 million euros for the four years from 2025.

The planned investments include numerous measures at various schools in Erlangen. 19.85 million euros are each planned for the Friedrich Rückert primary school, the Michael Poeschke primary school and the Loschge primary school. The expansion and renovation of gymnasiums, for example at the Albert-Schweitzer-Gymnasium and as part of the general renovation of the Marie-Theres-Gymnasium, will also be supported with 7.19 million euros. In addition, extensive investments are planned in the vocational school on the vocational training campus with a total of 43.97 million euros.

Long-term planning and needs analysis

An important element in ensuring the quality and safety of school buildings is the regular discussion of school renovation needs in a responsible city administration steering group. This group is made up of various departments and takes into account criteria such as the space required for educational purposes, the year the school building was built, the building structure and the technical equipment.

The criteria for prioritizing the measures are diverse. This includes the condition of the schoolyard, accessibility and the energy consumption of the buildings. The current focus is on the schools whose buildings need the most urgent renovation measures.

Attractive investments in educational institutions

According to a study by PwC, the need for renovation and new construction of school buildings is also assessed as high at a national level. The net initial yields for very good existing properties nationwide average between 4.5 and 5.5 percent. This makes it clear that investments in German educational institutions are considered particularly attractive.

The results of the study indicate that many local administrations are overburdened financially and with staff and cannot cope with the upcoming investments on their own. Therefore, there is an increasing search for private sector partners for the planning and construction of educational institutions. This collaboration could not only reduce the financial burden on municipalities, but also help to future-proof the educational infrastructure. A large increase in demand has also been identified due to previous waves of immigration, which make it necessary to expand and modernize existing school capacities.