Dr. Robert Thomann, Leiter Produktentwicklung und Innovation Smart Cities MVV Energie AG
Intelligent building connection stations (iHAST) are considered a key technology for the next generation of heating networks. While generation and distribution are becoming increasingly digitized, transparency and controllability are often still lacking on the “last mile”—at the customer’s location. This is exactly where iHAST comes in: They digitally connect the building station to the heating network, enabling continuous data collection, remote control, and operational optimization.
Concrete real-world examples show that municipal utilities are already realizing significant efficiency gains through iHAST—for instance, by lowering return flow temperatures, better integrating renewable energy, and leveraging flexibility within the neighborhood. At the same time, new opportunities are opening up for services and business models, such as in the areas of monitoring, dynamic rates, or integrated energy management.
The presentation demonstrates how iHAST acts as a link between generation, the grid, and the customer, and what role it will play in future, climate-neutral heating systems. Using the example of an integrated approach, the presentation explains how the combination of a smart home station and a digital platform solution enables end-to-end control and optimization of the entire system. The goal is to understand iHAST not merely as a standalone technology, but as a strategic enabler for smart, flexible, and cost-effective heating networks.
