A jolt must go through Chemnitz!

Ullrich Hintzen

When you enter the company headquarters on Marianne-Brandt-Strasse, you immediately get an idea of the "solar building" that FASA AG is committed to. The huge south-facing glass front absorbs a lot of sunlight. So much, in fact, that the building draws 90 per cent of its energy from it and therefore operates completely without oil or gas. Initially only used in new-build projects, the multi-award-winning ENERGETIKhaus100® concept, which is unique in Germany, is now also being used in the complex refurbishment of old buildings in Wilhelminian style. And last but not least, the solar architecture catches the eye - which is why Ullrich Hintzen, co-founder and CEO of FASA AG, is our Maker of the Week.

Mr Hintzen, you are a classic returnee to Chemnitz ...
Ullrich Hintzen: Indeed, I left here in 1980 with my then small family and then worked for a long time in Wiesbaden in the field of industrial research and development and was active worldwide. I then founded FASA GmbH together with my brother shortly after reunification, commercial register number 123, so we were one of the first at the time. I tried to support the foundation from a distance by working weekends and the like. At some point, I had to decide whether to come back to the East - to Chemnitz, mind you, the East is also Berlin or Leipzig - or not. In the end, I told myself that I would go back to Chemnitz for a year on a trial basis and see if I could take the plunge. I gave up a good job and came here for half my salary, without any "bush allowance", and tried to take the company forward.

What made you decide to actually stay here that year?
A completely different fundamental decision was made that year. I didn't come back because I wanted to come back to Chemnitz. I came back because I wanted to start my own business. I come from a family of entrepreneurs and it was always in the back of my mind "you have to do something of your own in your life". Chemnitz, with the activities I had started, was a natural choice.

With these activities, the mostly architecturally eye-catching buildings, your company has made quite an impression on the cityscape. What projects are you currently working on?
Basically: We are a building construction, civil engineering and engineering construction company, whereby we concentrate on two fields: One is building construction and the second is civil engineering, which still accounts for the lion's share of our work. Only 30 per cent of our activities are actually in Chemnitz, the rest we do nationwide in civil engineering. In the city, we are currently building a new residential complex in Schloßstraße on the Chemnitz weir. This will be a very interesting project, the underground car park has just been completed. We have other projects in the pipeline, at the former Schloßbrauerei, where we have already developed a whole series of further townhouses and condominium complexes.
One major project that we have been working on for quite some time is the Poelzig site on Zwickauer Strasse, which we are realising together with a partner. Work will continue there in September, building permission was granted a few days ago and we are now preparing the construction work. The old coal bunker will then be restored and complemented by a modern pavilion. The striking chimney will be integrated and will later be used as an advertising medium for the site. A sports competence centre will move in and there will be an ice cream parlour located directly on the cycle path. This next section has a construction volume of around one million euros. At the same time, preparations for the large complex - the Poelzig building - are of course continuing in the background. But we're keeping the concrete ideas to ourselves for now ... (laughs)

Is it fair to say that you and your company have found your own special niche?
At some point after reunification, there were problems with payment behaviour. We were forced to decide that we would become our own property developer and carry out project development ourselves. We never really intended to do that. In addition, with the end of the construction boom at the end of the 90s, we had to create our own products and thought about what they could be. One direction was civil engineering, bridge construction and noise protection construction. And the second area is solar construction. This is also the focus of our development work at the moment. We are looking at all types of buildings from the perspective of how to organise the energy supply with the sun - to a large extent, usually 90 percent. Completely, i.e. 100 per cent, would mean huge investments, but we are trying to keep it optimal for building owners and users. We have coined the saying "Form follows energy". You know the Bauhaus saying "Form follows function". We think our slogan fits in with today's world and are trying to create new solar architecture.

Do you encounter any reservations or scepticism?
We are not only travelling with the product in Chemnitz, but throughout Germany. Not all of the offices where we present it get a big "hurrah" right from the start; there are also sceptical looks. We usually then explain our concept, start a dialogue - and so far there hasn't been a single case where we haven't been granted planning permission. Sometimes it may take a little longer.

So does your architecture fit in quite well with Chemnitz as a "city of modernity"?
Firstly, it really suits Chemnitz quite well. Secondly, there have been many developments in the history of architecture. We think of the Gründerzeit, which we find on the Kaßberg, for example. The squares were primarily built because many engineers, employees and civil servants were needed and wanted to live cheaply but nicely. That's how the housing estates were created, with optimal development. All the jewellery in the houses, which we still have today, was of course expensive. Then, at some point, the idea of Bauhaus came along, which was frowned upon at first, people said "it looks terrible, far too plain". And today we say that there has to be a new architecture that is orientated towards the sun, that builds with the sun. And that means there will also be new architecture, which will only gradually become established. That's just the way it is! We see this as a new generation of buildings.

You call the new generation of buildings ENERGETIKhaus100® or solar construction.
The idea of a thermally self-sufficient building matured at the beginning of 2000. We looked for partners from Saxony and by 2005 had developed a so-called ENERGETIKhaus100® on paper, which achieves a solar coverage of more than 95 per cent. Despite making a big appearance at the building trade fair in Dresden, where we attracted a lot of interest, nobody wanted to buy it at first. We then decided to build a show house. We then sold it relatively quickly and gradually tried to bring this product to the market, but it was difficult. We now have a really good standard and build 15 to 20 houses of this type a year throughout Germany. We didn't stop at building detached houses either. We tackle everything that is conceivable. We go into mountain huts under extreme conditions, we go into old buildings - last week, for example, we inaugurated an apartment block in the Schloßviertel that is a listed building and still achieves 90 per cent solar coverage. We are the market leader in this segment in Germany.
The company also has a patent for a building insulation system that uses seaweed. You might not immediately think of this when you think of a company from these parts.

When you are travelling nationwide with your idea, does your origin play a role?
Sometimes there is actually a certain amount of scepticism at first due to the distance and the question "Why is this coming from Saxony?" I always explain this by saying that a region that doesn't have such a good reputation at the moment has to make more effort and achieve significantly more. To put it simply: in Munich, anyone who can afford it will buy the "Sabrina" pitched roof. And here we really have to do a lot more, do a lot more to bring a property to the client and convince him of the project. This creates pressure, but it has the advantage that more is created than you would otherwise do. So far, it has worked quite well.

Would the company story have worked in the same way elsewhere?
We had the advantage of a huge DIY market here after reunification. That's where the name comes from - FASA comes from Fassadensanierung. My first impression on my return was "so much grey, so much dirt". That's where the idea of a company specialising in façade renovation came from. In the end, however, we also found many partner companies here with whom we were able to realise our idea.

There are a whole series of job adverts on your website. How do you convince new employees to come to Chemnitz?
Five years ago, we received 150 applicants for an advertised construction manager position, but today we get maybe three. You can tell that something has developed and changed. Nevertheless, we still get good employees, perhaps some of them a little older, but with a lot of experience. Our environment works quite well.
But Chemnitz also needs new blood, more young people need to come to Chemnitz. Above all, the economy has to create this and attract people. A few years ago, we therefore offered to organise tours for other companies with potential employees and their partners to show them the city. How do I live here? How expensive is it? To get a feel for the city. And these are location factors that you can really capitalise on in Chemnitz: Chemnitz has real history. An incredible amount of industrial history. And it has considerable potential. There are a number of interesting starting points where you can do something in Chemnitz, especially as a project developer and construction company. You don't have that to the same extent in other cities. If you go to Berlin or Dresden today, it's much more difficult, the competition is much fiercer.
Chemnitz, on the other hand, is not ready yet. Just look at Zwickauer Strasse. The area where we are now was in a deplorable state ten years ago. I was convinced that a main thoroughfare had incredible potential. You have to try to realise it. And the decisive factor is that you can believe in the city. Otherwise you couldn't invest here.
Chemnitz also has many of the positive "peripheral factors". It has history, it has an economy that is on the rise again, it has impressive culture and art, it has a lot of greenery and it has a great environment. I do a lot of sport, so I think the environment is fantastic.
Ullrich Hintzen is a passionate runner and mountain biker. Not just in and around Chemnitz. A lot in the Ore Mountains, Oberwiesenthal. Many great new routes have been created there. And once a year, he plans to cross the Alps by bike. Five to seven days must be enough.

How would you describe the typical Chemnitz atmosphere?
Grumbling is a basic characteristic, which can also bring about change if the approach is right. Unfortunately, the positive voices in Chemnitz are somewhat neglected, that's just the way it is. But at the end of the day, the sum of all things in Chemnitz is positive!

Maybe that's why, and it's a standard question in our interviews anyway: Do we need to encourage the people of Chemnitz?
The key thing is: we need a positive atmosphere! There was once the famous "jerk speech" by a German president. We took it up years ago in a Christmas card because we think Chemnitz needs a jolt too. We need to rethink. That would be great, because the mood makes up 50 per cent of the business. Either you have the courage to invest or do something, or you don't have the courage. And that decides whether something happens or nothing happens. The mood is very important. That's why it would be nice if the mood in Chemnitz continued to brighten and became even more positive.

Your company is involved in many different ways. That's not exactly a matter of course ...
If you can do it, you should. We are trying to do something in a few places.

For example, a new cycle path is being built right in front of the building.
That was a nice synergy effect. We bought this area many years ago as a wasteland and also heard about the city's cycle path concept and could imagine donating the area along the Kappelbach green corridor to the city of Chemnitz for the cycle path if it took care of it and the area was developed. Ultimately, we were commissioned to coordinate and carry out the construction work. The project was completed at the weekend and the cycle path was opened.