Company Announcements

Shaping the heating transition – innovation in series production:

Vonovia, EnerCube, and DFA Demonstrationsfabrik Aachen are all set to launch a strategic partnership for the industrialisation of heat pump cubes in apartment buildings

Aachen, 19 September 2025 – Vonovia SE, EnerCube GmbH and DFA Demonstrationsfabrik Aachen GmbH have entered into a strategic partnership to advance the series production of an innovative heat pump system for apartment buildings, called Heat Pump Cube. Under the banner “Shaping the heating transition – innovation in series production”, over 1,000 Cubes are to be built in Aachen by the end of 2029 and then installed in Vonovia neighbourhoods across Germany. This enables over 20,000 residential units to be heated without the use of fossil fuels in the future.

The launch of the strategic partnership was announced today at RWTH Aachen Campus in the presence of Mona Neubaur, Minister for Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy for the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The Heat Pump Cube was developed by the Austrian start-up EnerCube. It is a compact heating system that combines all key components within a compact cube. The Cube is installed outside buildings in residential areas. This modular solution will replace conventional heating systems in places without connections to local or district heating networks. By providing climate‑neutral heating and hot water to apartment buildings, Heat Pump Cubes will play a key role in the heating transition in existing buildings. The switch to sustainable direct supply also impacts operating costs positively.

After a successful pilot phase, the Aachen-based company DFA Demonstrationsfabrik Aachen GmbH (DFA) will now lead the industrial rollout of this solution. DFA specialises in the fast scale-up of innovative products – from pilot series to full-scale production. Combining their digital expertise, ramp-up experience and production planning skills, they have successfully helped numerous companies move from prototypes to mass production. Thanks to their close ties with RWTH Aachen Campus, DFA combines scientific excellence with practical industrial experience, making it the ideal partner to bring the Heat Pump Cube project to industrial scale.

The Cube is available in a range of power ratings and provides sustainable heating from the ambient air to between 10 and 40 homes. Thanks to its built-in sound insulation, the system is suitable even for high-density housing estates. Its high level of prefabrication significantly reduces on-site installation times and is not rendered impossible by cramped boiler rooms or entrance areas. Maintenance and repairs can be carried out on this external system without any disruption to residents.

“In North Rhine-Westphalia, we are working with determination to establish climate-friendly heating as the new standard – affordable, reliable, and safe. We want a heating transition that benefits everyone – innovative projects such as those by Vonovia, EnerCube, and the DFA Demonstration Factory Aachen are making a significant contribution to this. Every investment in renewable heat makes us less dependent on fossil fuel imports, ensures predictable energy costs, protects the climate, and brings concrete benefits for the people here in North Rhine-Westphalia. As the NRW government, we are providing the necessary impetus and creating planning security,” says Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Mona Neubaur.

“The energy transition will not succeed without innovation. With our Heat Pump Cube, we offer a modular solution that works quickly and easily in existing buildings. This is important in times of skilled labour shortages. and increasing environmental requirements. Green energy benefits our tenants and the climate alike. With strong partners at our side, we will now roll out this sustainable system in our neighbourhoods across Germany,” says Rolf Buch, CEO of Vonovia SE.

“The technologies for decarbonising existing buildings are now available, and it's just a matter of making use of them. The benefits speak for themselves: a self-sufficient energy system free from fossil fuels, delivering a secure energy supply and generating value right here in Germany,” says Laurenz Sutterlüty, founder and CEO of EnerCube GmbH. “By scaling up our production in collaboration with our partners, we want to make this independence available to everyone. We greatly value our cooperative partnership and are proud to make a contribution to Germany’s decarbonisation with our Cube,” says David Riedl, founder and CEO of EnerCube GmbH.

“Our strength lies in swiftly taking innovative ideas from the pilot phase into robust mass production – and this is exactly what we are doing in partnership with Vonovia and EnerCube. With our digital expertise, ramp-up experience and production planning skills, we are preparing the Heat Pump Cube for full-scale production, making a significant contribution to decarbonising heating systems in existing buildings,” says Prof. Wolfgang Boos, CEO of DFA Demonstrationsfabrik Aachen GmbH.

The pilot project in Donauwörth was a resounding success, achieving energy savings of 40 per cent, and mass production of the Cube has now begun nationwide. By the end of the year, 30 systems are expected to be operational.

About Vonovia

Vonovia provides homes for around one million people in Germany. The housing company is at the heart of society, which is why Vonovia's activities never have a purely economic perspective, but always a social one as well. Vonovia is involved in finding answers to the current challenges facing the housing market. The company is committed to greater climate protection, more age-appropriate housing, and good community life in neighborhoods. In cooperation with social institutions and local authorities, Vonovia supports social and cultural projects that enrich community life in the neighborhood. Vonovia is also involved in a social task that is particularly important at the moment: the construction of new apartments.

Customers and their needs are at the heart of everything we do. On site, property managers and our own craftsmen take care of tenants' concerns. This customer proximity ensures fast and reliable service. Vonovia also invests substantially in building maintenance and develops housing-related services to improve quality of life. For questions regarding rental agreements and utility bills, the central customer service department can be reached via a regional telephone number, fax, app, or mail.

Vonovia employs approximately 12,400 people. CEO is Rolf Buch.

About EnerCube

EnerCube GmbH is a young start-up based in Salzburg, Austria, that develops and manufactures prefabricated heat pump solutions for modular heating replacement in multi-storey residential buildings.

High efficiency, low noise and a compact, modular design result in easy-to-use, high-quality solutions for heating system replacement. Leveraging a technological lead through various funded research and innovation projects, EnerCube GmbH has already secured several patents.

The promised benefits have now been confirmed in the initial pilot installations. To date, 30 of these Cubes have been produced in-house. To further extend its technological lead, EnerCube will now step up its focus on product development, while its manufacturing partner, Demofabrik, will handle scaling and the mass production ramp-up alongside in-house production.

About Demofabrik Aachen

DFA Demonstrationsfabrik Aachen GmbH is the central manufacturing hub on the RWTH Aachen Campus and a leading partner in innovative production. From producing individual components and assemblies to prototyping and industrial-scale mass production, DFA offers comprehensive expertise in metalworking and assembly.

Together with customers from a wide range of industries, DFA carries out cutting-edge R&D projects and serves as a reliable partner for companies on all production-related topics. DFA is a pioneer in the manufacturing industry, picking up on tomorrow’s megatrends and actively driving new key developments. Building on lean production, DFA has been a major driver of advances in digital innovation and Industry 4.0. It is now also breaking new ground in remanufacturing and circular economy upgrades – areas that are continually evolving.

Press contact:

Nina Henckel

Head of Corporate Media Relations

Vonovia SE

nina.henckel@vonovia.de

+49 174 318 77 72

DFA Demonstrationsfabrik Aachen GmbH
Campus-Boulevard 57
52074 Aachen

https://demofabrik-aachen.rwth-campus.com

Alexandra Meltzow-Altmeyer

Center Communication Manager

a.meltzow-altmeyer@demofabrik-aachen.de

+49 151 65201539

Natalie Buschmeyer

Center Communication Manager

n.buschmeyer@demofabrik-aachen.de

+49 151 18868614

Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements based on the company’s current expectations, assumptions and forecasts. These statements are not a guarantee of future developments and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, so that actual results may differ substantially from those expressed or implied. Such risks include market changes, economic conditions, regulatory requirements and operational challenges. The company accepts no obligation to update forward-looking statements in light of new information or future events, unless legally required to do so. This release is for information only and does not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy, sell or hold securities of the company.