Heinz-Josef Heuckmann: A life for climate protection

Heinz-Josef Heuckmann lives with his family in the middle of Ennigerloh. As the former head of the Environment and Greenery Department of the City of Beckum, Heinz-Josef Heuckmann has been active in climate and environmental protection for decades. The city of Beckum in the district of Warendorf is known as a pioneer in climate protection. The municipality has already received an award from the Federal Ministry for the Environment for its energy self-sufficient, inter-municipal building yard.

The fact that local climate protection and climate adaptation have been particularly close to Heuckmann's heart for many years becomes clear from his way of life. He has lovingly created a natural garden and lives in a climate-friendly house.

Country idyll in a natural garden

When entering Heinz-Josef Heuckmann's garden, it immediately feels like a holiday: Between the shade of the fruit trees, a hammock invites you to relax. Heuckmann produces delicious juice with the apples. He also grows various herbs that he uses to cook dishes of Mediterranean cuisine. In the greenhouse, the plants reach up to the ceiling. The natural garden is also a paradise for birds and insects.

Relax comfortably in the natural garden
© Münsterland e.V./Christoph Steinweg
Tomatoes in the greenhouse
© Münsterland e.V./Christoph Steinweg
Heinz-Josef Heuckmann in front of his greenhouse in the nature garden
© Münsterland e.V./Christoph Steinweg
Heuckmann makes delicious juice from the fruit of the trees in the garden.
© Münsterland e.V./Christoph Steinweg
A paradise for birds and insects
© Münsterland e.V./Christoph Steinweg
An idyll to relax in: The garden of Heinz-Josef Heuckmann.
© Münsterland e.V./Christoph Steinweg

Sustainability

Heuckmann also took climate and environmental protection aspects into account when building his house back in 1998. A solar system is installed on the roof of the low-energy house, which provides hot water. The lightweight wooden walls and the open wooden ceiling ensure a pleasant indoor climate all year round. The conservatory, in front of which wild vines grow for shade, faces south-east. Thus, it warms up excellently in winter and gives off the heat to the other rooms in the basement. This saves energy. The rainwater is collected in a cistern and used for watering the garden.

Heinz-Josef Heuckmann's daughter built a house on the plot next door in 2011. During the planning phase, the house was oriented in such a way that a 5.9 kilowatt peak PV system generates its own electricity. Around 33 percent of the electricity generated is used for self-consumption. For example, the hybrid car is also charged with energy from the sun.

Impressions | Before the conversion

The house of Heinz-Josef Heuckmann
© Münsterland e.V./Christoph Steinweg
View of his daughter's house in the background, with PV system
© Münsterland e.V./Christoph Steinweg
The view from above of Heuckmann's climate-friendly home of his own
© Münsterland e.V./Christoph Steinweg
Solar cells on the roof
© Münsterland e.V./Christoph Steinweg
On the gable side, wine grows upwards
© Münsterland e.V./Christoph Steinweg
Nadia's renovation tips

Heinz-Josef Heuckmann retired in May 2020. However, he is still active in numerous projects. For example, he has been on the board of the Bürgerenergiegenossenschaft Beckum for three years and promotes the expansion of photovoltaics and wind turbines locally. He is also on the board of the Mühlenfreunde Ennigerloh, where he is involved in environmental education. During guided tours of the mill, he informs visitors about the development of renewable energies. In cooperation with the Beckum/Wadersloh Adult Education Centre and the Environment and Greenery Department of the City of Beckum, he offers guided tours through quarries, natural areas, renaturalised floodplains and forests under the title "NaTouren" (Nature Tours ) to educate people about biodiversity, species and nature conservation.

More information on the topic of building renovation

Münsterland is climate land