Innovative into the future
Within our corporate group, we are actively shaping the transformation of our city. By strategically leveraging technological advancements for the ecological restructuring of the economy, we are creating the foundation for a sustainable future. In this way, we combine innovation with responsibility and ensure a high quality of life for future generations.
Strategic expansion of the investment portfolio
The Hanseatic city is growing – and with it the demands on modern infrastructure. We are strategically expanding our portfolio to secure Hamburg's future. By integrating companies from key industries into HGV, we are not only ensuring tomorrow's supply and stability, but also improving the quality of life in the city. So that innovation reaches where it is needed: in the everyday lives of citizens.
The heat storage city
Built between 1883 and 1927 and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site: Hamburg's Speicherstadt. The historic district is to be made more future-proof. But is it even possible to renovate listed buildings to make them more energy-efficient without changing their appearance? HHLA has set itself the ambitious goal of making the Speicherstadt CO2-neutral by 2040. In a pilot project at the Sandtorkaispeicher (Block H), the logistics company is testing how historic buildings can be supplied with heat independently while complying with strict monument protection requirements.
Intelligent building control
Electricity, heat, gas – many emissions in Hamburg are generated in buildings, including municipal properties. To reduce their carbon footprint, they can be renovated, insulated, and converted to renewable energy sources. And it's all about controlling energy consumption intelligently. Together with the Hamburg-based start-up BuildlinX and Schulbau Hamburg, Gebäudemanagement Hamburg (GMH) has developed a building control system that allows the building technology of all school locations – from heating circuits and pumps to thermostats – to be controlled and monitored uniformly. This is expected to save around 20 percent of energy.
Wastewater heat pump at the Dradenau sewage treatment plant
Hamburg Wasser and Hamburger Energiewerke have been working for years on technologies that make optimum use of the energy potential of water. Germany's first large-scale wastewater heat pump with a thermal output of 60 MW is being built at the municipal Dradenau sewage treatment plant in the Port of Hamburg. In the future, it will supply climate-friendly district heating to up to 39,000 households – and save 90,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually.
Hydrogen port: Hamburg Green Hydrogen Hub
For over six years, the Moorburg power plant generated energy from hard coal. Now, in the heart of the Port of Hamburg, a key project for the energy transition in northern Germany is being built: the "Green Energy Hub"—a future-oriented production and distribution center for hydrogen and one of the cornerstones for the Port of Hamburg to become a hub and landing point for hydrogen imports via pipeline and ship—for Germany and all of Europe. The project company Hamburg Green Hydrogen Hub is constructing a 100 MW electrolysis plant for green hydrogen, which, starting in 2027, is expected to produce around 10,000 tons of green hydrogen annually from wind and solar power—for mobility, heating, and industry. The plant is being built by Hamburger Energiewerke in partnership with the Hamburg-based company Luxcara.
Holistic neighborhood development
In addition to portfolio maintenance, renovation, and modernization, new construction is part of SAGA's DNA. As an urban corporation, they aim for the integrated development of neighborhoods that combines economic stability, social balance, and climate protection. Entire neighborhoods are supplied with decarbonized heat and decentralized renewable electricity. As part of sector coupling, this is used not only for building services but also for innovative mobility concepts at the neighborhood level. Examples include the new Fischbeker Heidbrook residential area and the Moosrosenquartier in Bramfeld-Süd—currently SAGA's largest single construction project, for which the foundation stone was laid in October 2025.
