Despite the ban on floodlighting public “non-residential buildings and monuments” at night, the outdoor spotlights go on around the Federal Chancellery in Berlin when it gets dark. The Chancellor’s Office told WELT AM SONNTAG that the building’s exterior and interior lighting was “reduced” during the night hours in violation of its own government’s ordinance. The complete shutdown was not done for “reasons of safety, especially traffic safety”.
Christian Leye, economic policy spokesman for the left-wing faction, considers this to be a pretense: “Allow me to ask: Are they really afraid that a car driver will overlook the Federal Chancellery and drive in there? You should at least explain that to me seriously.” The whole thing tastes like double standards, Leye told WELT AM SONNTAG. In addition, large parts of Berlin’s government district on the Spreebogen are closed to traffic anyway.
The Federal Chancellery cannot serve as a shining example for thrift. However, a spokeswoman emphasizes the good will to adhere to the Energy Saving Ordinance.
The “energetically optimized operation of the building services systems” should be mentioned here, as well as a room temperature reduced to 19 degrees in the offices and meeting rooms. In addition, the interior lighting is daylight-dependent and time-controlled.
