Explainer Films on Municipal Heat Planning
Once upon a time, there was the heat transition…
What municipal heat planning has to do with feeding a dragon
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Municipal heat planning is Germany’s largest planning task for achieving climate neutrality by 2045. For the Competence Center for Municipal Heat Transition at the German Energy Agency (dena) in Halle, we developed nine explainer films that make complex processes understandable. From fairy-tale storytelling to precise process steps – a film series that makes the path to the heat transition easier for 11,000 municipalities.
The Challenge
When 11,000 municipalities have to learn a new language
Germany faces its largest planning task: heat supply must become climate-neutral by 2045. The Heat Planning Act obligates municipalities nationwide to carry out strategic planning – a complex, massive undertaking for administrations that often lack resources. dena's Competence Center for Municipal Heat Transition (KWW) supports them as a central point of contact. But how do you communicate technical processes, legal requirements, and participation formats in a way that both experts and citizens understand and get behind?
Deliverables
Nine films, one system: from fairy tale to process precision
A film series of nine explainer videos that breaks complex heat planning down into digestible pieces. The main film uses fairy-tale-style storytelling to convey the need for collective action. Seven short films explain the process steps concisely in 10–20 seconds each. Another film focuses on stakeholder participation. Every video follows the KWW design, uses clear visualizations, and creates recognition through a consistent visual language for maximum clarity.
1
Main film "How does municipal heat planning work?"
A narrative 3-minute film with a fairy-tale story about a dragon who can only heal with everyone's support – a metaphor for the collective heat transition. An emotional way into the topic.
2
Series "Municipal Heat Planning Explained" (7 films)
A compact explanation of the seven process steps in 10–20 seconds each: from the preparation phase to the rolling process. Precise, visually clear, and ready to use immediately in training sessions.
3
Film "Stakeholder Participation in Municipal Heat Planning"
120 seconds on successful stakeholder engagement. Shows the benefits of advisory boards and citizen participation, and the optimal timing for different stakeholders.
4
Consistent visual storytelling system
A consistent design language based on the KWW corporate design, with recurring symbols, color world, and illustration style. Creates recognition and enables modular use of the films.
Learnings
Thematic Deep Dives
Fairy-tale storytelling as a door-opener for transformation
Making technical topics emotionally accessible – that was the core challenge. Instead of dry process descriptions, we deliberately chose a fairy-tale-style narrative: a dragon can only heal if the whole village helps out together. This metaphor makes the essence of the heat transition instantly graspable: transformation only succeeds together. The narrative approach breaks through the typical resistance to "yet another administrative topic" and creates emotional access. Here, storytelling becomes a strategic tool for social change.
Scalable complexity reduction through modular design
The differing levels of knowledge and time budgets among target groups required a well-thought-out layered system: the main film provides emotional access, the short films deliver specific process knowledge, and the participation film explores cross-cutting themes in more depth. This modular structure enables audience-specific use – from a mayor's briefing to administrative training. At the same time, the consistent visual system builds recognition and trust. Complexity reduction thus becomes a strategic communication architecture for complex, far-reaching transformation processes.
