2014 is a very special anniversary year for bauverein AG: 150 years ago, in 1864, the South Hessian housing company was founded as a "building association for workers' housing". The anniversary is being duly celebrated with a variety of events under the motto "The tenant takes centre stage" as well as numerous anniversary publications.

bauverein AG will be hosting four expert conferences in 2014: The "Final Review Meeting" of the European energy-saving project "Balanced European Conservation Approach" (BECA), the CSR breakfast of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the meeting of the EURHONET working group "Ageing of the population" (demographic change) and the specially initiated housing congress on the topic of "Challenges for the housing industry".

Two important decisions will be made at the Supervisory Board meeting on 7 March 2014: The appointment of Sybille Wegerich, a business administration graduate from GAG Immobilien AG Cologne, to the second position on the Management Board of bauverein AG and the resolution on the commitment to the Lincoln estate.

The anniversary year will kick off with the premiere of the film "Eberstadt-Süd - high, colourful, worth living in". This charming cinematic portrait of the district by filmmaker Christian Gropper will be shown for the first time on 14 March 2014 at "Zirkus Waldoni".

On 19 March 2014, the Darmstadt City Council decides to sell its own housing stock to bauverein AG. In future, the tenants of the 80 properties affected will be protected from rent increases and terminations by the jointly negotiated social charter. In July 2014, bauverein AG informs its 700 or so new tenants at several information evenings.

The neighbourhood transformation in the Postsiedlung is progressing. The construction phase at Binger Strasse 2-6 and Moltkestrasse 21-25 will be completed in May 2014. The buildings, which have been extended by 24 flats through modernisation and the addition of extra storeys, will appear in a new "guise" and can be viewed on the "Open Day".

A visionary construction project will be completed in May 2014: the inauguration of the ready-to-occupy passive house "greenageone" will be celebrated together with the European project partners and buyers. greenageone is part of the European passive house project BuildTog (short for "Building together"), in which various housing companies are adapting the original design by French star architect Nicolas Michelin to the country-, building- and climate-specific conditions of the respective locations.

The exterior wall of the building on Marktplatz will be given a new look again in 2014: last year's Büchner portrait will give way to a large-scale anniversary logo of bauverein AG, designed by Darmstadt agency Feedback and realised by Elmar Compes. The striking wall motif is complemented by the SV Darmstadt 98 logo and the slogan: "bauverein AG and the Lilies - tradition unites".

To mark the anniversary year, the third volume of the successful bauverein book series "ZeitRäume" will be published a year earlier. At the book presentation on 27 May 2014 at the "Institut Wohnen und Umwelt", the authors will present some of the text passages. The book vividly documents ten new construction, conversion and modernisation projects carried out by bauverein AG between 2011 and 2014.

2014 is the World Cup and bauverein AG's anniversary year. Reason enough for a tenant football tournament at the "Lilies" in Darmstadt. On 28 June 2014, mixed teams of tenants, employees and the traditional SV Darmstadt 98 team will compete in a thrilling match.

For the first time in 2014, numerous buildings and works of art from the bauverein AG portfolio are presented in a handy architecture and art guide. The book provides information on more than 60 buildings and works of art and also encourages visitors to take a tour of Darmstadt. At the same time, the objects described are provided with information boards and additional QR codes.

The annual and CSR report for 2013 will be published in July 2014. The net profit for the year fell slightly by EUR 500.2 thousand year-on-year to EUR 19,928.8 thousand (2012: EUR 20,429.0 thousand). As at 31 December 2013, the bauverein Group's portfolio comprised a total of 18,734 flats. The commitment to sustainable management can already be documented for the 6th time.

As an ecological pioneer in the housing industry, bauverein AG only uses climate-neutral energy. In July 2014, the existing supply contract with the energy supplier ENTEGA for green electricity and climate-neutral natural gas was therefore extended ahead of schedule until the end of 2017. This means 15,000 tonnes of CO2 savings in bauverein AG's properties alone.

bauverein AG is celebrating its 150th anniversary together with around 1,000 guests with a large tenant party at Darmstadt's popular Vivarium Zoo on 21 July 2014. Visitors can expect an entertaining stage programme and exciting activities for young and old.

The Lincoln-Siedlung project is sealed on 29 July 2014: bauverein AG signs the purchase agreement with the Federal Real Estate Agency (BImA). bvd New Living GmbH & Co KG, a wholly owned subsidiary of bauverein AG, is responsible for the development of the 244,000 m2 site, which is being carried out in close cooperation with the city of Darmstadt. As a first step, bauverein AG is tackling the conversion of three buildings into student residences with an expected 54 flats.

The laying of the foundation stone in September 2014 marks the start of a construction project in Arheilgen for 88 new social housing units and a crèche with space for 30 children. A spacious residential complex with south-facing loggias and a green inner courtyard is to be built on the Blütenallee site by the beginning of 2016. The project is being planned by Wiesbaden-based Kissler & Effgen Architekten BDA.

The worthy conclusion to an eventful anniversary year will be a housing congress organised by bauverein AG in November 2014 on the topic of "Challenges for the housing industry". The 20 speakers from politics, the (housing) industry and research will cover all facets of the housing industry: housing concepts of the future, conversion, energy efficiency and stakeholder management will be discussed intensively over two days.

The Lincoln estate also comes to life in November 2014: the first residents move into the student flats. The buildings have been modernised and adapted to their new use in recent weeks. With 216 newly created places to live, bauverein AG is making an important contribution to the creation of urgently needed and affordable student accommodation. The student flats are let by the bauverein subsidiary HEAG Wohnbau GmbH.