Title: Fundamentals and evidence of effectiveness of hardening by sauna

PD Dr. med Rainer Brenke received his training as an internist and specialist for physical medicine at the Berlin Charité, among others under Prof. Conradi. He worked here for many years, most recently as Deputy Director of the Clinic and Polyclinic for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. From 1994 to 2011 he worked as chief physician and medical director in hospital departments for naturopathy in Lower Bavaria and Rhineland-Palatinate. He has been scientifically involved with the topic of “sauna” since the 1970s.

Title: Heat sensation and heat acclimatization – how does it work and what is it good for?

Prof. Dr. Jan Siemens currently works as the Dean of Research at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Heidelberg, where he holds the Current Professorship in the Department of Pharmacologi. He is also group leader of the Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit (EMBL, Heidelberg).

Title: The effects of regular exercise and sauna bathing on cardiovascular function: A multi-arm randomized controlled trial.

Dr. Earric Lee works at the University of Jyväskylä at the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences. He has published several papers on sauna effects on the cardiovascular system.

Title: Bathing techniques to cope with emotional crises.

Mrs. Birutė Masiliauskienė is the President of the Association of Professional Bathing Technicians and is a trained bathing technician (Pirtis) from Lithuania. She also works as a study director and lecturer at the Lithuanian Bath Academy. She also hosts the sauna TV series “Vantos Lapas” and is co-author of the book “Pirtis”.

Title: Lessons learned from 50 years of sauna studies – Time for standardized sauna research protocols!

Hans Hägglund is a “Sauna Doctor” at the Swedish Sauna Academy, in 2018 he was one of the leading people in the organizing committee for the XVII International Sauna Congress in Haparanda/Tornio, Sweden. His book “The Sauna Book – Hot Facts about Sauna and Health” was published in Swedish in 2020

Title: Sweating as a business model

Water has always been Andreas Schauer’s element. His diploma thesis at the Sport University Cologne was also entitled: “Conception and operation of a multifunctional pool under municipal sponsorship to ensure the provision of public services and increase the range of tourist attractions”. After activities in leading functions (among others Claudius Therme Cologne, Mediterana Bergisch Gladbach, BaliTherme Bad Oeynhausen) the independence followed in 2007 with a facility in Zurich. Today, the company has 9 facilities and 750 employees.

Titel: Our Wellness-Vision

Hans Dolman is the founder and main shareholder of Quality Wellness Resorts with four spas and two hotels in the Netherlands. In addition, he is very active in the promotion of European infusion competitions and is a member of the board of Aufguss-WM e.V.

Title: Developments in the Japanese sauna market after Covid 19

Kim Kenseki is the general manager of Skyspa Yokohama. He opened Japan’s first show infusion sauna and co-working sauna. He is also a board member of the Japan Sauna Spa Association as well as the International Sauna Association

Title: The target group oriented copncept of Therme Wien and SILENT SPA

Georg Wiesauer completed the management trainee program of VAMED Vitaliy World after his tourism management studies at the FH IMC Krems. After working as Assistant Spa Manager at TAUERN SPA Kaprun, Mr. Wiesauer took over the divisional management of Therme, Silent Spa and Treatments at Therme Laa in 2019.

Titel: The Peltobad in Sohnstädt-Medium-sized and successful

Lutz Kühnlenz founded Pelto Bad near Erfurt in 1995 and continuously expanded the facility according to his Finnish sauna-oriented concept. His past sporting successes (vice world champion in racing sledging) have mentally transferred to his entrepreneurial spirit: a building block for his success.

Title: Energy efficiency in public sauna baths

Markus Gäbele, Dipl.-Ing. is an authorized signatory at KLAFS, where he is responsible for sauna and spa technology as head of development and design. His many years of experience in the construction of high-quality sauna and professional wellness facilities make him a specialist in energy and cost efficiency. He is a member of several standards committees. He has lectured several times at events organized by the German Sauna Association.

Title: A method for assessing the durability of sauna stones

Dr. Lassi Liikkanen is the author of the book “Secrets of Finnish Sauna Design”, founder of Saunologia.fia and lecturer at Aalto
University in Finland. He works in the Finnish technology industry as director of product design and insights

Title: Green Sauna: Solar Wellness all Over the World

André D. Thess is Professor of Energy Storage at the University of Stuttgart, Director of the Institute of Technical Thermodynamics at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and founder of the technology company Thermal Energy Storage Systems (THESS). Prof. Thess is the author of the book “Seven energy end-of-life fairy tales?”, which spent several months at number 1 on the Amazon bestseller list in the energy technology and energy policy categories in 2021. He is the head of the “Green Sauna” project.

Title: Optimized energetic sauna and bathing operation in the focus of the current worldwide resources

In addition to his entrepreneurial tasks as managing director and shareholder, Hans-Helmut Schaper has been active in the field of swimming pools & wellness throughout Germany for more than three decades. Not least through his association memberships, such as Chairman of the Technical Committee in the DGfdB as well as Deputy Chairman of the Working Group AK Energy and Resources at the German Society for the Bath Industry (DGfdB), as an expert for pool technology, wellness and drinking water hygiene.

Title: The positioning of wellness – hotel and retreats

Fabian Dolman started his professional career at Quality Wellnessresorts in 2010, initially as Operations Director. Later he became Operations Director and since 2019 Fabian Dolman is the official Managing Director of the Wellnessresorts with four spas and two hotels in the Netherlands.

Title: Design and Wellness Trends Shaping the North American Sauna Market Opportunity

Don Genders is CEO and founder of Design for Leisure (DFL). The company is a developer of award-winning hydrothermal areas that combine the health benefits of ancient bathing practices with modern design, materials and technology. DFL’s clients include companies such as Canyon Ranch, Caesars Palace, Disney, Four Seasons, Six Senses and many more.

Title: The quality marks of the German Sauna Association as an aid for bathers and operators of sauna facilities

The speaker was responsible as spa director for 32 years for the development and ongoing operation of the Panorama Therme in Beuren (approx. 600,000 visitors/year). He has continuously expanded the Therme. He is vice president of the Deutscher Sauna-Bund e.V. and is involved in various committees, e.g. the quality committee.

Title: Sauna Quo Vadis – Regionality and Authenticity as a Guarantee for Success

Jeannine Hermann has been working in tourism for more than 20 years and in the field of wellness & health for over 10 years as an innovation manager at the Standortagentur Tirol, Innsbruck. Her hobbyhorse is to track down innovations, trends and potentials of the industry.

Title: Healthy Neighborhoods – Inner-City Bathhouses as New Social Meeting Places

In 2000, René Pier founded the office SCHIENBEIN+PIER. Parallel to his work in the office, René Pier has been teaching as a lecturer at the HFT (University of Applied Sciences) in Stuttgart in the master’s program IMIAD (International Master of Interior-Architectural Design) since 2016. On the regional board of the bdia (Association of German Interior Architects) and through his extensive lecturing activities, René Pier is networked worldwide in the industry. In 2020, he was a member of the ECIA (European Council of Interior Architects) workgroup for the amendment of the Charter for the Education of Interior Architects in Europe.

Title: The sauna in the field of tension between recreation and experience

Rolf-Andreas Pieper has professionally accompanied the development of saunas in Germany and Europe for four decades. In the process, he was able to help shape today’s infusion boom, but also to help regulate it normatively. He is a technical author and a member of several standards committees on saunas and bathing.