ARD broadcast (2019): Maximum emission-free - residential areas without cars
Published
Maximum emission-free - residential areas without cars
Planet Knowledge from 8.4.2019. 05:01 Min.
Available until 8.4.2024
ARD-alpha
A district without cars, in a major German city? In Cologne-Nippes, about 1300 people live in a car-free neighbourhood. The residents of the French Quarter in Tübingen have been gathering experience in a neighbourhood without cars for around 20 years. Does the concept work?
A research project conducted by natureplus in conjunction with IFEU compares insulation materials with regard to their environmental impact throughout their entire life cycle, including recovery and recycling.
Which insulation material is the best? This question is extremely popular in the construction industry and can ultimately only be answered in the context of the respective construction. In particular, there has so far been a lack of a holistic overview that enables builders and planners to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the various insulation material alternatives in terms of their life cycle assessment, without having to disregard subsequent disposal. Such a study was presented by ifeu (Institute for Energy and Environmental Research Heidelberg) and natureplus e.V. at the end of 2019. Their research project "Holistic Evaluation of Different Insulation Alternatives" was funded by the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (dbu) and the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of the Environment. It is to be presented for the first time on 21 February as part of the Vienna BauZ! congress.
From the cradle to the grave
With this study, a comprehensive ecological evaluation of insulation material alternatives was carried out, especially with regard to possible future disposal paths of the insulation materials (from the "cradle to the grave"). The most common types of insulation materials based on mineral, renewable and synthetic raw materials were evaluated, and their application in different building components to meet specified requirements for thermal and cold protection was compared. The life cycle assessment data of the insulation materials for the manufacturing phase were taken from the natureplus partner IBO Vienna after researching various databases. Subsequently, the waste life cycle assessments were prepared by ifeu, in which, in addition to the processing loads, the respective benefits from the secondary products or energy recovery were quantified and included in the balance. For each insulation material, the most favourable disposal option from an ecological point of view was determined. These disposal options were included in the product life cycle assessments and the final disposal of the insulation material was also taken into account.
Material recycling hardly takes place
The waste life cycle assessments of all insulation materials show in most cases the specific advantages of material recycling and thus the sense of returning the waste masses to the economic cycle. The processed waste masses from the insulating materials can be further processed into (other) products or also returned to the original production as raw material. In particular, the recycling of synthetic and some mineral insulating materials significantly reduces the ecological rucksack that these products bring with them from the production phase. Material recycling also makes sense in the case of products made from renewable raw materials, although their use as substitute fuel in cement works is currently still more advantageous from the point of view of climate protection as long as hard coal is burned there instead. In practice, however, the recycling of insulation materials is only practised in isolated cases or for research purposes. The report therefore concludes that research and development of possible material recycling should be promoted in industry and in the field of waste disposal.
In the result Advantages for insulating materials from renewable raw materials
If material recycling takes place at the end of the product's life - contrary to current practice - blow-in insulation materials and flexible mats based on hemp or jute perform best, provided that all insulation types can be used, followed by polystyrene EPS boards and wood fibre mats. Where, as for example on the exterior wall, only board-type insulation materials can be used, EPS performs best, provided that the EPS is recycled in such a way that EPS beads are saved in a subsequent application.
If end-of-life disposal is as in the status quo and the energy benefit is included in waste incineration, the above-mentioned products made from renewable raw materials remain in the lead, but polystyrene deteriorates and dry-process wood-fibre insulation boards improve, even moving into first place on the exterior wall. Without taking into account the energy benefit, wood fibre boards and EPS insulation materials lose their advantages compared to other board and mat insulation materials.
"Europe's largest rental scheme for e-load bikes has started in Cologne. The initiators see the project as an active contribution to the energy transition and want to transfer the system - if it is successful - to other cities."
In a recently written short study, scientists from the Department of Energy System Analysis at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE prepared an evaluation of the Market Master Data Register (MaStR) and the EEG system master data for photovoltaics (PV). Important findings of the analyses were that with 38 percent of the newly installed capacity, the increase in capacity in Germany is increasingly taking place in the segment of rooftop systems larger than 100 kW, 22 percent of the newly built PV systems are erected in a west, east or east-west direction and 19 percent of these systems have tilt angles smaller than 20 degrees.
Relative shares of the different orientations in the construction of new plants. Source: Own calculation based on MaStR data registered as of 31.01.2019 (as of 03.03.2020).
The Market Master Data Register (MaStR) is the register for the German electricity and gas market. Since January 2021, all electricity generation units connected to the general supply grid must be entered in it. This also applies to the steadily growing number of photovoltaic systems in Germany. In addition to the master data on output and location of a PV system, which has already been recorded in the Renewable Energy Sources Act register (EEG system master data), the market master data register records further information such as orientation, inclination and output limitation.
These parameters have now been analyzed by scientists at Fraunhofer ISE. The evaluation covers the period from 2000 to the present day and shows the development over time in terms of number, power, location by federal state, orientation, inclination and power limitation. Different evaluation criteria were taken into consideration, which allow statements to be made on the following aspects: Plant addition, power addition by plant class, plant addition by federal state, plant orientation and inclination angle.
Fraunhofer ISE evaluates these central parameters at regular intervals and makes the results publicly available. In addition, the Institute offers further evaluations of this database on request.
82 percent of the added systems are smaller than 10 kW
The evaluation of the installation of new systems by system class essentially shows that the <10 kW size range has remained constant since 2014 with an average share of 82 percent. Rooftop systems over 10 and up to 100 kW had a heyday between 2004 and 2011, when their share of new installations - in relation to the number of systems - averaged 43 percent.
Growing part of the added capacity is due to large rooftop systems
When examining the increase in capacity by plant class, it becomes clear that the high share of the <10 kW plant class in terms of the number of plants is only reflected in a high increase in capacity to a limited extent. The share of the plant class has remained fairly constant at an average of 19 percent since 2014. One system segment whose relative share of capacity growth has increased sharply is the system class of rooftop systems from 100 to 750 kW. From 17 percent in 2012, their share has more than doubled to 38 percent in 2019. In contrast, the importance of ground-mounted systems has declined from 45 percent in 2012 to 20 percent in 2019.
More than half of the PV systems will no longer be built in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg
The two states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg accounted for an average of 59.6 percent of new installations in Germany between 2000 and 2009, and this share declined to an average of 44.5 percent between 2010 and 2019. Over the same periods, North Rhine-Westphalia increased its average contribution from 14.1 to 18.3 percent, Lower Saxony's share rose from 6.5 to 9.2 percent, and Brandenburg's share increased from 0.7 to 2.2 percent. All the remaining federal states also recorded increases, albeit to a lesser extent. Despite the decline in their share, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg remain in first and second place in terms of new installations in 2019, with 24.4 percent and 18.6 percent respectively. This is followed by North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony and Hesse with 17.9 percent, 9.2 percent and 6.1 percent respectively.
73 percent of newly installed PV systems are limited in their capacity
Only around a quarter of the newly installed plants in 2019 do not have any output limitation. According to the EEG, 66 percent of newly installed plants may only feed a maximum of 70 percent of their output into the grid because they do not have remotely controllable feed-in management. This proportion has grown by an average of 4 percentage points per year since 2014. The remaining output-limited plants have even higher limitations of 60 to 50 percent as a result of the combination with a battery storage system.
Increasing proportion of PV systems facing east and west
While the share of PV systems with southern orientation decreased from 61 percent in 2000 to 42 percent in 2019, the share of systems with eastern and western orientation increased at almost the same rate: east from 1 percent in 2000 to 7 percent in 2019, west from 3 percent in 2000 to 9 percent in 2019, east-west from 1 percent in 2000 to 6 percent in 2019.
Plants are increasingly being built with a lower angle of inclination.
The share of added PV systems (rooftop and ground-mounted) with a tilt angle of less than 20 degrees averaged 10 percent between the years 2000 and 2009. Subsequently, between 2010 and 2019, the share increased to an average of 19 percent. Systems with 20 to 40 degrees of tilt accounted for an average of 63 percent between 2000 and 2009, falling to 54 percent between 2010 and 2019.
For the fifth time and in keeping with its 120th birthday, Spar- und Bauverein Solingen eG awarded the nationwide Klaus Novy Prize for innovations in cooperative building and living in July. This prize was established by SBV eG as a stimulus for cooperative ideas on the occasion of its 100th anniversary. This year, the prize was awarded to projects that "socially and innovatively" strengthen membership in a cooperative and coexistence in neighborhoods.
Impressed by the award's namesake: SPD State Chairman NRW Michael Groschek in front of the picture of the cooperative theorist Professor Klaus Novy. Photo: SBV/Kastner
"From children's cooperatives to housing projects for refugees: housing cooperatives today are more colourful, dynamic, open-minded and sustainable - innovative and social." SBV Board Chairman Ulrich Bimberg was enthusiastic about the "exciting exchange of knowledge" that took place in the cooperative's own historic washhouse Weegerhof.
Michael Groschek, Chairman of the NRW SPD and former Minister of State, was impressed by the award's namesake: Professor Klaus Novy had imagined the ideal society as a cooperative. The housing market in Germany is a long way from that, he said. "Unless you are lucky enough to live in Solingen, where every tenth apartment is cooperative." During his visit, Michael Groschek paid tribute to the innovative cooperative projects - as former NRW Minister for Construction, he has a special connection to the subject.
Eight cooperatives from all over Germany presented their ideas to the expert audience after a pre-selection from 31 submitted entries. In the end, the new Zurich housing cooperative "Mehr als Wohnen eG" prevailed in the democratic selection process. Their forward-looking and sustainable project was convincing from a social, technical and ecological point of view and received 4000 euros. Second place and 2000 euros went to "Inklusiv Wohnen Köln e.V.", the house project of an association of parents with disabled children. "Bellevue di Monaco eG" from Munich, a housing and social cooperative for refugees, was pleased with third place and 1000 euros. There were no losers in the innovative performances, but a win for all. SBV Chairman Ulrich Bimberg: "Every participating cooperative has something very special." For co-organiser Arno Mersmann, what is typical of a cooperative is: "What one person can't achieve alone, one can achieve together.
The winners of the Klaus Novy Award 2017 with SBV Supervisory Board Chairman Hans-Werner Bertl and SBV Board Chairman Ulrich Bimberg (r.). From left to right: Antje Günther (3rd prize Munich), Claudia Thiesen (1st prize Zurich), Christiane Strohecker, Michaela Mucke, Pascal Schumacher (2nd prize Cologne), Beatrix Novy, Photo: SBV/Kastner
Laureate 2017
Prize "Mehr als Wohnen eG", Zurich
new cooperative, supported by 55 Zurich housing cooperatives, is testing the future of living with 380 residential units. Their project was convincing in social, technical and ecological terms. www.mehralswohnen.ch
Prize "Inklusiv Wohnen Köln e.V." (Inclusive Living Cologne)
House project of an association of parents with disabled children. The building owner is the Cologne municipal housing company GAG, and the association has the right of use and occupancy. www.inklusiv-wohnen-koeln.de
Prize "Bellevue di Monaco eG", Munich
Housing and social cooperative for refugees, who are prepared for an independent life through a concept of care and co-responsibility. www.bellevuedimonaco.de
Klaus Novy Prize
The prize is dedicated to Prof. Klaus Novy (Professor of Building Economics, born 1944 in Vienna; died 1991 in Seattle, USA), who championed the renewal of cooperative housing culture. To mark its centenary in 1997, Spar- und Bauverein Solingen eG launched the nationwide competition. Every five years, current innovations are honored - also as an inspiration for others. Competition theme 2017: "Innovative social cooperative". Contact: Arno Mersmann, telephone 0202/563 20 58, e-mail: amersmann@hotmail.com
Savings and building society Solingen eG
With over 13,600 members, SBV eG is the largest housing cooperative in the Rhineland and one of the largest in Germany; almost one in eight people in Solingen live in an SBV eG house. The claim for 120 years: to offer modern and safe living space at fair conditions to all classes of the population. Contact: SBV Board of Directors, Ulrich Bimberg, Tel. (0212) 20 66-201, e-mail: bimberg@sbv-solingen.de
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