3:12 min, Published: 26.10.2018, SWR Landesschau Baden-Württemberg.
Project Info: http://sdg21.eu/db/plusenergiehaus-heliotrop
Show building projects of Rolf Disch: http://sdg21.eu/rolf-disch
2:04 min
Video report about the car-free settlement Florisdorf in Vienna.
Content: For 16 years there has been a car-free settlement in the 21st district. Instead of parking spaces, communal areas dominate. The residents are still enthusiastic - but for some of them, the sloppiness has set in.
To the project website:
www.autofrei.org/unsere-siedlung
There is also a text post about this from 10/12/2016: www.derstandard.at/...Floridsdorf-Ohne-Auto-im-Autofahrer-Bezirk
Keywords:
Car Free, Movies, Movies < 4 Min, News Blog Austria, Quarters, Settlements, Vienna
A study funded by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture determined the potential of hardwood as a substitute for coniferous wood. The results of the study are now available in a brochure published by the Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e. V. (FNR). There is considerable potential for hardwood to be used in industrial timber, but it cannot yet be a substitute for softwood in construction.
Already today, almost twice as much hardwood is provided in Germany as 20 years ago. Beech and oak are the dominant deciduous tree species with a share of 70 %. In wood use, there is considerable potential for using the accumulating hardwood industrial wood as a material. These potentials for low-priced wood assortments lie in particular in the production of wood-based materials such as chipboard or fibreboard. Higher-quality hardwood assortments are suitable, among other things, for windows and exterior doors, solid parquet flooring, interior fittings, solid wood panels and in exterior applications.
Potentials in wood-based materials and interior design
However, the study also makes clear that hardwood can only replace softwood to a limited extent. The timber industry with the key use of building with wood is dependent on softwood. The available hardwood cannot substitute softwood in comparable quantities for technical and economic reasons. The large number of species in hardwood with their widely differing properties makes standardisation difficult. Moreover, processing is usually technically more complex and causes higher costs.
More courage and innovation needed
In order to further develop the potential of hardwood use, the authors recommend, among other things, that companies be more courageous and innovative in establishing and expanding manufacturing processes specialized in hardwood use. In addition, sales-promoting industry communication and marketing for domestic hardwood are crucial for buyer behaviour.
The brochure "Hardwood product markets from a technical-economic and market structure perspective" is available in the Media Library available.
Background:
A conversion of forests towards more deciduous forests has been taking place in Germany since the 1990s. In particular, beech and oak trees are being planted in the spruce or pine forests. This is intended to make the forests not only more natural but also more stable against external influences such as storms and drought as well as climate change. As a result of the forest conversion, more hardwood will be available as a renewable raw material in the future.
The brochure is based on the BMEL-funded research project "Market potentials of hardwood products from a technical-economic and market-structural point of view - hardwood product markets" by PD Dr. Marcus Knauf, Bielefeld, with the assistance of Prof. Dr. Arno Frühwald, Reinbek.
The research project identified market potentials for products made of hardwood. Product areas in which hardwood is competitive with softwood or can complement softwood were analysed. The analyses were based on official statistics, published market studies, literature, the authors' own experience and interviews with experts. The final report is available at fnr.de under the funding code 22023214 available.
The FNR has been active as a project management agency of the BMEL for the funding programme Renewable Resources since 1993. It also supports research topics in the fields of sustainable forestry and innovative wood use.
Source: FNR-PM from 15.09.2020
Keywords:
Building materials / Construction, DE-News, Research, Wood construction, Sustainable management, New books and studies
Stadtwerke Herne is planning to build a climate-friendly and car-free housing estate with an innovative energy concept in Sodingen: seven detached single-family homes are being built in Baueracker, which will be largely self-sufficient in terms of energy. The building permit is expected before the end of this year. The groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for early 2018. The first families are expected to move in in February 2019.
Whether heating, electricity or hot water - the houses are to produce almost all the energy they need themselves from renewable sources. A large photovoltaic system on each roof and a battery storage system are the basis for this. Geothermal and air-source heat pumps are combined with these. The result is a variety of energy concepts developed by Smart-Tec, the municipal utility's heating service. Smart-Tec also supplies the technology and ensures smooth operation.
At the heart of the project is a new type of electricity storage, the so-called redox flow battery. It has extremely low energy losses and can be recharged almost indefinitely. "This concept is unique in Germany," knows Stephan Becker, who is responsible for the project at the municipal utility. This is why the construction project also successfully qualified for the "EnergyEnvironmentEconomy.NRW" lead market competition organized by the state and the EU. Fraunhofer UMSICHT is providing scientific support.
In addition to the energy concept, car-free living is also a special feature in Herne. Cars are parked outside the settlement in a solar garage. "This makes the settlement safe and child-friendly, and there is also nothing to prevent the purchase of an electric car," Becker continues.
Construction/building materials: heated full basement, timber frame construction, 100 % styrofoam-free
Architect's office AGIS
The detached single-family homes have a living area of around 120 square meters. The plot size starts at 215 square meters. Building-willing can announce themselves already now under telephone 02323/592-315 or autark-wohnen@stadtwerke-herne.de apply, as a large response is expected. Detailed information will be available after the summer holidays.
Link with photo:
https://klimaviertel.stadtwerke-herne.de/
Keywords:
Energy storage, News Blog NRW, PV, PlusEnergy house/settlement, Settlements
In the EEG draft 
The German government plans to make a number of changes in the rooftop PV segment. According to information from pv magazine, an exemption from trade tax is planned and neighbourhood solutions are to become possible.
BSW-Solar concludes: "The German government urgently needs to make improvements, otherwise we will continue to head at high speed towards a climate protection and electricity generation gap. The compromise bill is far too timid, and at the same time too many important points are postponed. Unacceptable are the planned restrictions on the promotion of new larger solar roofs", explained Carsten Körnig, CEO of BSW-Solar.
For other solar associations, too, the EEG amendment does not go far enough, despite minor improvements:
www.pv-magazine.de/2020/12/14/eeg-novelle-2021-spd-verkuendet-durchbruch-enttaeuschung-bei-solarbranche/
Keywords:
Construction and operating costs, Citizen Energy, DE-News, Renewable, Climate protection, PV, PlusEnergy house/settlement, Environmental policy
