Interview with Rob Hopkins from 10 September 2016
Link:
www.transition-initiativen.de/...
Sustainable development in Germany is inconceivable without a resource-efficient construction industry. The new expert recommendation VDI-EE 4802 Sheet 1 explains in a practical way how to apply the concept of resource efficiency in the life cycle of buildings. To this end, it breaks down the tasks and scope for action of the individual players in the construction process. Using examples of increased material, energy and space efficiency, the expert recommendation supports the entire planning process towards a resource-efficient building.
Modern construction must be sustainable, and keep the many different aspects in mind: the use as well as the costs, the consumption of resources and the cultural background. The energy used for new buildings and facilities must be planned precisely, and the subsequent energy requirements must also be calculated in such a way that they can be met with as little input as possible. Last but not least, the construction processes themselves should also be resource-efficient. In Germany, the Resource Efficiency Program (ProgRess) exists for this purpose.
Aim of the expert recommendation VDI-EE 4802 Sheet 1 is to enable those involved in construction to design their building projects in a resource-efficient manner, and in particular to minimise the use of fossil energy raw materials and the emission of greenhouse gases. The aim is to achieve an optimal, contemporary compromise between economic efficiency and sustainability.
Resource efficiency can be planned and measured. The VDI has developed the VDI 4800 series of guidelines which contains basic principles and methodology, strategies and evaluation procedures. The new VDI expert recommendation VDI-EE 4802 Sheet 1 fleshes out the contents of the directive and helps with its application in practice. The expert recommendation is aimed at those responsible in the construction and real estate industry, politics and administration.
VDI-EE 4802 Sheet 1 provides guidance on the determination of resource efficiency, which results from the determination of the quantitative use of resources. In this sheet, the spatial level of a building is considered, primarily for residential and non-residential buildings, as well as temporary buildings. Further sheets of the expert recommendation will deal with resource efficiency in neighbourhoods or cities.
Publisher of the VDI expert recommendation VDI-EE 4802 Sheet 1 "Resource Efficiency in Construction - Buildings" is the VDI Society for Construction and Building Technology (GBG). The expert recommendation was published in March 2021 and can be ordered at a price starting at EUR 110.90 from Beuth Verlag. Online orders can be placed at www.vdi.de/4802 or www.beuth.de possible. VDI members receive a 10 percent discount on all VDI guidelines. VDI guidelines can be ordered in many public display free of charge.
Technical contact:
Dr. Frederike Wittkopp
VDI Society for Construction and Building Technology (GBG)
Phone: +49 211 6214-466
Email: wittkopp@vdi.de
Keywords:
DE-News, Faktor X / ResScore, Resource efficiency
On Monday, 17 July 2017, a symbolic ground-breaking ceremony took place for the IBA's flagship project on the Stadtwerke Heidelberg site in Pfaffengrund. Heidelberg's Lord Mayor Prof. Dr. Eckart Würzner, Heidelberg's First Mayor Jürgen Odszuck, Dr. Rudolf Irmscher, Managing Director of Stadtwerke Heidelberg, Michael Teigeler, Managing Director of Stadtwerke Heidelberg Energie and project partners - accompanied by 180 guests - gave the symbolic starting signal for the project. The energy and future storage facility of Stadtwerke Heidelberg was recently awarded a prize as a project of the International Building Exhibition (IBA): On the recommendation of the international board of trustees, the IBA supervisory board has selected the energy and future storage facility as one of the projects that the IBA Heidelberg will continue to support intensively and whose challenging realisation is now pending. With LAVA-Laboratory for visionary architecture and A24 Landschaftsarchitekten (both Berlin), an international, innovative architectural firm won the competition. During a round of talks at the ground-breaking ceremony, the managing director of the IBA Heidelberg, Prof. Michael Braum, and Jürgen Odszuck presented the IBA project certificate to Michael Teigeler. The storage facility is scheduled to go into operation by the end of 2019.
Photos and short film of the groundbreaking ceremony:
www.swhd.de/energiespeicher
Left:
Source: Press release of the IBA "Knowledge | Creates | City" of 18.7.2017
Keywords:
Energy storage, News Blog Baden-Württemberg, Quarters, Settlements
On the insulation market, so-called "natural" insulation materials such as wood wool, hemp, cork, granulates and co. are still niche products. However, they are on the rise throughout Europe, at least from the architects' point of view: According to a survey of 1,600 European planners, the use of natural insulation materials is likely to increase in seven out of eight countries. The future prospects for mineral wool, the market leader, are also favourable in this country. According to the architects' forecast, other insulation materials will have a much harder time.
Natural insulation materials are expected to grow strongly in Germany and most countries - which is certainly related to the trend towards sustainable building, which was also highlighted as a strong development by architects in the same study. Mineral wool is also seen as an insulating material with a future in Germany and most countries - this is certainly also related to the market position of the large mineral wool manufacturers in Europe. PUR/PIR systems, on the other hand, are somewhat weaker - in Germany, planners even expect a slight decline in demand.
In most countries, the architects surveyed do not believe that insulation with EPS/XPs currently has strong growth potential - despite the relatively long service life of polystyrene-based core insulation, which has made these insulating materials so economical and popular. The image problems of the materials, which have come under fire because of fire hazards and also do not seem to fit in well with the current trend towards sustainable building with their somewhat anachronistic "Styrofoam" image, are too high.
Exceptions here, however, are Poland and the Netherlands, where plastic-based insulation is still popular. The EPS industry has also managed to gain ground there in terms of sustainability: It is certainly no coincidence that the first large European recycling plants for EPS insulation materials were launched in the Netherlands.
Keywords:
Building materials / Construction, Climate protection, NaWaRohs, News Blog Europe (without DE), Resource efficiency, SDG 2030, Environmental policy, Thermal insulation
From the March 10, 2020 meeting of the Senate:
The Senate today adopted a comprehensive catalogue of measures to accelerate the expansion of solar energy in Berlin, based on a proposal by Ramona Pop, Senator for Economic Affairs, Energy and Industry.
Senator Pop: "The potential study for the Solarcity master plan has shown that we can harvest 25 percent of electricity generation with solar energy from the roofs of Berlin. To achieve this, we must accelerate the expansion of solar energy in the city. It is necessary for the federal government to finally improve the legal framework for solar energy in cities. Nevertheless, we want to actively use the existing leeway at the state level. With the Solarcity Master Plan, we will expand information and advice, set incentives and also examine regulatory instruments. The implementation of the Solarcity Master Plan is a joint task for the Senate, but also for all Berlin stakeholders from business and society."
The expert recommendation Masterplan Solarcity was developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) and the expert group on the Solarcity Master Plan and includes a catalogue of 27 measures to accelerate solar expansion in Berlin as well as an accompanying study by the Fraunhofer Institute. One of the first steps towards implementation is the creation of a coordination office.
Since November 2018, 26 experts from the energy and solar industry, housing industry, associations and interest groups, state companies, science and administration have been supporting the Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy and Industry as a group of experts in the creation of the Solarcity Master Plan. In seven meetings as well as several appointments to discuss the topic in greater depth, the expert group identified obstacles and opportunities for the expansion of solar energy in Berlin. It developed a broad mix of 27 measures in nine fields of action. The creation of incentives and better framework conditions is addressed as well as the removal of barriers and the need for public relations work and information.
The accompanying master plan study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems shows that the target of 25 percent solar power in Berlin is achievable if the potential of all owner groups is tapped in parallel. A PV capacity of 4,400 MWp would have to be installed in Berlin by the target year 2050 in order to be able to generate 14 petajoules of solar electricity per year. The potential for this is available in Berlin. The study provides an overview of its distribution among owner groups, different types of use and the districts. It becomes clear that the majority of the solar plants to be built can be realised by private actors and state-owned companies. Therefore, both the study and the catalogue of measures recommend the conclusion of partnership agreements between the actors and the Senate.
For more information and the expert recommendation, see:
www.solarwende-berlin.de/allgemein/masterplan-solarcity-berlin
Source: Press release from 10.03.2020
Keywords:
DE-News, Renewable, Communities, New books and studies, News Blog Berlin, PV, Solar thermal, Environmental policy
