More money for RLP municipalities for refugee aid

Published 11. January 2016

A bill on the State Reception Act will be submitted to the Landtag today. With this, the municipalities will receive more money for the reception, accommodation and care of asylum seekers. "The amendment to the State Reception Act will lead to a significant improvement in the financing of the task of assisting refugees for the municipalities and is an important basis for ensuring that the municipalities and the state continue to fulfil their tasks," said Minister President Malu Dreyer and Integration Minister Irene Alt.

Early yesterday evening, the municipal umbrella organisations and the Rhineland-Palatinate government jointly agreed on the cost reimbursement to be paid for refugee assistance expenses as of 1 January 2016. The starting point was the federal funds available to Rhineland-Palatinate according to the decision of the Federal Chancellor and the heads of government of the Länder on 24 September 2015. "We have worked out the necessary key points together so that they can now be introduced as a bill in the state parliament," said Finance Minister Doris Ahnen, who led the discussion together with State Secretary in the Ministry of Integration Margit Gottstein and State Secretary of Finance Salvatore Barbaro.

"I very much welcome the cornerstones that have been worked out jointly between the municipal umbrella organisations and the state government. They ensure that the state and the municipalities will continue to tackle the great challenge of taking in refugees together," said the Minister President.

Starting in 2016, the municipalities are to be paid a lump sum of 848 euros per month per refugee. This refers to the period from distribution to a local authority until the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees issues the first decision in the asylum procedure. This lump sum is paid out in full by the state exactly according to the number of refugees and the months. In this way, the municipalities are relieved effectively and quickly - regardless of how and when the federal government settles the relief for the Länder.

In addition, starting in 2016, the state will make a lump sum payment of 35 million euros at the beginning of each year for costs that are still incurred after the initial decision has been issued. For 2015, it is planned that Rhineland-Palatinate's share of the federal government's additional refugee billion of 48 million euros for the current year will be made available in full to the municipalities. Of this, 24 million euros will be provided as a lump-sum cost-share. The remaining 24 million euros of the refugee billion and another 20 million euros of Land money form an advance payment totalling 44 million euros on Land benefits due in 2016. The aim is to provide the municipalities with the necessary funds in a timely manner.

There is now also clarity for the distribution of federal funds to be used for child day care in the Länder after the abolition of the childcare allowance. Rhineland-Palatinate will receive a total of about 95 million euros from 2016 to 2018. These funds are to be divided equally between the municipalities and the state. To ensure that support is as even as possible, the municipalities will receive three equal annual instalments of around 16 million euros each (a total of around 48 million euros). These funds can be used flexibly within the framework of local target agreements to improve child day care and for additional expenditure in this area.

Source: PM from 06.11.2015

Keywords: Refugee shelters, Funding, News Blog RLP, Housing policy

Published 10 December 2020

Alliance for more climate protection in the construction sector: Federal government must address savings potential in construction and waste disposal

Broad alliance of civil society, science, business and practice demands,
take the entire life cycle of construction into account
In addition to energy consumption in the use phase, the climate impact must be
of building materials and the construction and disposal of buildings
be considered
National climate targets can only be achieved if all savings potentials of the
construction sector can be used

A broad alliance of actors from civil society, science, industry and practice is calling on the German government to promote the climate-friendly construction, maintenance and demolition of buildings. Up to now, only the use phase of buildings has been taken into account in state subsidies for buildings and in the Building Energy Act. There is a complete lack of specifications and consideration of the climate impact of building materials and the construction and disposal of buildings - despite the fact that the construction sector, with its upstream and downstream processes, contributes around 8 percent to German greenhouse gas emissions.

More than 60 supporters have already signed the appeal "Focusing on the entire building life cycle - a key issue for climate protection", which was published today. With the appeal, the Alliance calls for requirements to be placed on the entire life cycle of the building in federal funding for efficient buildings and in the Building Energy Act.

Dr. Ulrich Wischnath, executive director of Bauwende explains, "The importance of upstream and downstream processes in construction is significant. Today, a typical new building has already caused half of its energy consumption and CO2 emissions before it is first used. We can only reduce this environmental impact if the legal requirements for buildings also apply to the construction and building materials.“

Barbara MetzDeputy Federal Executive Director of Deutsche Umwelthilfe adds: "For effective climate protection, we must consider the entire life cycle of buildings. There is great potential for reducing climate gases from construction and building materials - but this is in danger of being wasted due to a lack of specifications. That's why state funding for renovation and construction must also be linked to criteria that guarantee sustainable building all round."

"The faster the framework conditions are set, the faster the implementation will start and the more houses will be built with the improved climate standard. This is not only good for the climate. Sustainable construction methods and materials also conserve resources and reduce further environmental impacts of the construction sector," notes Danny Püschel, energy policy and climate protection officer at NABU.

The signatories of the appeal point out that after more than 30 years of research and more than a decade of practical testing, there are established procedures for an assessment oriented to the life cycle of buildings. The Federal Government must make sustainable building more widespread by launching the "Federal Promotion for Efficient Buildings" at the beginning of the year. The Building Energy Act must also be revised so that it formulates requirements for buildings that relate to their environmental impact over their entire life cycle. Only in this way can the enormous potential for savings in construction and disposal be tackled in a targeted manner.

The Signatories of the call represent a broad spectrum: from building material manufacturers to energy consultant associations and other building professionals to large environmental associations and the Architects for Future.

The appeal is open for signature until the end of January. Afterwards, it will be presented at a public event and discussed with political representatives. If you would like to sign the appeal, please contact wischnath@bauwende.de

Contact
Dr. Ulrich Wischnath, Managing Director, Bauwende
0176 64059904, wischnath@bauwende.de

Constantin Zerger, Head of Energy and Climate Protection, Deutsche Umwelthilfe
0160 433 40 14, zerger@duh.de

Danny Püschel, Energy Policy and Climate Protection Officer
03028 49 84-15 21, Danny.Pueschel@NABU.DE

Keywords:
Building materials / Construction, DE-News, Housing policy, Life cycle assessment

Published 11 November 2020

TRASIQ 2: Transformative strategies for integrated neighbourhood development

Ecological living in existing quarters

Since April 2020, the Öko-Institut has been conducting research into how urban neighbourhoods can be sustainably transformed, using two neighbourhoods in the swarming city of Darmstadt as examples, in the project Transformative Strategies for Integrated Neighbourhood Development (TRASIQ 2). The Federal Ministry of Education and Research is funding the project, which is led by the Öko-Institut and involves the City of Darmstadt, the Institute for Regional and Urban Development Research (ILS) and the "Team Ewen" agency.

Mobility, heat and living space

The project focuses on the research topics of mobility, heat supply and efficient use of living space. Heat supply is an important key to climate-friendly living. How and where, for example, can district heating be expanded in existing properties? How can we increase the share of renewable energies in the heat supply? The size of the living space also contributes to how environmentally friendly a person lives. What needs to be done to ensure that people have the living space they need in their particular phase of life through intelligent apartment swaps? How can neighbourhoods be redesigned so that residents can organise their mobility ecologically?

In September 2020, the project partners with stakeholders from the Urban Planning Office, the Office of Economic and Urban Development and the Mobility Office of the City of Darmstadt, the Urban and Transport Planning Department, HEAG mobilo, Bauverein AG, GHW Wohnungsgesellschaft Hessen, the Tenants' Association and the Office of the Ombudsman, developed and exchanged initial ideas for the two neighbourhoods as part of TRASIQ 2 at a workshop.

Participation in the development of the neighbourhood

Citizens are involved at an early stage. The instrument of the planning forums makes it possible to select citizens with different perspectives and interests - from the residents, from the city as a whole and from those wishing to move in.

Orientation for urban planners, architects

The aim of the project is to transfer the results from the TRASIQ 1 project, which focused on a future quarter on a conversion site, to the transformation of two existing quarters. "The challenge here is that the successful implementation of transformation processes in existing neighbourhoods is more difficult than in new-build neighbourhoods. In existing neighbourhoods, the starting point is the urban planning conditions and the local people," says project leader Dr. Matthias Buchert from the Öko-Institut.

The existing neighbourhoods are Darmstadt's Martinsviertel and Kranichstein-Süd. That the measures and models that TRASIQ 2 will produce can be transferred to other neighborhoods and other cities is an overarching goal. "Darmstadt is a sought-after place to live and work. The pressure on the housing market is high. The sustainable design and further development of existing neighbourhoods is therefore an important and often underestimated component of a smart and balanced strategy for the Darmstadt of tomorrow," says the Lord Mayor of the City of Science Darmstadt, Jochen Partsch.

"Roadmaps of realization"

Roadmaps" are to be created in the process. The idea is based on the existing renovation roadmaps for residential buildings. In these, building owners are shown the steps of an energetic refurbishment up to a climate-neutral building. "This idea is being developed further here. On the one hand, it will be transferred to neighbourhoods, and on the other hand, other sustainability aspects beyond the energy perspective, such as land use, mobility, resource use and greenhouse gases, can be addressed," says Sebastian Eichhorn from the Institute for Regional and Urban Development Research.

Online tool on the Darmstadt model

The new neighbourhood from TRASIQ 1, from whose planning an online assessment tool has emerged, is the Ludwigshöhviertel in Darmstadt. The online tool can serve as an additional source of information for the municipal administration - in this case, specifically Darmstadt - interested citizens, investors and decision-makers. "In the planning forums, these target groups were included in the evaluation and solution of possible conflicts of objectives of sustainable neighbourhood development," says Dr. Christoph Ewen, who accompanied the project for Team Ewen and is involved in TRASIQ 2 accordingly.

TRASIQ 1

The starting point for TRASIQ 1 was that specialist administrations, future investors, but also suppliers, service providers and future residents each have their own ideas and goals for a neighbourhood. Often, plans are drawn up without coordinating with each other and without knowing the effects on sustainability. Building a sustainable neighbourhood, on the other hand, requires such a joint overview and assessment.

Further information on the TRASIQ 1 and TRASIQ 2 website

Study "Sustainable neighbourhood development in urban growth regions: Building Blocks and Instruments" by the Öko-Institut (TRASIQ 1)

Source: PM of Öko-Institut e.V. from 9.10.2020

Keywords:
Stock, DE-News, Renewable, Climate protection, Mobility, New books and studies, News Blog Hesse, Quarters, Recycling, Resource efficiency, Tools

Published 20 April 2022

Book Review Building for the Community in Vienna

Solidary, Participative, Pioneering

Isabella Marboe (ed.) Bauen für die Gemeinschaft in Wien Neue gemeinschaftliche Formen des Zusammenlebens. Edition Detail 2021, 144 pages, de/eng, Euro 39.90

Review by Roman Schaurhofer, Vienna

Overview

The book "Building for the Community in Vienna" was published in 2021 by Isabella Marboe at Verlag Detail. All texts were printed in German and English in the book. In addition to an interview conducted by Marboe with Ulrike Schartner and Alexander Hagner, Robert Temel has his say in an expert article.

All in all, the book deals with 20 building projects in the Austrian capital Vienna and offers insight into the respective planning as well as the organisational and structural realisation of those very communities.

Content

At the beginning, Isabella Marboe looks back at historically relevant and significant events surrounding Viennese housing, community in everyday life and housing, and participatory building. The editor then highlights the importance and significance of the architect Ottokar Uhl and his work. Especially the projects "Living with Children" and "B.R.O.T." are mentioned and described as positive examples. In addition, Marboe goes into more detail about the historical developments surrounding the "Sargfabrik" and "MISS Sargfabrik" projects. Isabella Marboe is committed to a communal and socially solidary as well as responsible coexistence.

In Robert Temel's contribution, after a historical classification of Austrian pioneer and follow-up projects, there is also a brief description of organisational and ownership models. This is followed by an outline of the emergence of building communities and their possibilities for acquiring a building plot, as well as a comparison of several models implemented in Vienna.

In an interview, Ulrike Schartner and Alexander Hagner from gaupenraub+/- explained the many challenges that arise when creating quality housing for homeless people and at the same time show approaches to dealing with problems of this kind.

After the essays and the interview, there is a more detailed examination of the individual projects. A brief description, accompanied by key figures and background information, provides insights into the planning and implementation of the respective community ideas. In addition, illustrations and detailed plans (often in the form of floor plans) give the reader a better understanding of the structure and function of the respective project. In addition to individual buildings, row houses, multi-storey residential buildings and neighbourhood houses that stand out from their surroundings were also selected.

Criticism

The social and socially solidary approach of the project examples stands out in a clearly positive way. Each of the projects features people-oriented planning and high-quality implementation geared to the wishes of the residents, without losing sight of the demand for high-quality architecture. Although the communal and participatory character is clearly in the foreground as a unifying element, the individual projects cannot be denied their uniqueness and individuality in approach.

The detailed information, underpinned by pictorial representations, enables the reader to place the projects conceptually and contextually in their respective environment. With the overview and detailed descriptions of the sample projects, the editor Isabella Marboe offers a solid basis with carefully researched project examples for professional discourse and a more intensive examination of the topic of building communities.

February 2021, Hardcover, 23 x 30 cm, German / English

Text samples or buy the book from the publisher:
www.detail.de/de_de/bauen-fuer-die-gemeinschaft-in-wien

Keywords:
Cohousing, DE-News, New books and studies, News Blog Austria, Vienna, Housing, Housing projects