The Montag-Stiftung Urbane Räume (Bonn) describes properties that are developed by many for many and contribute to the common good as Immovielien. The foundation's website has now gone online, providing detailed documentation of model projects that can serve as inspiration: from the ExRotaprint in Berlin to the Elsebad Schwerte.
Link
www.netzwerk-immovielien.de
The flame retardant HBCD, which was mainly used in polystyrene insulation boards, has been banned since March 2016. But trouble looms from the many millions of cubic meters of HBCD-containing insulation material that have already been installed in Germany.
The flame retardant hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) has been largely banned from trade and use in the EU since spring 2016. For a long time, HBCD was the economically most important flame retardant for polystyrene insulation materials - accordingly, there are still transitional rules for insulation materials made of expanded or extruded polystyrene (EPS/XPS).
While the industry in Germany has largely replaced HBCD with allegedly less problematic flame retardants since the end of 2014, homeowners in Germany are now threatened with considerable costs when converting their buildings and removing insulation materials containing HBCD: This is because these will be classified as "hazardous waste" from October 2016 and can only be disposed of at great expense in special waste incineration plants or plants specially approved for this purpose. According to estimates by the Federal Environment Agency, "considerable disposal costs" are to be expected for homeowners.
How can a consumer tell if a polystyrene insulation material contains HBCD?
Since HBCD has already been identified as a substance of very high concern under the REACH Regulation since 2008, the manufacturer and also the distributor must provide information on the use of the substance in all articles. An online form from the Federal Environment Agency can be used to ask the manufacturer, dealer or importer whether HBCD has been used as a flame retardant. In addition, since 2011, the Construction Products Regulation has also required the information to be provided to end users with the declaration of performance for the CE mark. However, for all polystyrene insulation boards used in the past, it must be assumed that they contain HBCD.
In the brochure "Frequently asked questions and answers on hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) - Answers to frequently asked questions".
of the Federal Environment Agency of July 2016 provides further explanations: www.umweltbundesamt.de/...oekologische-kriterien-fuer
Keywords:
Building Biology, DE-News, New books and studies, Thermal insulation
Six to ten gigawatts of photovoltaic capacity could be installed on Berlin buildings. More than enough to cover 25 percent of Berlin's electricity supply with solar energy, as envisaged in the plan for Berlin. But the current pace of expansion is decidedly too slow. The Solarcity Berlin master plan envisions producing a quarter of Berlin's electricity consumption with photovoltaics. This goal is to be achieved by 2030. Currently, Berlin's solar systems generate just under half a percent of the energy required in the city. Scientists at the Berlin University of Applied Sciences (HTW Berlin) have now conducted a solar potential study to show for the first time which buildings are suitable for solar installations and what restrictions must be expected.
Link to the study
https://pvspeicher.htw-berlin.de/potenzialstudieberlin/
Keywords:
100% EEs, Stakeholders, DE-News, Renewable, Communities, News Blog Berlin, Environmental policy, Ecology
The Agency for Renewable Resources (Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e. V. - FNR) provides guidelines for submitting outlines and applications for projects within the scope of the Forest Climate Fund. (FNR) supports potentially interested parties in applying for funding. The guidelines are available in printed form and for Download before.
The 58-page brochure in A5 format provides concise information on the funding procedure and quickly explains how to use the easy-Online internet portal to submit a project outline and project application. Fact sheets and explanations on state aid law supplement the funding guidelines.
The "Guidelines for the submission of outlines and applications under the joint BMEL and BMU Forest Climate Fund funding line" are aimed not only at research institutions and research associations, but also at state forestry institutions, municipalities, forestry associations and other associations, as well as private individuals whose projects fall under one of the five priority areas of the Forest Climate Fund funding guideline.
Funding from the Forest Climate Fund, which is jointly financed by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) and the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), can be applied for for projects with a maximum duration of 5 years.
Further information: www.waldklimafonds.de
Background:
The Forest Climate Fund funding guideline was launched jointly by BMEL and BMU in 2013 as part of the Energy and Climate Fund.
Forestry and landscaping projects to adapt forests to climate change and to ensure carbon storage and increase CO2-The following projects are aimed at increasing the storage of wood products and the CO2-reduction and substitution by wood products, projects on research and monitoring, and projects on information and communication. The funding procedure is two-stage, i.e. applicants first submit a project outline and after successful review by the project management agency FNR and coordination with the ministries BMU and BMEL, a project application is invited.
The FNR has been active as the BMEL's project management agency for the Renewable Resources funding programme since 1993. It also supports research topics in the fields of sustainable forestry and innovative wood use. Since 1 January 2019, it has also been the project management agency for the Forest Climate Fund funding guideline. The Competence and Information Centre for Forests and Wood (KIWUH) is a department of the FNR.
Keywords:
Building materials / Construction, DE-News, Research, Funding, Wood construction, Climate protection, NaWaRohs, New books and studies, Environmental policy, Thermal insulation, Ecology
The passive house turns 30 - pioneering work paves the way for energy efficiency worldwide
The passive house celebrates its 30th birthday! The pioneering project of building physicist Prof. Wolfgang Feist, which started as an experiment, can take great credit: When climate protection was only on the agenda of very few, it paved the way for energy efficiency in buildings. Today, the Passive House Standard is being implemented around the globe, including in impressive lighthouse projects. Other reasons to celebrate: the 25th anniversary of the Passive House Institute and the anniversary edition of the International Passive House Conference.
"I am of course happy about this development: from the first experimental residential building to the worldwide projects and quarters in the Passive House Standard," explains Passive House pioneer Prof. Wolfgang Feist. However, he makes it clear: "Without a much greater commitment from governments, however, progress in the better energy design of buildings will be slow." Yet the physicist has demonstrated a viable solution for high energy efficiency with the construction of the world's first passive house.
Priority Climate protection
It was already clear in the 1970s, says Feist in the interview, that fossil energy resources are limited. In addition, the extraction and use of this energy caused excessively high CO₂ emissions. Together with the Swedish engineer Bo Adamson, he searched for solutions that would allow houses without conventional heating systems to be built in the Central European climate. The biggest motivation: climate protection.
Stop heat loss
One thing was clear: the typical but unnecessary heat loss in buildings must be greatly reduced. Among other things, through good thermal insulation on the walls, the roof and the ground. And an additional, third pane in the windows. If the building is also built to be almost airtight and thermal bridges are avoided, then the interior rooms will automatically remain pleasantly warm for a long time with the support of passive heat sources such as solar radiation. In summer, passive houses are pleasantly cool.
Smiled at by many
Finally, Prof. Wolfgang Feist determined characteristic values for better building: This is how the Passive House Standard came into being. Feist determined that this should be freely available to all interested parties. The Feist family built the pilot project "Passive House" in a community with three other families, as a complex of four identical terraced houses. The state of Hesse supported the research project. Nevertheless, it was smiled at by many.
Research since day 1
On a site that the city of Darmstadt had designated for "experimental building", the excavators rolled in in autumn 1990. In the spring of 1991, exactly 30 years ago, the building families celebrated the topping-out ceremony together with the public. And in autumn 1991 they moved into their new home. Since day one, intensive research has been carried out on the world's first passive house; among other things, a measurement project of the International Energy Agency (IEA) is currently underway.
Social justice
30 years after the first passive house was built, schools, daycare centres, gymnasiums, supermarkets, indoor swimming pools, museums, hotels and entire neighbourhoods are now built to the passive house standard as a matter of course. Today it is well known that Passive Houses require very little energy for heating and cooling. This makes them an important building block for effective climate protection. And for social justice. The high living comfort is a big plus. Increasingly, municipalities and states are stipulating consistent energy efficiency in the Passive House Standard in their building regulations. (Passive House resolutions).
Energy efficiency a must
In view of the climate crisis, it is clear that energy-efficient construction is needed. The Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe has just declared the German Climate Protection Act unconstitutional in parts: the government must regulate more clearly how emissions are to be effectively reduced after 2030, according to the ruling.
approach tipping points
Energy-efficient buildings are fundamental to a widespread renewable energy supply and therefore an important part of the solution. "When tipping points are reached, there is no vaccine to stop the horror. We must act now to keep the future on this planet livable. The building sector must do more to mitigate climate change. Many national building standards still allow too much energy consumption," warns Feist.
25 years of the Passive House Institute
Manufacturers and tradesmen have also grasped the potential of energy-efficient construction and renovation as an opportunity. The Passive House Institute's component database now counts over 1200 certified components. The Technical University of Innsbruck recognised its importance for research and teaching at an early stage: Building physicist Wolfgang Feist taught energy-efficient construction there for over ten years. As a result, the number of experts is also growing. Every year many of them meet at the International Passive House Conference. This is also an anniversary, taking place for the 25th time this year. Shortly before the first conference in 1996 Wolfgang Feist had founded the Passive House Institute. That celebrates now its 25-year old existence. Another reason to celebrate.
Passive houses
The passive house concept drastically reduces the heat loss through walls, windows and roof that is typical for buildings. Thanks to the five principles - good insulation, triple-glazed windows, avoidance of thermal bridges, an airtight building envelope and a ventilation system with heat recovery - a passive house requires very little energy. Passive houses can therefore do without a classic heating system. The houses are called "passive" because most of the heat requirement is covered by "passive" sources such as solar radiation and waste heat from people and technical equipment.
In a passive house, the heat is retained for a very long time because it escapes only very slowly. Therefore, active heating is only required on very cold days. Overall, only little energy is needed to provide this residual heat. In summer (as well as in warm climates), a passive house also has an advantage: then, among other things, the good insulation keeps the heat out. Active cooling is therefore not usually necessary in residential buildings. Due to the low energy costs, the ancillary costs are calculable - a basis for affordable living and social housing. A passive house consumes around 90 percent less heating than an existing building and 75 percent less than an average new building.
Passive House and NZEB
The Passive House Standard meets the European Union's requirements for Nearly Zero Energy Buildings. According to the European Buildings Directive EPBD, member states must specify the requirements for so-called Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) in their national building regulations. The EU directive has been in force for public and private buildings since January 2021.
Pioneering project
The world's first passive house was built more than 28 years ago in Darmstadt-Kranichstein by four private builders, including Dr. Wolfgang Feist. Since the families moved in in 1991, the terraced houses have been regarded as a pioneering project for the passive house standard. The pioneer passive house now uses renewable energy with its new photovoltaic system and was awarded the Passive House Plus certificate.
Passive house and renewable energy
The passive house standard can be combined well with the generation of renewable energy directly on the building. Since April 2015, the new building classes "Plus" and "Premium" have been available for this supply concept.
Passive House Institute
The Passive House Institute, based in Darmstadt, is an independent research institute for the highly efficient use of energy in buildings. Founded by Wolfgang Feist, the institute occupies a leading international position in research and development on energy-efficient construction. Prof. Wolfgang Feist received, among others, the DBU Environmental Prize in 2001 for the development of the passive house concept.
Source: PM of the Passive House Institute from 27.5.2021
Keywords:
DE-News, Climate protection
