DIFU practical guide to climate-friendly construction
Published
Extreme weather events such as heat waves, heavy rain, floods and storms do not stop at property boundaries. That is why adapting to the consequences of climate change is an issue for everyone - for politicians and administrators who are responsible for protecting public space, as well as for every private owner and tenant. It is also the task of cities, municipalities and districts to inform their citizens about possible dangers in this context and to point out solutions. The "Practical Guide to Climate-Friendly Building" provides support in this regard.
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
On siedlungen.eu there are now photos of the sustainable showcase quarter eQ in Pfaffenhofen for the first time.
In 2012, Pfaffenhofen received the German Sustainability Award in the category "Small Towns and Municipalities", and in 2011 the town of Pfaffenhofen was named the most sustainable town in the world (category 20,000 - 75,000 inhabitants), partly because of the Eco-Quartier.
In its August issue, ÖKO-TEST magazine evaluated 15 different roof insulation materials, including 5 with the natureplus seal of approval. The products are mainly suitable for insulation between rafters. The good performance of conventional products made of glass and rock wool, which all achieved "good", was striking. Of the natureplus-certified products, 2 insulation materials made of wood fibres - "Gutex Thermoflex" and "Pavaflex" by Pavatex - achieved the best rating in the test with "very good", while other products only scored "satisfactory" ("Isocell" cellulose fibre, "Thermo-Jute" by Thermo Natur) or "sufficient" (Ziro "Corktherm 040").
ECO criteria do not play a role However, natureplus Managing Director Thomas Schmitz finds the prioritisation of ÖKO-TEST "questionable". He criticises that the topic of manufacturing energy played no role whatsoever in the test. The use of renewable resources (renewable raw materials or recycled materials) also had no influence on the rating. "This does not fit in with the theme of ÖKO-Test," says Schmitz. The natureplus-tested products, on the other hand, all met high standards in these evaluation criteria, which were not taken into account by ÖKO-TEST.
Question: The energy transition entered a new phase with the EEG reform in summer 2014. How do you assess the current situation?
Nina Scheer: The question of when it entered a new phase cannot always be precisely identified. In any case, it was outlined in the coalition agreement and was formalised in law with the EEG 2014. Now, for the first time, there are maximum limits for the expansion of renewable energy in the electricity sector. This is a fundamental change of course.
The idea was to create expansion corridors for each individual technology, i.e. caps and reins to regulate expansion. This view assumes that everything can be regulated. However, it disregards the question of what conditions are necessary for companies in the renewables sector and everything that surrounds it to gain a foothold in the long term. The companies must be able to generate profits in a foreseeable and long-term manner. There are now question marks over the future. Incidentally, this also applies to the switch to tenders. This is a second turning point, which is also not helpful for the energy transition.
Read the full interview from 24 March 2016: German Society for Solar Energy
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In its August issue, ÖKO-TEST magazine evaluated 15 different roof insulation materials, including 5 with the natureplus seal of approval. The products are mainly suitable for insulation between rafters. The good performance of conventional products made of glass and rock wool, which all achieved "good", was striking. Of the natureplus-certified products, 2 insulation materials made of wood fibres - "Gutex Thermoflex" and "Pavaflex" by Pavatex - achieved the best rating in the test with "very good", while other products only scored "satisfactory" ("Isocell" cellulose fibre, "Thermo-Jute" by Thermo Natur) or "sufficient" (Ziro "Corktherm 040").
