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DGNB-Studie: Keine Mehrkosten beim nachhaltigen Bauen
Published

DGNB study: No additional costs for sustainable construction

The myth of additional costs in sustainable construction

Link to the post from 23.10.2020 on the DGNB blog if the text above is not displayed:
https://blog.dgnb.de/studie-kosten-beim-nachhaltigen-bauen/



Keywords:
Construction and operating costs, Building materials / Construction, Procurement, DE-News, DGNB, Renewable, Climate protection, Sustainable management, New books and studies, News Blog Denmark, News Blog Europe (without DE), Affordable housing, Quarters, Resource efficiency, Settlements, Housing, Housing projects, Economics

Published

European solar research and industry calls for "Solar Europe Now

Brussels/Fribourg, 5 May 2020 - A new alliance, "Solar Europe Now", officially launched on 5 May, calls for the recognition of solar energy as a key technology for the objectives of the European Green Deal. The new alliance, which currently includes more than 90 stakeholders from across the European solar value chain, is concerned that the current presentation of the Green Deal does not take enough account of the photovoltaic sector.

There is a lack of funding and support for research and development, which could hinder the further development of the sector, stalling the EU's industrial sovereignty in strategic technologies and limiting the successful implementation of decarbonisation across the European continent.

The Solar Europe Now Call to Action

Solar energy is now seen worldwide as a crucial factor in building a secure and sustainable energy system. All energy scenarios developed by the EU in the context of the 2050 climate targets see a key role for photovoltaic technology. In the European Commission's communication on the Green Deal, i.e. the roadmap for the EU authorities to promote the energy turnaround in the coming years, while renewable energies are seen as playing a crucial role in the phase-out of coal-fired power generation and the decarbonisation of Europe, solar energy, on the other hand, remains specifically unmentioned, in stark contrast to offshore wind energy, which is seen as a key driver.

Yet the development of a strong solar industry in Europe holds immense potential: photovoltaics currently cover only 3 percent of the EU's total electricity demand, with an estimated potential of 15 percent by 2030. European research centres are developing cutting-edge technologies for industrial production along the entire photovoltaic value chain. These new cutting-edge solutions are the basis for a renaissance of globally competitive industrial PV production in Europe. The total annual global turnover of the European PV industry is currently estimated at €5 billion, but there is potential for more. The industry has a high potential for economic growth and for creating sustainable jobs.

For Roch Drozdowski-Strehl, CEO of the Institut Photovoltaïque de l'Île de France (IPVF), an internationally recognized photovoltaic research institute based in France and founder of "Solar Europe Now", the increase in investment in research and innovation for this sector is a spark for the industrial development of this key strategic technology and industry and serves to unleash its full market potential. "Together with the world-leading research centres based here, Europe can lead the market for high-quality photovoltaic cells and modules. In Europe, the major institutes have positioned themselves strongly in the competition for new technologies. The European institutions should support this by all means."

Prof. Andreas Bett, Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Germany adds: "Some of the world's most advanced technologies, such as tandem solar cells that surpass the efficiencies of silicon solar cells, as well as sustainable production technologies taking into account circular economy and recycling, are currently being developed in European research centres. Encouraging investment in these key technologies at EU level will provide unique opportunities for breakthrough innovation and intellectual property developments, while creating space for new entrants."

Promoting research and development in this sector would not only strengthen the EU's industrial sovereignty vis-à-vis China and Asia, which still produces 97% of the world's solar modules, but would also strengthen European leadership in key strategic technologies and, last but not least, send a positive signal to manufacturers.

Edyta Witkowska-Grześkiewicz, Managing Director of the Polish company Bruk-Bet Solar, which is a member of "Solar Europe Now" as a manufacturer of photovoltaic modules, emphasizes: "Thanks to advances in process automation and Industry 4.0, it is possible to manufacture materials, solar cells and modules in Europe at competitive costs. Such a European manufacturing industry will benefit from the technological innovations of the world's leading European research centres, and in the process it will provide the fast-growing European market with high-quality solar modules manufactured in a sustainable and resource-efficient way."

The members of the alliance "Solar Europe Now" call on the European institutions to take the strategic value of photovoltaics more into account in the upcoming climate, research and innovation initiatives as well as sustainable finance initiatives. The expansion of solar energy is essential to achieve the EU's goal of climate neutrality by 2050. "Solar Europe Now" seeks to engage with European decision-makers to discuss ways to shine sunlight on the Green Deal and stimulate European PV production capacity.

Roch Drozdowski-Strehl concludes: "A dynamic photovoltaic market is the basis for reviving the European solar manufacturing industry and creating more than 100,000 jobs along the entire value chain. The European Green Deal opens up the opportunity to expand sustainable and job-creating activities in low-emission technologies, offsetting the decline in employment in the fossil fuel sector and in CO₂-intensive processes. It is essential that we develop a tailored policy and financial framework to revitalise European PV manufacturing capacity."

***

About the Solar Europe Now Alliance

The "Solar Europe Now" alliance brings together more than 90 players in the European photovoltaic value chain from 15 European countries. Convinced that solar energy is crucial to achieve climate neutrality in the near future, the alliance was formed by research centres and manufacturers calling for a better integration of photovoltaics in climate and energy policies at European level.

Links and downloads

Source: Press release ise.fraunhofer.de from 5.5.2020



Keywords:
100% EEs, Fuel cell, Energy storage, Renewable, Climate protection, Sustainable management, News Blog Europe (without DE), PV, PlusEnergy house/settlement, Solar thermal, Transition Town, Environmental policy, Economics

Leitfaden für die Gestaltung unserer Lebensräume: Kodex für Baukultur veröffentlicht
Published

Guidelines for the design of our living spaces: Code of Building Culture published

© penofoto.com - stock.adobe.com

Building culture is becoming a recognised goal in the real estate industry: with support from the real estate and housing industry, the Institute for Corporate Governance in the German Real Estate Industry (ICG) and the Federal Foundation for Building Culture initiated and developed the Code for building culturea voluntary commitment for the responsible performance of tasks by companies in the real estate industry.

In its role as project developer, planner, builder, owner, etc., the real estate industry bears particular responsibility for the design of our living spaces. At the same time, building culture values and social acceptance form the basis for economic success. The Codex for Building Culture now supports companies in the real estate industry in assuming social responsibility for the consequences of real estate business activities and for the built results on their own initiative and within the framework of self-regulation. The fact that building culture offers added value for the real estate industry has now entered people's minds - but is not always put into practice. In the survey of the participation process for the code, for example, 98% of the companies surveyed stated that the appreciation of historic properties is seen as relevant or at least relevant to a certain extent - only half of the respondents, however, stringently implement this in practice.

Building culture is always closely linked to process quality, which is why the initiators of the Code for Building Culture were keen to involve the players in the real estate industry in the drafting process. Since a personal discussion of the contents was not possible due to the Corona pandemic, companies in the real estate and housing industry were asked in the summer of 2020 to provide feedback on the draft of the Code for Building Culture by means of an online survey and were thus involved. Scientific support was provided by IREBS at the University of Regensburg.

Prof. Dr. Sven Bienert, Chairman of the Institute for Corporate Governance in the German Real Estate Industry /IREBS Institute at the University of Regensburg, is in favour of this code because: "In times of rising land prices and ever higher building densities, the issue of a "good building culture" is becoming increasingly important. This form of social responsibility will also increasingly concern the real estate industry in the future in the ever more important after-use and conversion - for example of churches that are increasingly coming onto the market."

"Our goal is to make the real estate industry fit for the future," says Karin Barthelmes-Wehr, Managing Director of the ICG. "This includes encouraging the players in the industry to deal with all the requirements of ESG (Environment Social Governance) and to forge new alliances in this regard. For this, the Code for Building Culture we have presented provides a very good basis in the field of planning, development and construction."

Reiner Nagel, Chairman of the Board of the Federal Foundation for Building Culture, emphasises: "The Code for Building Culture now focuses on the responsibility of real estate business activities for the spatial impact of the built environment on us and the resulting consequences, with which companies grow in their building culture competence. As a result, the quality of the built environment benefits from the Code for Building Culture that is now available."

The complete "Code forBuildingCulture" and documentation of the participation process can be found at on our website. It contains the following demands (abbreviated).

Attitude and Values:
- Holistic building culture
- Prudent action in new construction and portfolio development
- Appreciation of already existing building culture

Visions and goals:
- Use stocks
- go easy on resources
- Promoting diversity and mix

Processes and Means:
- life cycle assessment
- quality assurance
- Cooperative collaboration

Supporters of the Codex for Building Culture already include:
- Art Invest
- reason of value
- Landmarken AG
- COPRO Project Development GmbH
- PRIMUS developments GmbH

Source: PM of the Bundesstiftung Baukultur from 17.5.2021



Keywords:
DE-News, Communities, Housing policy, Aesthetics / Architecture / Building Culture

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