ZDF documentary "Plan b" - The house of tomorrow

Online tool simplifies calculation of resource efficiency

With funding from the federal support programme "Unternehmen Revier", the Factor X agency of the development company has developed an internet-based tool for the simple calculation of the resource efficiency of one's own building project. The tool has now undergone final testing and will be available online from September.

With the Factor X construction method, the entire life cycle of buildings is considered, resulting in many new opportunities for saving raw materials and thus for climate- and resource-saving construction. Until now, the resource efficiency of buildings has been calculated using a spreadsheet as part of the Factor X Agency's construction consultancy service. This is now to be made even easier by the new online tool, which will be accessible to the public via the Internet. The database-based tool was realised with funding from the federal support programme "Unternehmen Revier".

At the invitation of the Fakor X agency, the almost completed online tool was subjected to a final test. Fifteen testers from science, administration and building practice checked the user guidance and calculated test buildings. The concept was praised by all testers. A few suggestions for improvement are still being incorporated into the programming before the online tool is released in September and will then be available.

Initiator Klaus Dosch, head of the Factor X Agency of the indeland development company, is enthusiastic: "Here we are setting up a tool for climate- and resource-friendly construction that does not yet exist in Europe. Even non-specialists interested in construction are supported by our tool in such a way that they can very easily calculate the resource efficiency of their building project. We have created a link to the building materials database of the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR). For the first time, we are making the construction life cycle understandable for laypeople."

Improving resource efficiency in the construction of housing estates is an essential part of the strategy of the indeland 2030 master plan of the development company indeland GmbH. A number of strategies lead to the achievement of these goals and have been tested in the Faktor X settlements in Eschweiler and Inden. With the development of strategies and projects for sustainable building and living, indeland has long since taken on a lighthouse function far beyond the region. Together with the exhibition already opened in May, the tool is intended to contribute to the illustration and dissemination of the Factor X strategies.

There are five Factor X settlements listed in the sdg21 web database:
www.faktor-x.siedlungen.eu

Keywords:
Building materials / Construction, DE-News, Faktor X / ResScore, Wood construction, Climate protection, NaWaRohs, News Blog NRW, Resource efficiency, Settlements, Tools, Certification & Labels, Life cycle assessment, Ecology