Low energy
refurbishments &
environmental
regeneration –

Phil Thompson

Global Watch is a DTI service managed by Pera

Towards Zero Carbon Housing – lessons from
Northern Europe

Global Watch is a DTI service managed by Pera

Towards Zero Carbon Housing – Lessons from Northern Europe

•

Mission also visited 4 refurbishment
schemes

–

Augustenborg, Malmo

–

Hedebygade, Copenhagen

–

Brunck Quarter, Ludwigshafen

–

Hoheloogstrasse, Ludwigshafen

Global Watch is a DTI service managed by Pera

Towards Zero Carbon Housing – Lessons from Northern Europe

Augustenborg

•

1950’s built estate for shipyard workers

•

Became rundown & needed radical renewal

Initiatives included:

•

Renewables

•

External Insulation

•

Green Roofs

•

Recycling & neighbourhood regeneration

Global Watch is a DTI service managed by Pera

Towards Zero Carbon Housing – Lessons from Northern Europe

Green roofs

PV as solar

shading

Global Watch is a DTI service managed by Pera

Towards Zero Carbon Housing – Lessons from Northern Europe

Football pitch/Ice Rink

Recycling station &

green roof

Global Watch is a DTI service managed by Pera

Towards Zero Carbon Housing – Lessons from Northern Europe

Hedebygade

•

350 apartments, built in 1890’s

•

Area improvement, retaining existing facades

•

Innovative measures

–

PV, within facades

–

Solar panels

–

MVHR

–

Trombe wall

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Heliostat

–

Wet rock evaporative cooling

Global Watch is a DTI service managed by Pera

Towards Zero Carbon Housing – Lessons from Northern Europe

PV on balconies & facades

Global Watch is a DTI service managed by Pera

Towards Zero Carbon Housing – Lessons from Northern Europe

Heliostat

Large scale PV

Global Watch is a DTI service managed by Pera

Towards Zero Carbon Housing – Lessons from Northern Europe

•

Courtyard improvements

–

New community centre

–

Waste recycling

–

Play areas/cycle store

–

Landscaped gardens

Global Watch is a DTI service managed by Pera

Towards Zero Carbon Housing – Lessons from Northern Europe

New Community centre

Courtyard landscaping

Global Watch is a DTI service managed by Pera

Towards Zero Carbon Housing – Lessons from Northern Europe

•

“Warm rents”

–

On continent – rent controls & includes
heating element

–

If can reduce energy costs within same rent
envelope energy enhancements can pay
back very quickly

–

Helps “affordable warmth” objectives

Global Watch is a DTI service managed by Pera

Towards Zero Carbon Housing – Lessons from Northern Europe

Brunck Quarter

•

1930’s estate, adjacent BASF factory

•

Small flats, low thermal comfort

•

Radical programme required, worked with
residents

•

Substantially better than new Part L or current
German Building regulations

•

“3 litre” standard

–

External insulation – walls, roof, basements

–

Triple glazing

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Unenclosed balconies – summer shading

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Controlled ventilation, with heat recovery

Global Watch is a DTI service managed by Pera

Towards Zero Carbon Housing – Lessons from Northern Europe

Unenclosed balconies/shadin

Refurbished block with shades

Global Watch is a DTI service managed by Pera

Towards Zero Carbon Housing – Lessons from Northern Europe

•

Innovative energy supply

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CHP, including fuel cells

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3 blocks with gas-fired fuel cell CHP

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Rents

–

Germany has tight rent control

–

Rent includes element for heating

–

Reduced energy costs & compensating increased
accommodation charge means payback in 10 years

Global Watch is a DTI service managed by Pera

Towards Zero Carbon Housing – Lessons from Northern Europe

Hoheloogstrasse

•

1960’s built blocks for BASF workers

•

Decline in local market necessitated
refurbishment to bring back into use

•

Demonstration project

•

First “PassivHaus” standard
refurbishment in Germany

Global Watch is a DTI service managed by Pera

Towards Zero Carbon Housing – Lessons from Northern Europe

•

2 sets of staircase blocks in one
building

–

One to PassivHaus standard

–

One to “7 litre” standard

–

New CHP plant for hot water &
supplementary heating

Global Watch is a DTI service managed by Pera

Towards Zero Carbon Housing – Lessons from Northern Europe

New CHP plant

Global Watch is a DTI service managed by Pera

Towards Zero Carbon Housing – Lessons from Northern Europe

•

External improvements

–

Large PV array

–

Balconies

–

Automatic external blinds

Global Watch is a DTI service managed by Pera

Towards Zero Carbon Housing – Lessons from Northern Europe

Balconies

Shading device

Global Watch is a DTI service managed by Pera

Towards Zero Carbon Housing – Lessons from Northern Europe

Conclusions

•

Energy & environmental improvements provide
focus for regeneration of older urban areas

•

Higher energy performance standards can be
achieved without drastic changes to appearance

•

Advanced new technologies can enhance
otherwise conventional facades

•

New materials – enhance performance without
reducing space standards

•

May need subsidies if low energy principles
applied to older properties

•

Fuel cells may help reduce emission levels even
without full refurbishment to modern standards