POCACITO - Buildings

Green-Roof programme

clf — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 08:51:04 +0000

In 2008 Copenhagen Municipality implemented a Green-Roof policy programme to tackle challenges such as impacts of climate change, increasing density and the need for healthier neighbourhoods. Green roofs are unique combinations of technical installations and ecosystems enabling cities to benefit from green areas without reducing development sites. Green roofs cool cities, enhance biodiversity and reduce rainwater run-off. They also beautify grey and anonymous places. By involving local communities in implementation, green roofs may become communication platforms for residents of all ages and origins. By 2010, Copenhagen Municipality has integrated the establishment of green roofs in most local plans, aiming to realize about 200,000 m² of green roofs in years to come. Green roofs are aimed to be realised at all scales of buildings; from cycle shelters, schools and mixed used buildings to underground garages.

Climate smart Hyllie - green district project

clf — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 08:09:59 +0000

Hyllie is the largest development area in Malmö, and is planned to become the most climate smart district of the entire Öresund region, including 9,000 homes when completed. In this district, solutions will be tested that can act as role models and good examples for the rest of Malmö and for other cities. The energy supply will be 100% renewable or reused (energy from waste or waste water) by 2020, and the district is a major transportation hub with a train station and a “park and ride” garage for bikers. Other features include mandatory sorting of food waste, smart grids for energy consumption, urban gardening and environmentally certified buildings. The district shall help to achieve the energy strategy for Malmö, and be a dense, mixed and green showcase of sustainable city development.

Whitehill & Bordon regeneration project

clf — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 08:01:58 +0000

The regeneration of Whitehill & Bordon is meant to transform the area into a low carbon, green and sustainable city. The town is expected to grow from 6,000 homes to over 9,000 when fully built, and new jobs and a new city centre will be created. Inclusion processes have been used to develop a master plan for the area, including projects for renewable and efficient energy supply, transport solutions, nature conservation and new business and work opportunities.

Sustainable living and green community

clf — Tue, 17 May 2016 14:18:44 +0000

The BedZED (Beddington Zero Energy Development) is the UK's first and largest carbon-neutral eco-community and is located in Sutton, a residential town 40 minutes southwest of London. It is the UK’s first large-scale, mixed use sustainable community with homes, office space, a college and community facilities. The BedZED design concept was driven by the desire to create a net-zero fossil energy development, one that will produce at least as much energy from renewable sources as it consumes. Only energy from renewable sources is used to meet the energy needs of BedZED; it is therefore a carbon neutral development, resulting in no-net addition of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. BedZED is designed to minimise its ecological impact, both in construction and operation processes and to help residents consume only their fair share of the earth’s resources. It exemplifies an innovative, zero-energy and sustainable housing approach on a multi-unit scale. It represents an inspiration for sustainable neighbourhood and low-carbon housing development in future urban contexts.

Efficiency House Plus with Electromobility

clf — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:32:11 +0000

The Efficiency House Plus with Electromobility represents the prototype smart building developed within the framework of the new energy-efficient construction program presented by the German Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development. The newly created program intends to test the latest construction and energy components on buildings in real-world conditions, and thus prepare recommendations for their on-going development and to further improve their economic viability. The high-tech prototype Efficiency House Plus with Electromobility is a compact and glazed two-storey house based on the newest energy standards, which generates its own energy for user consumption and vehicle charging. Based on “smart” housing principles by using the latest and efficient energy and material features, the Efficiency House Plus with Electromobility demonstrates the feasibility of synergies between “smart” housing and the use of electric vehicles.

BIQ House+SolarLeaf - the use of microalgae

clf — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 13:35:55 +0000

The BIQ (Bio Intelligent Quotient) house represents the world’s first pilot project for the implementation of a bio-reactive façade in residential buildings. The bio-reactive façade, called SolarLeaf, generates renewable energy from algal biomass and solar thermal heat. In particular, the BIQ house in Hamburg has 200 m² of algae filled bio-reactive paneling, which supplies the building with all of the energy it needs while reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions by 6 tons per year. This pilot project exemplifies a building integrated system absorbing CO₂ emissions, while cultivating microalgae to generate biomass and heat as renewable energy resources. The environment for photosynthesis is provided by glass photo-bioreactors installed on the south-west and south-east sides. At the same time, this innovative system integrates additional functionalities such as dynamic shading, thermal insulation and noise abatement, highlighting the full potential of this technology. Through this system, the BIQ house can produce energy in a carbon neautral way while working at the same time as a carbon sink through the use of algae for capturing CO₂. For these reasons, it represents a good practice for future building development to promote a low-carbon urban future and shape better cities in which to live and work.

Code for Sustainable Homes in Essex

clf — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 13:04:16 +0000

The Code for Sustainable Homes plays a key role in building a future housing stock which both meets citizens’ needs and protects the environment. It represents the basis for future developments of the Building Regulations in UK in relation to carbon emissions and energy use in homes. The Code is the national standard for the sustainable design and construction of new homes. It is intended to help promote higher standards of sustainable design above current building regulations. A specific case of its application is the development of fourteen homes in Wimbish, near Saffron Walden (Essex), in south-east England: the project is certified by the PassivHaus Standard, as well as the UK Code for Sustainable Homes. It represents a pioneering development of social housing through the application of the PassivHaus scheme. The project represents also good practice example for achieving sustainability and energy efficiency in the peripheral urban areas. The requirements were met using a “fabric first” approach, combined with mechanical ventilation with heat recovery.

Habitat Lab - high energy efficiency

clf — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 12:33:17 +0000

The built environment has a profound impact on our natural environment, economy, health, and productivity. Breakthroughs in building science, technology, and operations are now available to designers, builders, operators, and owners who want to build green and maximize both economic and environmental performance. The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) is changing the built environment through the LEED green building certification program. The aim is to spread the concept of sustainable building and to promote good practices of design and construction. In this sense, the green movement offers an important opportunity to respond to the challenges of our time, including climate change, dependence on non-renewable and expensive energy resources, and threats to human health. Habitat Lab was built at an existing site, blending renovation and new construction to create a 1,200 square meter facility with the goal of achieving LEED certification standards. It involves some building solutions and technologies to help ensure an optimal combination of operational efficiency, indoor comfort, and sustainability. With the highest LEED Platinum score in Italy, it exemplifies a good manner to create the sustainable cities of tomorrow.

Forum Chriesbach - "green building"

clf — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 12:27:10 +0000

Forum Chriesbach is a high-tech research and development center near Zurich, Switzerland. It exemplifies how “green buildings”, which consume a minimum amount of energy, water, and other resources, need not conflict with unique ambiance, comfort of the users, nor with architectural expression. Forum Chriesbach is energy efficient and relies on passive energy sources instead of fossil fuels. In fact, it consumes roughly as much heating energy as a normal single-family house although it is forty times larger. It produces a third of its own electrical power needs. Because the building has no conventional heating and air-conditioning systems, CO2 emitted by the building itself during operation is near zero. Forum Chriesbach shows that “green buildings” need not be an exception, but that they can become mainstream, state-of-the-art, contemporary architecture. It exemplifies a good practice example for future building construction in urban areas to promote future sustainable urban development. Once widely adopted, these practices become tomorrow’s standards for future low carbon cities around the world.

Energy retrofits for an administrative building

clf — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 12:22:44 +0000

Conversion of the former post office building situated close to the Bolzano train station was completed in 2006 for use by the South Tyrol state administration. The refurbishment and raising of the building, which is about 20,000 cubic meters, were designed in accordance with “CasaClima” requirements, an Italian energy certification for sustainable and passive buildings. It should be noted that the building is considered the first certified administration building in passive house standards worldwide, with a power consumption of about a liter (10 kWh/m²) of gas per year. This concretely demonstrates the role that local administration can assume in exemplifying the potential for energy-saving.