energy efficient building in the alpine region is a logical consequence made up of tradition,...
TRANSCRIPT
Energy efficient building in the Alpine region is a logical consequence made up of tradition, competition and the quest for quality living. A high quality of life means: health and living comfortably, burdening the environment as little as possible and using only a small amount of energy.
The people in the Alpine Space have always placed great value on qualitative building. The small-scale structures and local handcraft work have led to a healthy sense of competition in the direction of quality. The rising energy costs and understanding in the area of environmental pollution have advanced the further increase of living and building quality. This menu item shows the natural diversity of the geographical Alpine Space, presents the Alpine Space programme that was initiated by the EU for the promotion of initiatives and gives a statistical overview of trends in homes, energy consumption and the development of the construction branch especially relevant to low energy or passive houses. Navigate through the presentation yourself.
Alpine Space
Energy Efficient Building in the Alpine Space
Alpine Space Programme
The Alpine Space is one of the most manifold regions in the heart of the European Community. As such it is an attrac-tive area for working and living for 70 million inhabitants, settling a surface of 450,000 km and comprising some of the most important European metropolitan areas. It also represents a major contact zone, where different European cultures and languages (German, Latin and Slavic) meet.
Considered in its entirety and reflecting on actual European and global development challenges, the Alpine Space is more than the "heart" and the Alps more than the "roof" of Europe. In fact, the territory emerges as a strategic area situated in the geographic centre of Europe. It is able to take on, in many aspects, the joining role between the territories of urban and industrial development of Northern and Southern Europe, and Latin Europe in the West and Balkan Europe in the East. It is capable of assuming a series of specific and irreplaceable functions towards those territories.
Alpine Space
The Alpine Space
Alpine Space Programme
The Alpine Space Programme is an EU funded programme. Its global aim is to enable different actors such as local and regional administrations, research institutions, service providers or chambers of commerce to jointly foster a balanced territorial development and sustainable growth in the Alpine area.
They cooperate in working fields that require Alpine wide app-roaches and transnational solutions. By working together, the Alpine countries and regions can meet the challenges much more effectively and quickly with better results.
But what are the specific challenges? To name just a few: coping with the effects of climate change in a very sensitive natural landscape (floods, water shortage etc.), mitigating the negative impacts of traffic on people and environment, reducing territorial disparities (urban sprawl as well as depopulation in rural areas) and strengthening internal innovation capacities of SMEs.
Cooperation Area
The Alpine Space Programm
Thematic FieldsThe general aim of the pro-gramme is to increase attractiveness and competi-tiveness in the Alpine Space.
The cooperation area comprises the Alpine core area in the geo-graphical sense, the surrounding foothills and lowlands of the "peri-Alpine belt", and the coastal areas. Seven countries with 32 regions participate in the Alpine Space Programme: Austria, France, Germany, Italy, The Principality of Liechtenstein, Slovenia and Switzerland.
Cooperation Area
Activities are being supported in order to promote the dynamics and economy of the Alpine region and to help overcome local and regional socio-economic obstacles.
The goal is to stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship, boost research and innovation capacities of small and medium-sized enterprises, and promote balanced land use development in order to keep the Alpine Space attractive to its inhabitants.
Competitiveness and Attractiveness
Thematic FieldsThe general aim of the pro-gramme is to increase attractiveness and competi-tiveness in the Alpine Space.
This priority aims at improving connections in the Alpine Space, ensure optimal access to the Alpine Space, and promote the intelligent, sustainable use of the existing infrastructure.
The knowledge and handling of the eco¬nomic and ecological effects of transportation systems, needs to be improved. For all population groups in all regions, access to services should be facilitated. In order to achieve this goal, connectivity and quality of service need to be improved.
Accessibility and connectivity
Thematic FieldsThe general aim of the pro-gramme is to increase attractiveness and competi-tiveness in the Alpine Space.
The valorisation and use of natural resources and cultural identities are crucial to maintain a high and sustainable quality of life as well as growth and development.
As a result, one of the greatest challenges for transnational cooperation is to develop measures and new solutions to deal with the effects of climate change and thereby contribute to a significant reduction of risks. At the same time, a more intensive use of renewable energy needs to be promoted.
Environment and risk prevention
Thematic FieldsThe general aim of the pro-gramme is to increase attractiveness and competi-tiveness in the Alpine Space.
The Energy institute in Vorarlberg, located in the heart of the Alpine Space, right on the border between Austria and Switzerland, deals intensively with the living habits of the people and energy efficiency.
The institute counsels politicians as well as individual businesses on the subject of dealing with energy economically. Sensitisation work, political strategies and the development of constructive solutions is what their work is made up of. The following presentations have been prepared for you by the Energy Institute.
Living Trends
Energy Consumption Statistics
Energy Consumption
Natural Resources
Development in the Building Branch
Energy Future
Living Trends
Energy Future
Energy Consumption
Natural Resources
Development in the Building Branch
Energy Future
Living Trends
Primary energy consumption
Energy Consumption
Natural Resources
Development in the Building Branch
Energy Future
Living Trends
Living area per person in Germany
Energy Consumption
Natural Resources
Development in the Building Branch
Energy Future
Living Trends
Average living area per head
Energy Consumption
Natural Resources
Development in the Building Branch
Energy Future
Living Trends
How much heat does a person need?
Energy Consumption
Natural Resources
Development in the Building Branch
Energy Future
Living Trends
Best Case Development
Energy Consumption
Natural Resources
Development in the Building Branch
Energy Future
Living Trends
Use of energy sources in austrian households
Energy Consumption
Natural Resources
Development in the Building Branch
Energy Future
Living Trends
Ecological challenges for our world
Energy Consumption
Natural Resources
Development in the Building Branch
Energy Future
Living Trends
World population and crude oil usage
Energy Consumption
Natural Resources
Development in the Building Branch
Energy Future
Living Trends
Existing Passive Houses in Austria
Energy Consumption
Natural Resources
Development in the Building Branch
Energy Future
Living Trends
Existing Passive Houses international
Energy Consumption
Natural Resources
Development in the Building Branch
Energy Future
Construct a building so that is loses as little energy as possible.
Houses that are built using this principle can use the existing sources of heat within the house – like lights or electric appliances – and the natural rays of the sun through the windows, to keep warm “passively”.
It hardly needs any “active” sources of heat at all. The heating requirement is a maximum of 15 KW hours per square meter of living space per year. The primary energy requirement including warm water and household electricity is limited to 120 KW hours per square meter and year.
Did you know that the Passive House concept was developed at the end of the 1980’s? Families have been living in Passive Houses for more than 15 years comfortably and with extremely low heating requirements.
Building and Running Costs
Amazingly simple! What is a Passive House?
Shell and Windows
Comfort Ventilation
Heating
Convenience and Comfort
Pictures of Passive Houses
A Passive House dwelling measuring 120 m² can be heated with 40 tea light candles. A standard building would need around 400. Why? Because a Passive House loses so little energy through its well insulated walls and modern glass technology that it hardly needs any energy from outside sources!
Building and Running Costs
Amazingly simple! What is a Passive House?
Shell and Windows
Comfort Ventilation
Heating
Convenience and Comfort
Pictures of Passive Houses
The well insulated building shell means that all the inside walls and floors are consistently warm. This is a feeling we don’t get from the usual house.
“Something is different”, is what visitors to a Passive House feel. The typical house smell is missing! The comfort ventilation automatically gets rid of stale odours in all of the rooms. A great effect: Fresh air in the bedroom despite the closed window on a freezing cold winter’s night. “Once you’ve had it, you don’t want to go without it”, say the people who have enjoyed living in comfort for years.
Did you know that in a Passive House you can work directly at the window in a T-shirt even when the temperature is below zero? Passive House windows are so well insulated that they emit less than half the cold that a common energy saving window emits!
Building and Running Costs
Shell and Windows
Comfort Ventilation
Heating
Convenience and Comfort
Pictures of Passive Houses
Why is it more comfortable to live in a Passive House?
At -10° C a normal window emits about 9.5° C in the middle of the pane. A modern Passive House window emits 19° C. The effect is clearly noticeable. It is consistently comfor-tably warm on all spots on the house!
Building and Running Costs
Shell and Windows
Comfort Ventilation
Heating
Convenience and Comfort
Pictures of Passive Houses
Why is it more comfortable to live in a Passive House?
Even though the Passive House conforms to today’s best construction standards thermically, it is comparatively cheap.
It doesn’t need a conventional heating system. Experts calculate about 10% higher for the excellently insulated building shell as well as first class windows. The higher investment in a Passive House pays back over the years with extremely low energy costs – faster than you think!
Experts think that the value of Passive Houses will increase because of its low running costs. The extremely low energy requirements for the heat pump in the comfort ventilation system can be easily covered with a photovoltaic power system.
Did you know that the heating costs for a 120 m² Passive House dwelling for a whole year costs less then filling up the tank of your average automobile three times?
Building and Running Costs
How much does a Passive House cost?
Shell and Windows
Comfort Ventilation
Heating
Convenience and Comfort
Pictures of Passive Houses
The model calculation: The graphics show the one time invest-ment costs and the energy costs in comparison.
Better to have higher construction costs once and in return to have lower heating costs forever.
Building and Running Costs
How much does a Passive House cost?
Shell and Windows
Comfort Ventilation
Heating
Convenience and Comfort
Pictures of Passive Houses
The heart of the Passive House principle is its impermeable building shell which protects the warmth in the house. This is why cats roll themselves up and birds ruffle their feathers when it’s cold!
Super glazing and super window frames in Passive Houses insulate much better today than thick stone or brick facades. And there is a nice side effect: In the winter they don’t let the heat out but in the summer they don’t let as much of the direct sun rays in. A Passive House is simply more comfortable to live in, in the winter and in the summer.
Did you know that the building shell of a Passive House works in principle like a modern multi-function jacket? Thick, comfortably warm and breathable. Common houses are more like jackets that when it gets cold, the cold sneaks past the buttons into the inside.
Building and Running Costs
Why are Passive Houses so well insulated?
Shell and Windows
Comfort Ventilation
Heating
Convenience and Comfort
Pictures of Passive Houses
Where in a common building most of the heat is lost like in a sieve, the Passive House concept caters for reliable imperviousness. This principle protects from structural damage like dampness in the walls caused by condensation in the thermal bridges and especially from unnecessary heat loss.
Building and Running Costs
Why are Passive Houses so well insulated?
Shell and Windows
Comfort Ventilation
Heating
Convenience and Comfort
Pictures of Passive Houses
We need at least 5m³ an hour for a healthy adequate supply. Because today’s building standards mean that houses have to be built so tightly that no uncontrolled air ventilation is possible, there are only two possibilities in order to cover our need for fresh air: Open the windows wide a few times every day or have an automatic comfort ventilation system.
The most modern noise insulation and filter technology give you a quiet and hygienically flawless fresh air supply. A ventilation system saves about 10 times as much heating energy as it needs electricity.
Did you know that in almost 50% of all dwellings mould forms because of insufficient airing?! An automatic comfort ventilation system makes a healthy climate.
Building and Running Costs
Why do Passive Houses have automatic ventilation systems?
Shell and Windows
Comfort Ventilation
Heating
Convenience and Comfort
Pictures of Passive Houses
Building and Running Costs
Why do Passive Houses have automatic ventilation systems?
Shell and Windows
Comfort Ventilation
Heating
Convenience and Comfort
Pictures of Passive HousesA real energy saving system! Air that is, for example 0°C is
warmed to 16° C practically free of charge. The residual heat can be brought to the desired room temperature by minimal heating.
Every Passive House has heating! Just not the normal, expensive, big kind. First the fresh air from outside is pre-warmed highly efficiently with a heat exchanger. Modern technology then puffs the warmed air into the rooms of the Passive House unnoticeably.
A single tea light candle has the energy capacity of 30 watts. In the Passive House we heat every square meter with 10 watts.
On most days that need heating, this system is more than enough. In order to cover the extremely cold days, though, it makes sense to have a small supplementary heater. A small pellet or wood chip stove or there is minimized floor heating in parts of the house.
Building and Running Costs
The Passive House with or without heating?
Shell and Windows
Comfort Ventilation
Heating
Convenience and Comfort
Pictures of Passive Houses
A single tea light candle has the energy capacity of 30 watts. In the Passive House we heat every square meter with 10 watts. That means that 10 tea light candles would be enough to keep a living room of 30 m² comfortably warm on a cold winter night.
Building and Running Costs
The Passive House with or without heating?
Shell and Windows
Comfort Ventilation
Heating
Convenience and Comfort
Pictures of Passive Houses
The ENERBULD project is an impulse project conceived for three years and run by organisations from the seven bordering countries in the Alpine Space.
The project is supported financially by the EU and is a part of the EU Structure Improvement Programme in the Alpine Space. The target of the project is to force the education and decision making instruments for the construction of energy efficient buildings, especially Passive Houses. It also involves the dissemination of information of “Best Practice Examples”. The following presentations give you a deeper insight of what the project participants are doing.
Education
The project ENERBUILD
Examination
Efficiency
E-Producing
Innovation
www.enerbuild.eu
The ENERBUILD project partners come from various sectors. Municipal constitutions, universities, research facilities, institutes that deal with the subject of energy and interest groups from the construction branch and representatives of small and medium sized businesses as well, all participate in the consortium.
The Austrian institutes also have a close relationship to the implementing companies of the Austrian house in Whistler. They are happy to receive visitors to the Austrian House who are interested in the subject of Passive House.
Education
Project Partners
Examination
Efficiency
E-Producing
Innovation
www.enerbuild.eu
The team that works across the borders analyses the missing contents in the education of the employees and engineers in construction.
Cooperating closely with the teachers in the vocational schools and colleges, it is defined which learning contents need to be complemented so that energy efficient construction and the use of ecological building materials can be learned at school. In addition, seminars are developed to further educate workers in the construction companies on specific subjects.
Education
Education
Examination
Efficiency
E-Producing
Innovation
www.enerbuild.eu
A team of researchers from the project examines newly constructed Passive Houses or housing complexes built to the Passive House standard under the motto: “Do the Passive Houses perform they way they promise to and where are there any weak points?”
At relatively high technical costs, long term measurements are run and the user behavior is noted. Subsequently, strategies are derived that should lead to the quality of the constructions being improved. The results are used in the education modules.
Education
Examination
Examination
Efficiency
E-Producing
Innovation
www.enerbuild.eu
In the focus of the Efficiency campaign the experts are occupied with energy efficient and ecological construction for public buildings.
Decision making documents are developed that make it easier for the actors to choose ecological concepts and then implement them. In addition, political strategies are worked out that lead to intensified ecological construction. International ecological building standards from the past few years which were taken on are integrated and transferred to the local conditions.
Education
Efficiency
Examination
Efficiency
E-Producing
Innovation
www.enerbuild.eu
The production of energy on the living quarters is a lucrative and challenging option. Small-scale energy production relieves the large energy public power supply and reduces dependence.
The experts in the ENERBUILD project are occupied with best practice examples for the integration of solar energy on the dwellings. In addition, models are reflected on that will increase readiness to invest in these types of small-scale models. Interesting financing models like, for example, the “eco energy stock exchange” or the “roof stock exchange” should help increase investments in small-scale energy production.
Education
E-Producing
Examination
Efficiency
E-Producing
Innovation
www.enerbuild.eu
Another expert team from the ENERBUILD consortium is occupied with concrete detailed planning of ecological and energy efficient examples.
The experts advise planners and builders in regards to energy efficient concepts. Here, a lasting learning process takes place where builders, planners and energy experts work together. The planning processes are documented by the group and are then used as teaching materials and learning objects.
Education
Innovation
Examination
Efficiency
E-Producing
Innovation
www.enerbuild.eu