study on sustainable city districts

Study on Sustainable City Districts

Good Practices from Ten European Reference Cases

Mitra Modarress-Sadeghi Tanja Konstari

City of Turku | Urban Planning | June 2015

City of Turku Environmental Publications 1|2015 Turun kaupungin ympristjulkaisuja 1|2015

Study on Sustainable City Districts

Good Practices from Ten European Reference Cases

City of Turku 2015 Authors: Mitra Modarress-Sadeghi, Tanja Konstari Project team: Risto Veivo, Christina Hovi, Oscu Uurasmaa, Laurent Druey Acknowledgements: Siemens AG, City of Helsinki, City of Porvoo, City of Tampere, City of Freiburg, City of Malm, City of Stockholm, City of Vienna, Petri Liski, Juha Lipponen Layout: Tanja Konstari, Samuli Saarinen Printed by: Printing Services, City of Turku, 2015

ISSN 2343-0222 (printed version) ISSN 2343-0222 (painettu) ISSN 2343-0710 (electronic publication) ISSN 2343-0710 (verkkojulkaisu)

Table of contents 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 7

1.1 Introduction of the study ........................................................................................... 7

1.2 Project goals and partners ........................................................................................ 7

1.3 Facts about Skanssi and Castle Town ...................................................................... 8

2 DEFINING A SUSTAINABLE DISTRICT ......................................................................... 11

2.1 The concept of sustainable development ............................................................... 11

2.2 Sustainability in the built environment ................................................................... 11

2.3 Sustainable urban areas in Finland ......................................................................... 13

2.4 Pioneering sustainable cities in Northern and Central Europe ............................. 13

3 REFERENCE DISTRICTS ............................................................................................... 16

3.1 Process of choosing the reference districts .......................................................... 16

3.1.1 Reference districts in the first phase .................................................................... 16

3.1.2 Reference districts in the second phase ............................................................... 16

3.2 Presentation of the chosen reference districts ...................................................... 18

3.3 Good practices from the reference districts ........................................................... 70

3.4 Characteristics of the reference districts ............................................................... 74

4 CONCLUSIONS .............................................................................................................. 76

4.1 Lessons learnt from the reference districts ........................................................... 76

4.2 Benchmarking of reference cases .......................................................................... 77

5 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................ 79

APPENDIX

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1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction of the study The City of Turku is aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to a sustainable level. An interim target for 2020 is a reduction of emissions by 30 per cent from the 1990 level and by 2040 the city should be carbon-neutral. The city has already cut greenhouse emissions by over 20 per cent mainly through increasing the use of renewable energy sources in district heating. Sustainable development is an important basis of city planning in Turku. A new master plan 2035 is under preparation, and sustainable development can be seen in many ways in its goals. One important goal of the city is to create a more attractive and sustainable city structure. Turku aspires to offer pleasant accommodation in comfortable residential areas and at the same time lower greenhouse gas emissions. This report introduces applicable sustainable solutions especially for two city districts in Turku Skanssi and Castle Town. The study was conducted by the City of Turku in order to examine some of the successfully created sustainable city districts in Europe, as well as a number of districts that are still in the initial development phases. In addition to the presentation of examples of pioneering eco-districts, a number of recent sustainable urban development projects with the focus on providing smart and sustainable solutions for living are introduced. The information on the reference districts is mainly based on publicly available data from official sources including published reports of the projects, information from the local city authorities and persons involved in the development projects, and internet pages of the cities and projects. Reports and articles related to the reference districts were used for the study as well. The information has been gathered mostly in 2012, but some parts of it have been updated in 2013 and 2015. Even if the aim of this study has been to find applicable solutions and strategies for the two sustainable districts of Skanssi and Castle Town in Turku, the findings present a general overview of how sustainable city districts are developed and what kind of issues are considered in the development process. Therefore, lessons learnt from these reference districts are not restricted to sustainable urban development projects in Finland, but can be utilized also in such projects elsewhere.

1.2 Project goals and partners Siemens and the City of Turku signed a ground-breaking three-year strategic cooperation agreement in 2012. This agreement launched a new type of cooperation model between a multi-national company and a mid-sized city, based on mutual contributions, transparency and involvement of stakeholders. One of the three initial focus areas of the cooperation agreement was sustainable development for the new residential areas in Skanssi and Castle Town. Siemens and the City of Turku worked together to determine innovative yet in five-years-time available technologies and other ways for creating not only the new Skanssi district and the Castle Town area but also other sustainable districts. Goals of the cooperation project included:1

Gaining an understanding of the impacts of various new technologies on the urban environment and planning of urban areas

Supporting the development of sustainable city districts in Skanssi and Castle Town and the growth of Turku as a pioneer of sustainable urban development in Europe by creating a toolbox which describes relevant technologies, policies and best practices regarding the planning and implementation of green city districts

1 City of Turku & Siemens AG (2013).

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Producing a joint concept paper by City of Turku & Siemens as a guideline for development of sustainable districts describing general planning issues and specific practices for Skanssi and Castle Town.

In the process the focus was in surveying already existing and still developing sustainable districts which could be used as reference districts primarily for Skanssi and Castle Town and later for other city districts in Turku. The goal of studying and comparing other sustainable regions was to eventually find cost-efficient, significant practices which could be used in Turku as well.

1.3 Facts about Skanssi and Castle Town Skanssi and Castle Town are two city districts which are going to be developed to sustainable residential areas. The two areas are very different in nature, but the planning of both districts is going to be sustainable in many ways, and the process will focus on the integration of a variety of sustainable infrastructure technologies and solutions.2 Skanssi area is scheduled to be fully built approximately in 2030 and Castle Town around 2035. Skanssi is a greenfield area located between two forest ridges, two main roads of Helsinki highway and regional road 110. The distance from Skanssi to the centre of Turku is approximately 4 kilometres and there are already buses running from Skanssi to the centre. Construction of the first phase of the residential area of Skanssi started in 2011, and a new shopping mall, Skanssi, opened to public in 2009. Castle Town is located near the city centre. A bit more than a half of the planning area of Castle Town consists of so called brownfield areas. These abandoned or under-used industrial and railroad areas are challenging for the developing process because the contained soil requires vast measures before it can be used for housing, offices or business premises. Castle Town is still under planning, and the construction work is planned to start around 2016.


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The overall goal of the Skanssi project is to create a modern and innovative district, which will be ecologically, economically as well as socially sustainable. Skanssi is envisioned to have a diverse population. A variety of public and commercial services as well as workplaces will be provided in the area, and the focus of the jobs will be on local services, home-based working and micro-businesses.3 Energy production from renewable energy sources will be supported in the area, and smart electricity grid applications are planned to be an important part of the new district to decrease energy usage. In cooperation with Turku Energia a low temperature district heating network and two-way heat trade are going to be developed in the area. In addition, different kinds of local solutions of heat production are piloted and developed in Skanssi. Public transport is going to be promoted in the area, and priority is given to cyclists and pedestrians as well. The possibility of a rail tramway line is considered, and a carpool system offering shared cars for residents is also under preparation. The overall need for transport will be decreased as there will be working places and a good level of services near the housing area including a school, a kindergarten, a grocery and leisure activities. There are many ecological goals set for Skanssi. Natural resources of the area are being valued, and stormwater is going to be treated locally and in a sustainable manner. The goal is to create attractive recreational areas which can also function as inspirational learning environments. A versatile mix of accommodation, ownership and residents is also important in the planning of Skanssi. Participation of the residents already in the planning phase is promoted, and possibilities for interaction of the residents in their future living environment will be taken into account.


Facts about Skanssi

Construction area: 85 ha

Construction started: 2011

Construction completed: 2030

Population: 8,000

Dwellings: 3,0005,000

Distance from the city centre: 4 km

Skanssi Turku, Finland

Photo: City of Turku

Preliminary outline of the Skanssi area. (Picture: City of Turku)

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Master plan of Castle Town. (Picture: City of Turku)

The main goal of the planning of Castle Town is to create a residential area planned under the principles of ecological, economical and both social and cultural sustainability. Castle Town is going to be a vibrant and innovative district offering various opportunities for an urban lifestyle and businesses.4 Castle Town is located near the city centre of Turku, but at present the area is not connected to the centre as well as it could be. Integrating Castle Town to the centre by building new footpaths and cycling networks and by connecting the harbour area to its surroundings, for example, are important targets of the planning process. Public transport connections are going to be developed in the district, and the possibility of a rail tramway line is taken into account in the detail plans of the area. Also car sharing possibilities are taken into account in the planning process. Substantial improvement in the built environment of Castle Town is one essential goal of the planning. The general appearance of the dispersed brownfield areas is going to be improved and the built areas are going to be transformed to a more urban appearance. However, several historically valuable buildings such as the medieval Turku Castle and its surroundings are going to be preserved in the future as well. There is going to be a variety of residents in Castle Town. Both owner occupied dwellings and rented apartments are going to be built in the area, and especially child families are targeted to move into the area. Different services such as schools, a health care centre and a library are planned for the district as well, and there will be some 10,000 or more new work places in the area. The buildings in Castle Town are going to be built in a sustainable manner. Solar energy will be used in the buildings when possible and there will be green roofs in the flat roof houses. There will also be open squares, parks and water in different forms placed in the area, and stormwater is going to be treated in a sustainable way.


Facts about Castle Town


Construction starts: around 2016

Construction completed: 2035

Population: 10,000 new ones (plus 3,000 existing)


Castle Town Turku, Finland

Photo: City of Turku

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2 DEFINING A SUSTAINABLE DISTRICT

2.1 The concept of sustainable development Sustainability and sustainable development have many definitions. The most frequently used definition is from United Nations report Our Common Future, also known as the Brundtland Report5: Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The definition dates back to 1987 when the document was published for the first time. Another definition by the World Conservation Union6 states that sustainable development means improving the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of supporting ecosystems. In the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED or the Rio Summit) held in 1992, a declaration of 27 principles of sustainability was listed. These sustainable development goals (SDGs) included, for example, poverty eradication, environmental sustainability and sustainable consumption and production.7,8 Twenty years later, in Rio+20 conference held in 2012, the focus was on two themes: green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication and the institutional framework for sustainable development9. UNEP10 defines a green economy as one that creates improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. In a green economy, carbon emissions and pollution are being reduced, both energy and resource efficiency are being improved and the economy is socially inclusive overall. In addition, the conservation of biodiversity and different kinds of ecosystem services is being paid attention to in green economies. Public and private investments are targeted to these aspects which ultimately result as a growth of income and employment in the economies. Generally, sustainable development is perceived to consist of three parts: environmental sustainability, economic sustainability and socio-political sustainability. Later a fourth part or pillar of cultural diversity and sustainability has been added to the definition.

2.2 Sustainability in the built environment Sustainability has an important role also in the built environment, as it is created by a balance between ecological, societal and economic factors in a living area11. The environmental dimension of sustainability is often one of the main points of concern related to housing districts. Issues of energy efficiency and preservation of biodiversity and ecosystems are considered practically in all residential areas that represent sustainable or green building. The societal side of sustainability in housing districts can consist of social equity, sense of community and well-being of residents. Also the economic side is important in sustainable building, for all the solutions used are most often targeted to be cost-effective. The lifespan costs of these solutions are normally a part of evaluating the overall cost-effectiveness. The environmental dimension of sustainability is important to be recognised, for the world is fighting today with the possible and already existing impacts of environmental change. Cities are in an extremely important role in decreasing the climate-threatening emissions because today over 50 per cent of the worlds population lives in urban areas, and over 73 per cent of all energy is consumed and 69 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions are produced in urban environments.12

5 United Nations (1987).

6 World Conservation Union (1991).

7 UNEP (1992).

8 IGES (2012).

9 United Nations (2011).

10 UNEP (2012).

11 Sitra, Tekes & VTT (2011).

12 Berrini & Colonetti (2010).

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Worlds developing economies are still urbanizing rapidly, and this makes sustainable development in urban areas even more important in the future. Despite of this challenge cities are also concentrations in which a lot of economic, social and innovative activity flourishes. Cities are the places where innovations of newest sustainable practices often develop. Cities also have the financial opportunities to create and develop sustainable investments and solutions.13 According to a study by the McKinsey Global Institute14, the building sector is the most energy-consuming sector with a share of 31% of global energy demand. Residential housing alone is responsible for approximately 25% of global energy use.15 In Europe, urban construction and demolition also produce more than half of all the waste.16 In addition to the high level of energy consumption and vast amount of emissions of buildings and construction, transport is another factor contributing to the large amount of emissions in built environments.17 Decreasing greenhouse gas emissions produced by the burning of fossil fuels and increasing overall energy efficiency is crucial when trying to address the climate change. The reduction of emissions requires increasing energy efficiency in production and consumption of energy, which calls for adapting to new energy management practices. Inefficient energy policies have been a part of the development of Europe and North America for many years, but now developed countries have started to pay attention to the need of reducing CO2 emissions and other pollutants. In Europe, for example, a lot of improvement in reducing greenhouse gases has already been achieved.18,19 The high energy consumption and the resulting high level of greenhouse gases of the built environment contribute to its essential part in the goal of mitigating climate change and increasing sustainability of the living environment20. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is not, however, the only priority for sustainable areas. Healthiness, attractiveness and economical successfulness are all important as well. There are many factors that can together create a functioning sustainable residential district. The most important themes that should be focused on in sustainable residential areas are:21

Governance o Well managed o Effective participation

Transport and mobility o Functioning transport linkages o As many as possible services etc. at walking distance o Good public transport limited car usage

Environment o Low energy consumption o Minimizing the production of waste o Recycling o Environmental friendly materials o Minimizing water consumption

Economy o Prosperous local economy

Services o Public, private, community & voluntary services accessible to all residents

Equity o Equal opportunities for all (affordable dwellings and services, public open spaces etc.)

Diversity o A mixture of social categories and generations

13

Wood (2011). 14

McKinsey Global Institute (2009). 15

Pinkse & Dommisse (2010). 16

European Commission (2004). 17

Sitra, Tekes & VTT (2011). 18

World Conservation Union (1991). 19

Siemens AG (2009). 20

Pinkse & Dommisse (2010). 21

Energy Cities (2012).

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Mixed use o A mixture of functions: for living, working, recreational and commercial purposes

Identity o A strong local culture o Sense of community o A clear centre is needed in a district

Citizens and residents participation, cooperation and involvement Urban areas can reduce the ecological footprint and create a more sustainable global economy by investing in green practices in energy, transport, buildings and technology as well as in water and waste management systems. All this can be achieved by using sustainable development strategies in both existing city districts and greenfield areas.22

2.3 Sustainable urban areas in Finland In Finland, the northern location and cold climate conditions create special requirements for built environments. Due to the cold weather, energy efficiency needs to be considered in all buildings. The buildings in Finland are rather young and well-maintained in comparison with many other countries, and other features of Finnish urban areas include the relatively small size of populated areas and long distances between them. The long distances result in longer work trips and high construction and maintenance costs for the infrastructure.23 Finnish buildings have actually been constructed in an energy efficient manner already for decades. The level of knowledge and technologies in the field is high, and in recent years, sustainability has become a part of the building practices in Finland. The demand for sustainability has been altering the construction industry and market, as both customers and decision makers are starting to support the increase of low-carbon building.24 Finland used to be a pioneering country in energy efficiency after the energy crisis of the late 1970s. Today, Finland is committed both internationally and nationally to some challenging targets of reducing greenhouse gases, increasing renewable energy usage and improving energy efficiency overall. The goal is to reach the energy efficiency requirements set for 2020 already in the year 2017 and at the same time to reclaim the leading position in energy efficiency of built environments. This ambitious goal is guided by an action plan ERA17 for an Energy-Smart Built Environment 2017 created by the Ministry of Environment, The National Technology Agency Tekes, The Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra and a work group consisting of many notable Finnish experts.25, 26 The transition towards a low-carbon and even a carbon-free built environment is proceeding in Finland. There have already been some exemplary pilot projects promoting sustainable solutions. The planning of Eco-Viikki, the first ecological residential area in Finland, started already in the 1970s, and the project has over the years implemented several pioneering ecological solutions.

2.4 Pioneering sustainable cities in Northern and Central Europe A number of cities in Europe have been internationally acknowledged for their strong efforts in the field of sustainable urban development. These cities have achieved sustainability with a comprehensive approach; by taking into account not only the ecological and environmental issues, but also social and economic aspects of urban living. Thus, they have succeeded in becoming celebrated examples of sustainable urban development. Three of these European cities are presented in this report: Stockholm and Malm in Sweden and Freiburg in Germany.

22

Sustainable Cities (2012a). 23



Martinkauppi (2010). 26

Sitra, Tekes & VTT (2011).

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Stockholm the first European Green Capital Stockholm, the capital city of Sweden with some 850 000 residents, is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in Europe. At the same time, the city has managed to develop into a sustainable city offering a versatile and attractive environment for the people living and working there. The city has also been focusing on reducing greenhouse gas emissions for a long time and has already achieved impressive results. Stockholm was even the first European Green Capital a title awarded to the city by the EU Commission in 2010. The title showcased that Stockholm was, and continues to be, a role model for other European cities in environmental standards. The reasons behind the awarding of Stockholm included the fact that the city had approved the target of being fossil fuel free by 2050, the success of the city in cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 25 per cent/inhabitant since the year 1990 and the integration of environmental issues into the citys general operations.27 There are several building processes planned and going on in Stockholm as a result of the fast growth of the city. One of Swedens biggest urban development projects, Hammarby Sjstad, is world-known for being a sustainable housing and working area in the heart of Stockholm and the area has played a major role in the citys plans for sustainable growth. The previously industrial area has been converted into one of the worlds most recognized sustainable urban areas, and there are around 10,000 specialists and policymakers visiting Hammarby Sjstad every year.28,29 Stockholm Royal Seaport will be another large-scale urban development area where environmentally friendly ambitions and a variety of homes, services and businesses will be mixed in a unique way. International collaboration is the key to making Stockholm Royal Seaport a leading example of a sustainable and successful economic and environmental urban project. A sustainable development project such as Stockholm Royal Seaport can also strengthen the position of Stockholm as an innovative and environmentally oriented city.30,31 Malm Sustainable City Development Malm, a city in the resund Region in southern Sweden, has become an internationally known flagship of sustainable urban development. The transformation of the city into a leading example of sustainable development started with the redevelopment of the formerly industrial harbor area in Vstra Hamnen. The European housing exhibition Bo01, held in 2001, was the first development stage of Vstra Hamnen, which has later been followed by the development of the Flagghus housing area. Bo01 is the first city district in Sweden that is climate neutral and is supplied with 100 per cent renewable energy. The city still continues to develop the Vstra Hamnen district in the third part of the harbor area and the largest residential development with passive and low-energy housing in Sweden, Fullriggaren. Today, Vstra Hamnen is an international model of incorporating sustainability into an urban district, and thousands of city planning professionals from around the world visit Malm for learning about sustainable urban development.32 33 After the success of Vstra Hamnen, Malm has extended environmental construction to the sustainable districts of Augustenborg and Sege Park. The most recent sustainable city district project carried out in the city is Hyllie. The successful large scale projects undertaken in Malm have also contributed to the overall sustainability targets set for the city.34 In addition to the environmental endeavours, Malm has been making notable progress in other areas of sustainability as well. There are, for example, several projects aiming at enhancing social sustainability in the city. Malm has received numerous prizes for its efforts for achieving sustainable development. One of the recent awards was the election of Malm as a climatic ideal Earth Hour Capital 2011 by the World Wildlife Fund WWF. The city has also received the World Habitat Award for

27

City of Stockholm (2013). 28 GlashusEtt (2007). 29

Stockholms stad (2010). 30

Stockholm Royal Seaport (2012a). 31

City of Stockholm (2013). 32

City of Malm (2011). 33

Buildipedia (2011). 34

Buildipedia (2011).

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its contributions in the field of social sustainability especially in the eco-district of Augustenborg and has been selected as the best environmental municipality of Sweden in 2010 by the publication Miljaktuellt.35 Freiburg Green City The City of Freiburg, located in southwestern Germany, is famous around the world for its sustainable approach especially regarding the use of renewable energy sources such as solar energy. The city has had experience and expertise in sustainable energy management already for years. Freiburg has also been promoted as the Green City, incorporating environmental thinking in the fields of transportation, energy, waste management, land conservation and green economics.36 Freiburgs way towards a green city started already in the 1970s with the Green Movement and a protest against a nearby nuclear power plant, which was followed by the leaders of the city and the vast academic community taking a serious interest in sustainability. In the 1990s, the city started the development of the two sustainable residential districts, which have become pioneering examples of green communities and sustainable urban development. These districts are also good models of how to use a participatory way of planning and to involve the local residents in the decision making regarding their living environment. 37 Vauban, the internationally well-known eco-district has been a celebrated model of a sustainable district for more than 10 years. This brownfield district has successfully reduced private car use in the residential area and is known for its extensive use of solar energy. Vaubans success has attracted a great number of international experts and other visitors to Freiburg.38 Rieselfeld is another successful sustainable city district in Freiburg. In the Rieselfeld project, the City of Freiburg has achieved its ambitious goals of sustainable urban development in terms of integrating environmental policy and sustainability in residential district building and creating an attractive housing area for its citizens. Sustainable urban district can also have an important role in decreasing or preventing the expansion of urban development around a city, and Rieselfeld has been a good example of how the redevelopment of brownfield areas can make them attractive places to live and at the same time bring inhabitants of low-density suburbs back to the city.

35

City of Malm (2011). 36

Freiburg Green City (2013). 37

The EcoTipping Points Project (2011). 38

Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2010).

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3 REFERENCE DISTRICTS

3.1 Process of choosing the reference districts

3.1.1 Reference districts in the first phase Many sustainable housing areas were studied during the process, but only some could be chosen for closer analysis. The analysis was early on restricted to European city districts because the climate, legislation and other factors would have been rather different in other continents. The amount and quality of available information was important in choosing the reference districts as well. Based on a preliminary survey of available information on the Internet about sustainable neighbourhoods, a number of districts that could be researched more thoroughly were found. Some Internet-pages contained plenty of sustainable areas, such as the Energy Cities web-page.39 The sustainable district projects of Nordic countries turned out to be the most comparable to the projects in Turku especially due to the similar climatic conditions and legislation. Also some of the districts in the Central Europe were chosen because of their reputation and the vast amount of information available. In the first phase there were altogether 17 sustainable residential areas chosen for closer analysis (excluding Skanssi and Castle Town): Vuores (FI), Eco-Viikki (FI), Skaftkrr (FI), Hammarby Sjstad (SE), Bo01 (SE), Stockholm Royal Seaport (SE), Norra lvstranden (SE), Vauban (DE), Rieselfeld (DE), Kronsberg (DE), Scharnhauser Park (DE), BedZED (UK), Nordhavn (DK), Valby (DK), Vesterbro (DK), GWL-Terrein (NL) and Leidsche Rijn (NL). There were different attributes studied about the districts. These attributes were collected in several matrices concerning the following topics: 1. Information about some general facts about the districts 2. Objectives and financing of the projects and 3. Results of the projects in the districts (success of the projects, difficulties faced and possible next steps of the projects)

3.1.2 Reference districts in the second phase In the next phase of the process the number of analysed districts was supposed to be cut down to 610 reference districts. 13 different criteria (Appendix 1) were created from the basis of Eco-themes in Skanssi (Appendix 2), which were part of the planning process of Skanssi district. The goal of the criteria for choosing the reference districts was to find those districts which fulfilled as many aspects of the criteria list as possible. The chosen districts would be studied more profoundly to see, if the methods used in them would fit to Skanssi and/or Castle Town. Legislation was one important criterion for choosing the reference cities. Some districts and cities have such a different legislation than the one in Finland that the methods used cannot be easily compared with the Finnish legal system. Another major factor in the selection of reference districts was the location of the city. This is because the technologies and other solutions are very different in southern Europe than in the north due to warmer climates. Size of the district, including the number of dwellings and inhabitants, was also one criterion used for choosing the reference districts. The districts were supposed to be comparable to Skanssi and/or Castle Town, and thus very different residential areas were not included in the closer benchmarking study. Location of the district compared to the city centre was also paid attention to when choosing reference districts.

39

Energy Cities (2012).

17

There were also several other criteria used for choosing the 10 districts. Well-functioning and innovative solutions in energy production, construction, waste management and water treatment were important, such as methods used for promoting sustainable transport and a balanced social community. Financing models applied and possible subsidies granted to reference districts were part of the criteria, too. Not only finished projects but also projects under development were planned to be chosen as reference districts in order to get different insights to sustainable planning. Actual results and good practices as well as challenges and lessons learnt from already finished projects were necessary for this research process, but there was also need for new, developing areas which would contain the newest possible technologies and other solutions. Overall, it was desirable for the planning of the areas and the technologies used in them to be flexible so that the solutions used could be modified to the possibly changing needs of the future. Availability of information from the districts and also the level of cooperation from the projects personnel turned out to be essential for a good reference district, as well. 9 districts were chosen for a closer benchmarking according to the criteria set, and they were Eco-Viikki, Vuores, Skaftkrr, Hammarby Sjstad, Stockholm Royal Seaport, Bo01, Hyllie, Rieselfeld and Vauban. Later yet another reference district, Aspern Viennas Urban Lakeside, was chosen to the study, and thus, there were altogether 10 districts in the benchmarking study. The three Finnish city districts were chosen for many reasons. One important reason was that all the districts comply with the same law, and this eases the comparison of methods used in the districts. The three districts are also in different stages, for Eco-Viikki is already built, Vuores is partly built and the construction of Skaftkrr has started. Eco-Viikki serves a lot of information from already tested sustainable methods, when especially the planning of the new Skanssi area can be compared with Vuores and Skaftkrr. Vuores and Skaftkrr have very different goals and backgrounds, however, so they both were useful as reference districts. Hammarby Sjstad in Stockholm, Sweden, is one of the best-known sustainable neighbourhoods existing, and there are many aspects in the district which the City of Turku can learn from. In Hammarby Sjstad there is, for example, a well-functioning eco-cycle solution called the Hammarby Model, which is based on sustainable resource usage. Overall, Hammarby Sjstad works as an excellent example of a sustainable city district. Another Swedish city district, Stockholm Royal Seaport, is a new housing area going to be fully built around 2030. Similar to Castle Town, Stockholm Royal Seaport is also a former brownfield and harbour area, and there are high goals set for this developing district. One main goal is that Stockholm Royal Seaport aims to have zero fossil fuel emissions when fully built. There is also going to be a smart power grid installed in the district, which is the plan for Skanssi district as well. Bo01 in Malm, Sweden, was also chosen to be a reference district because many sustainable aspects have been taken into account when planning the area. Especially the ecological goals set for the Bo01 project have been realized successfully. There is also another reference district, Hyllie, which is located in the city of Malm. Hyllie was not part of the analysis in the earlier stages, but it was later chosen to be a good reference district especially because of its similarities with Skanssi housing area. Hyllie is also a greenfield area still under development and like Skanssi, Hyllie is also located a bit further away from the city centre. One partner in the Hyllie project is Siemens, which works together with Turku in developing the area of Skanssi, too. In both districts a smart grid system is planned, and because the planning process of Hyllie is further than the planning of Skanssi, it could be beneficial for the City of Turku to learn from the Hyllie project. Rieselfeld and Vauban are both located in Freiburg, Germany. There are differences between the two districts, but they both are good examples of sustainable residential areas overall. A lot has been done to create a good sense of community in both the districts, for example. The districts are also very energy-efficient and private car usage is strictly restricted in the housing areas.

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Aspern Viennas Urban Lakeside was later chosen to the study because of its similarities with Skanssi development. Aspern is a future greenfield area located in Vienna, Austria. Aspern is going to be a city district providing all that the residents can need for both living and working.

3.2 Presentation of the chosen reference districts Several of the chosen reference districts are located in Northern Europe (see picture below), but also districts which are located in Central Europe were selected as reference districts. Different aspects of the reference districts are presented in this study. General facts as well as the main objectives and results of the neighbourhoods are showcased. In addition, the project partners and their roles in the development and general features of the financing structures applied are introduced. Many of the reference districts have also faced challenges during the development process, and many lessons can be learnt from the districts.

Location of the chosen reference districts. (Picture: City of Turku & Siemens AG)

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Facts about the district

Construction area: 23 ha Construction started: 1999 Construction completed: 2004 Population: 2,000 Dwellings: 750 Distance from the city centre: 8 km

Eco-Viikki Helsinki, Finland

Photo: Harri Hakaste

Photo: City of Helsinki, Real Estate Department, City Survey Division

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The interest towards ecological sustainability started to increase in Finland at the beginning of the 1990s. This awareness of ecological problems affected also the Finnish building legislation. Research programmes were initiated and 4 building project areas for testing ecological principles in practice were selected, Viikki being one of them. In 1994, Viikki became the pilot area for the so called Eco-Community Project.

Today, Eco-Viikki is the largest sustainable district in Finland. It covers an area of 23 hectares that is located about 8 kilometres northeast from the centre of Helsinki. The sustainable housing development that was built during the years 19992004 comprises around 750 dwellings accommodating 2,000 residents.

Objectives The Eco-Viikki project was designed to be a pilot project that would test the implementation of new sustainable solutions in practice and thus be an experimental model for future green building projects. Supporting the National Program of Ecologically Sustainable Buildings was also an important mission for the housing project. A universal planning competition was organised in 19941995 for the planning of Eco-Viikki area. There were certain ecological goals set in the competition based on the reduction of non-renewable resource and material usage, the protection of ecosystems and avoiding the formation of waste, emissions and noise. One more aspect to be considered by the participants was supporting the activity and involvement of the residents.40 The winning proposition was based on a structure of so called green fingers, which was characterised by the alternation of green spaces and built areas. The green fingers structure enabled to combine different functions, among others to make use of solar energy, to handle stormwater on site and to ensure a high quality of the immediate living surrounding. The winning proposition was put into practice in the city plan.41,42 Sustainable construction was promoted in many ways in Eco-Viikki. One important method was the use of strict ecological criteria called the PIMWAG-criteria. The PIMWAG approach is a multi-criteria evaluation and decision-making method which measures the building projects ecological level using five different factors: emissions, the availability of natural resources, health factors, biodiversity and food production.43,44 No specific ways or certain technical solutions were determined for reaching the minimum level of the criteria, so there were different ways of promoting ecological sustainable solutions in the projects. All the projects accomplished in the area were also obligated to include ecological experimental building and to take part in the monitoring and reporting of the results of the finished projects.45

40

Helsingin kaupunkisuunnitteluvirasto (2004). 41


Liljestrm (2012a). 43

Ministry of the Environment (2005). 44

European Urban Knowledge Network (2010). 45

City of Helsinki & Ministry of the Environment (2005).

Location of Viikki. (Picture: City of Helsinki, Real Estate Department, City Survey Division)

Detailed plan of the Eco-Viikki area. (Picture: Harri Hakaste)

3.2.1 Eko-Viikki, Helsinki (FI)

21

Other objectives of the Eco-Viikki project included reducing the consumption of natural resources in the construction phase, diminishing heating, electricity and water consumption in the buildings and replacing the use of fossil fuels with renewable energy sources.46 These goals were planned to be achieved among others by utilizing active and passive solar energy, better insulation than usually, constructing glazed balconies and terraces and including wood-heating in communal saunas. The main target was to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 20% compared to traditional building. Also the amount of produced waste was planned to be reduced to 20% less than usual.47,48

Partners & roles In the planning phase of Eco-Viikki, the project utilized the knowledge of many international partners in ecological building. This led to joint projects that helped Eco-Viikki to obtain additional funding for some parts of the project including a few of the areas solar-energy projects and maintenance of the nature conservation area. Eco-Viikki also participated in a Nordic cooperation project which compared the objectives and ecological criteria in Viikki, Hammarby Sjstad in Stockholm and restad in Copenhagen.49 The Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (Tekes), the European Commission, the Ministry of the Environment and the Finnish Association of Architects (SAFA) were the main partners of Eco-Viikki project alongside of the City of Helsinki. Other actors of the project included the Eco-Community Project, the Housing Fund of Finland (ARA), architect Petri Laaksonen, Helsingin Energia, Naps Systems Oy, YIT, Skanska, VVO and Solpros Ay.50,51 Financing structure The project received financial support from the Ministry of the Environment and Tekes, not in the form of experimental building subsidies system as it was originally intended, but instead through research and development funding. However, even though the financial support was supposed to inspire the

use of sustainable solutions in the properties, the subsidies were very small compared to the subsidy systems in many other countries. Even small subsidies created difficulties because they were seen as expensive and difficult to manage in Tekes. Subsidies connected to investments were not perceived in a positive way because of their possible adverse effects on competition and prices.52 The project was mainly financed by the city of Helsinki, Tekes, Ministry of the Environment and the European Commission. Eco-Viikki was also part of EUs Thermie-programme PV-Nord which is an EU project focusing on building integrated photovoltaic systems, and Viikki received support for the nature conservation area from the EU LIFE fund. Tekes supported the development through the KEKO programme and ARA subsidized construction in the area. The City of

46

SECURE (2006). 47

Energy Cities (2008b). 48

Liljestrm (2012b). 49

City of Helsinki & Ministry of the Environment (2005). 50

Rakennustieto (2005). 51

SECURE (2006). 52

City of Helsinki & Ministry of the Environment (2005).

Residential houses in Eco-Viikki. (Photo: Helsingin kaupunki, talous- ja

suunnittelukeskus)

Solar panels implemented to residential houses. (Photo: Helsingin kaupunki, talous- ja suunnittelukeskus)

22

Helsinki lowered the property rents to balance the extra costs of difficult foundation conditions in clay soil, and the European Commission supported the project by 4 million which was directed mostly to the research and development of the Tekes Programme for Building.53 As housing construction was state-subsidized and ARA had set a price limit per square meter, the additional costs of sustainable building were a problem. In the end, however, ARA accepted moderately higher construction costs since the investments would pay themselves back later. Afterwards, these kinds of arrangements have been used in other Finnish housing projects using government loans as well.54 The construction costs of an average dwelling in Eco-Viikki were approximately 5 per cent higher than in a regular building in Finland. These increased costs were caused by the use of ecological materials and efficiency features. However, it was necessary to invest more in the construction phase in order to have cost benefits in the long run. The building costs are compensated by reduced energy and water consumption (up to a third less than in standard residential buildings) and utility costs.55 Results Ecological and sustainable planning of the district was accomplished by using the already mentioned PIMWAG criteria. The Eco-Viikki project has achieved many of its goals by putting into practice these strict ecological criteria for construction. In addition, ecological municipal engineering solutions and monitoring of the practices after completion of the project have also helped gaining the desired outcomes. Many of the built houses in Eco-Viikki have reached the ambitious goals set for them. Then again, some of the buildings have not met these standards. The average consumption of water and electricity in the area correlates with the PIMWAG standards, while the average heat consumption is 15% above the minimum PIMWAG rate (however, 5 percentage units of this are due to a higher living density than in average in Helsinki). Reasons for the higher energy consumption than the standard level included, for example, uncontrolled ventilation, overheating, heat losses and control problems in solar heating systems and in air-supply windows. There were, however, also savings achieved by the Eco-Viikki ecological housing development compared to regular houses built in the 1990s. These include 1,761 MWh/year for heating, -258 MWh/year for electricity and 18,352 m3/year for water. The total cost savings per year add up to approximately 71,000.56 The largest solar energy system in Finland can be found in Eco-Viikki. Ten of the buildings in Eco-Viikki have solar heating systems integrated in roof constructions, comprising a total area of around 1,400 m2 of panels.57 The energy from the solar collectors is used mostly for hot water and for sub-floor heating in wet spaces.58 The solar heating systems produce over one-third of the annual energy needed for heating the water in eight neighbourhood blocks. In addition to solar energy, wood pellet heating and geothermal energy is used in some of the properties in the district.59 Also social issues have been considered in the district. There are many green spaces, parks, shared saunas and common laundries in the buildings as well as a kinder garden, primary and secondary school, and commercial centres with several services such as shops and restaurants. In Eco-Viikki there are also allotment plots in the green fingers, which inhabitants can rent for gardening purposes.60,61 The winner proposal of the architectural competition held in the planning phase of the area emphasised green fingers, and it can be seen clearly in the district. A finger-like structure penetrates

53

SECURE (2006). 54


Skanska (2008). 56

Helsingin kaupunkisuunnitteluvirasto (2004). 57 Ministry of the Environment (2005). 58

SECURE (2006). 59



Liljestrm (2012a).

23

between the built areas and thus connects every building plot directly to green areas.62 The stormwater management in the area functions through the green fingers, which also include wells that collect rain water for gardening purposes.63 Regarding transport, the need for using private cars was aimed to be reduced and public transport to be emphasised. However, the only form of public transport connecting the district to the city is bus lines. The plots have 050% less parking spaces than usual (e.g. a minimum of 1 parking space per 160 m2 and a maximum of 1 parking space per 80 m2 floor space in 12 storey houses).64,65 Based on a monitoring project after the completion of the district, many of the environmental targets of the project have been achieved. Therefore, Eco-Viikki has been successful as a sustainable housing pilot project, and it is a good model for other sustainable housing projects.66,67 Challenges Despite all the difficulties related to subsidies, the actors of the ecological housing project were progressive in developing life-span calculation methods and new building processes. In the construction sector, there were also development projects for building methods and environmental models that were implemented and tested also in Eco-Viikki.68 In the beginning, there were few services in the area. Also the public transport network of only one bus line did not live up to the ideas of developing the transport system and reducing the need for using private cars. Therefore, and because Eco-Viikki is popular among families, many residents purchased cars, which was not in harmony with the ecological goals of Eco-Viikki. Later two shopping centres with basic public services have been built nearby and two new bus lines have been added, which has made the situation better.69 The PIMWAG criteria used in the planning process was challenging for the participants. The criteria turned out to be very complex, causing a lot of work for the builders, designers and city representatives, but ultimately it was beneficial for the Eco-Viikki project. In addition, the PIMWAG criteria aroused interest amongst other sustainable housing projects in different countries.70 Lessons learnt A lesson learnt from the Eco-Viikki project is the need for a concrete monitoring and feedback system for achieving the strict ecological goals set for sustainable building projects. A project as ambitious and laborious as the Eco-Viikki project requires adequate knowledge and know-how as well as long-term commitment in terms of financial and practical resources.71

62


Liljestrm (2012a). 64


Liljestrm (2012b). 66

Ministry of the Environment (2005). 67





Energy Cities (2008b).

Children playing in Eco-Viikki. (Photo: Harri Hakaste)

24


Construction area: 1,260 ha


Construction completed: around 2025

Expected population: 14,000

Dwellings: 6,000 (when ready)


Vuores Tampere, Finland

Photo: Tanja Konstari

Photo: Lentokuva Vallas Oy (2012)

25

Vuores is a greenfield development located in the city of Tampere, Finland. The population of Tampere urban region is around 350,000, and the number of residents is expected to grow considerably in the near future. The new sustainable district of Vuores is part of the preparations for the fast population growth. The construction of Vuores district started in 2008 and is planned to be completed by 2020. Vuores comprises an area of 1,256 hectares and will eventually house 13,000 people and provide work places for thousands. This green housing development project is one of the biggest urban development projects taking place in Finland in recent years.

The city of Tampere owns the land of the areas which are going to be constructed, and the municipality of Lempl owns part of the remaining area. When the detailed plans are approved, the construction areas are going to be sold or leased out to companies.72 Objectives The main goal of the Vuores project is to create a small town in the midst of nature that is still only 7 kilometres away from the centre of Tampere. The green district is planned to be an active arena providing good services, attractive business facilities and diverse residential options that meet high quality standards. Eco-efficiency is taken into account in all phases of the planning and implementation of the project. Sustainability is aimed to be put into practice in the areas of energy supply, energy efficiency of buildings, ecological building materials and a well-developed transport system. Also creativity and different forms of art will be emphasised in the district. Vuores is participating in many research and development projects in order to find the best ways for implementing ecological solutions in the construction and planning of the area. The ECOCITY project (20022005) was one of these projects, and it has supported the planning of Vuores area by providing a background analysis for ecological principles.73 Generic concepts were derived from the criteria and indicators of the ECOCITY project, and they were created for six topics of urban planning, transport, energy, conservation of the natural environment, information technology and social issues.

72

Vyrynen (2010). 73

Tamminen (2012a).

Local plan of Vuores. (Picture: City of Tampere)

Location of Vuores district. (Picture: City of Tampere)

26

Regarding urban planning the objectives of the Vuores project include optimising the urban structure, taking into account the microclimatic conditions of the area and preventing traffic noise and other emissions. For transport the goals of optimising the street network and public transport, minimizing car traffic and providing space for walking and cycling are established. As for the field of energy, the goals consist of promoting the use of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power and geothermal heat as well as testing new ways of timber construction. There is actually going to be Finlands largest wooden town area, Isokuusi, in Vuores. Vuores is involved in the ECO2 (Eco-efficient Tampere 2020) programme that aims to decrease the citys emissions by more than 20% by the year 2020.74

Vuores was also the place for the Finnish Housing Fair 2012 held in Tampere. Nine of the detached houses built in the exhibition area are passive energy houses (energy consumption less than 25 kWh/brm2) and two of them are zero energy houses. The City of Tampere supported the construction of passive and zero energy houses by reducing the land rent for these buildings by 50% for the first five years. Also a large school centre in Vuores is going to be energy-efficient and there will be several sustainable solutions used in the complex, such as solar panels for producing electricity, a wind turbine, an earth closet and a so called electricity contract for green electricity. The building is going to consume 33% less energy than a regular building constructed according to new building regulations.75 The conservation of natural environment will be taken into account in the area by adjusting construction to adapt to the shape of the terrain, maintaining biodiversity and managing stormwaters in an ecological way. There will also be an underground pneumatic waste collection system in Vuores. Not only ecological values are promoted, though, for there are high goals for information technology solutions and for a high percentage of participation of the residents as well. In addition there will be elements of art and creativity integrated into the landscape. Partners & roles Most of the land in Vuores area belongs to the City of Tampere and a part of it is owned by the municipality of Lempl. Tampere and Lempl have made a joint master plan for the district. In addition to the City of Tampere, other partners of the project include developers and construction companies. After the completion of the detailed plans for the district, the building plots in the area will be sold or leased out to these developers.76

74

ECO2 Eco-efficient Tampere 2020 (2012). 75

Tampereen Tilakeskus Liikelaitos (2012). 76

Vyrynen (2010).

Gardening boxes are common in the courtyards. (Photo: Tanja Konstari)

Several collection points of the underground waste collection system are located around

the district. (Photo: City of Tampere)

27

Financing structure Investments in construction will be some 1,800 million in the entire Vuores area during the years 20082021 including the construction of residential houses, services, infrastructure and business premises and also the preparations of construction.77 The city of Tamperes budget funding is 52 million for the project and also several companies owned by the city are investing in the construction of Vuores.78 The city of Tampere is going to invest some 190 million and the city of Lempl around 70 million in the construction of the area. Investments of the private sector (private housing & commercial and office building) will be approximately 1,530 million during the entire development phase from 2008 to 2021. The operational and maintenance costs in Vuores are expected to be 40 million and the operational costs of the services some 270 million during the years 20082021. In total, the expenses for the city will sum up to around 500 million.79 The city of Tampere will get revenues through land lease, taxes, water and energy management fees, public transport, municipal services and some other sources. The Housing Fund of Finland (ARA), for example, granted 52 million for the construction of Vuores. The overall revenues are estimated to be some 360 million.80 The large school centre in Vuores is going to be implemented by using a property leasing model. SEB Leasing Oy finances the project, and the costs are expected to be around 45 million.81 The first part of the pneumatic waste collection system in Vuores summed up to approximately 9.5 million. The system is supplied by the company MariMatic Oy. The tendering of the waste collection system was realized as an innovative public contracting, which is part of EUs strategy of enhancing the competitiveness of member states.82 Results One of the key elements in the planning of Vuores was incorporating the natural environment into the housing area. As a result, all of the buildings are within a short distance of the green areas and the natural areas reach the buildings via a green belt. Another important outcome concerning the natural areas is the protection of the areas natural water system. Public transport has a central role in the areas transport system. The public transport network will be based on a light rail system that runs through the whole area. Before the implementation of the light rail system, buses will be running the same routes. Also a comprehensive footpath and cycle network will support the use of public transport in Vuores. An innovative way of promoting cycling and walking in the area is organizing live school buses, meaning that children will walk or cycle the way to school or hobbies in groups with the guidance of an adult.83 A third key element of the Vuores project alongside with the emphasis on natural environment and public transport is the community structure. The built structure of the district is concentrated around one main centre and four subcenters which are all situated within short walking distance from the dwellings. The public spaces are expected to foster the community life of the district. Vuores is an important project for the City of Tampere because of its experiential value in the context of urban development practices. Tampere intends to enhance its urban planning processes and therefore has initiated many research projects related to these issues. Many projects have already finished, including the ECOCITY project which analysed new criteria for urban planning, Beyond

77

Finnish Consulting Group (2010). 78

Ranta (2012). 79



Tampereen kaupunki (2012a). 82

Pirkanmaan Jtehuolto Oy (2010). 83

Tampereen kaupunki (2012b).

28

Vuores which examined collaborative planning and implementation strategies and Wireless Vuores which focused on investigating the use of wireless services.84 Challenges Since the beginning of the planning process there has been resistance towards the Vuores project because of many reasons. There have been claims that the Vuores area would not be as ecological as intended and that the planning process was not as open and interactive as it should have been.85 There were also some problems with mobile phone connections in the housing fair area in the beginning of the project. The reason why the connections were not functioning properly was the lack of base stations in the area in the construction phase. This problem was, however, fixed by the time the construction work was over and the first residents moved in.86,87 There are several small lakes in the Vuores area, and the citizens of Tampere had some fears that the lakes would be influenced by the stormwaters coming from the new residential areas.88 There is, however, an extensive stormwater management system in Vuores in which stormwater is treated in an organic and controlled way. The stormwater management system in Vuores is in fact the largest and most efficient one in Finland.89 Also the construction of a bridge over a nearby lake evoked strong opinions among the citizens of Tampere. However, the bridge was eventually built to connect the district to the centre of Tampere. Lessons learnt There are some new innovations in Vuores, such as an underground waste collection system. Because the Vuores area is still under construction it is not yet known whether this system will work out and pay off the way it was supposed to. There is also going to be an efficient broadband connection (100/100 mbit) in all the residential houses functioning on an open access method. The broadband connection enables to create a common portal for the whole district, which can promote the sense of community in the area.90

84

Vyrynen (2010). 85

Vehmas (2004). 86

3T (2012). 87

Tamminen (2012b). 88

FCG Planeko Oy (2008). 89

Tamminen (2012b). 90

Tamminen (2012b).

29




Construction completed: 2020 (estimated)




Skaftkrr Porvoo, Finland

Picture: Pyry Finland Oy, Arkkitehdit Anttila & Rusanen Oy

Photo: Blom Ilmakuva 2011

30

Skaftkrr in the city Porvoo, Finland, is going to be an energy-efficient district. All buildings, services, surroundings and transport solutions are planned to be energy-efficient. The Skaftkrr housing area comprises an area of about 400 hectares, and it is located about 3 kilometres east from the city centre. There will be more than 1,000 dwellings and approximately 7,000 residents in the area and they will have different housing options from detached houses to high-rise apartments. The outline plan for the district was ready in 2010, and the construction is planned to take place during 20122020. Objectives Skaftkrr is planned to be an energy-efficient residential area where energy-efficiency will be integrated in all phases of spatial planning. There are many objectives in the Skaftkrr project. The central objectives of the project can be listed as follows:91

to become a pilot area of energy efficient town planning that is a good model for other national and international sustainable areas

to develop guidelines for energy efficiency in urban planning

to organize a Living Lab that continuously seeks improved ways of achieving energy efficiency

to create a platform for the municipal energy company to apply low-energy building activities

to boost energy efficiency in construction

to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for fighting climate change. A comprehensive project called Skaftkrrs energy-efficient city district has been carried out in Porvoo, and the main goal of the project was to find out if city planning could affect the energy efficiency of a residential area.92 Various ways of using energy solutions and the effects of these solutions on town planning were studied during the project. These studies were made by using international examples and comparing different alternatives, and the result was a new outline plan of Skaftkrr. 93 The old outline plan for the area from 2007 (a so called 0+ alternative) was used as a Business As Usual model in the comparative study. Thus, the 0+ alternative was used as a basis for the study and for the comparison of different alternatives. Calculations were made for the 0+ alternative and sensitivity studies were performed, after which four different models (M1M4) were formulated. These models were made up of alternative urban structural designs, energy production methods and transport solutions.94 A program (Infra.net) measuring the cost of the different scenarios (M1M4) was used in order to calculate the infrastructure costs of the project. Each of the models had different plans for the infrastructure of the district including different technological solutions, and the total costs of different models varied between 15 million and 38 million. The costs per resident were between 2,500 and 6,300.95

91

Skaftkrr (2011). 92

Lytnen (2012). 93

Sitra (2010). 94

Sitra (2010). 95

Sitra (2010).

Location of Skaftkrr in Porvoo. (Picture: City of Porvoo)

31

Other analyses carried out for the Skaftkrr outline plan include:96

Spatial structure and costs District-level energy consumption and solutions

District-level energy production and solutions

Traffic and environmental impacts

Services and social environment

Way of building and new forms of energy

New ways of working.

The overall goal for energy production in Porvoo is that 90% of the energy used in 2015 would be renewable energy. Energy impacts are being researched regarding various aspects such as the impacts on municipal and residents costs, greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. District heating was considered clearly the best alternative for sustainable energy production, including both the environmental impacts and costs.97 Thus the district was decided to be connected to a district heating network. Also the pros and cons of a solar district heating power plant have been studied in the Skaftkrr project. The district will be connected to a district heating system, which will possibly be based on solar energy. This solar district heating system is planned to be implemented in Porvoo.98 With this innovation the heat production of Skaftkrr would become carbon neutral on an annual basis.99 Public transport will be an important part of the traffic system in Skaftkrr. Different alternatives have been studied and it remains to be seen how the public transport network will look like when the district is ready. Cycling is also going to be promoted in Skaftkrr, and the means of doing this are being analysed. Plans include covering the lanes with solar panels and building high-speed bicycle lanes between Skaftkrr, the city centre of Porvoo and the services nearby. In Skaftkrr there will possibly be roads for public transport, as well, meaning that they are open to light traffic and buses but not to private cars. Also other sustainable solutions such as organic stormwater management and local sewage treatment will be paid attention to in Skaftkrr. There will also be high-quality recreation possibilities for the residents.

96

Skaftkrr (2011). 97

Skaftkrr (2011). 98

Wackstrm (2012). 99

Skaftkrr (2011).

Illustration of the outline plan. (Picture: City of Porvoo)

32

Partners & roles The planning of the Skaftkrr area is done in cooperation with the municipality and many other parties such as the energy producers, construction companies and future inhabitants.100 The project is coordinated by the development company Posintra Oy. Ministry of the Environment and Uusimaa Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY-keskus) are also involved in the projects steering group activities.101 Financing structure The Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, the City of Porvoo and the energy company Porvoon Energia are the main investors of the Skaftkrr development. Results The project has already been successful in producing new information about how municipalities can use spatial planning to improve the energy efficiency of an area. New calculating models for improving the decision-making processes in spatial planning have also been created. In the Skaftkrr project there was an extensive comparative study carried out before the actualisation of detailed plans. The study consisted of an evaluation of the impacts of alternative solutions on the level of energy efficiency and the goal was to find out, which solutions would decrease the emissions produced the most. As a result of the study, transport, energy efficiency of buildings and the ways of producing energy turned out to be the most significant factors in decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide emissions in the area. Also the choice of construction materials used can substantially affect the level of carbon dioxide emissions produced.102 Compared to the old planning systems, the consumption of primary energy in Skaftkrr is cut by 38% and the CO2 emissions by 30%. In the case of the implementation of the planned solar district heating system the emissions could be further reduced.103 The research work done for the Skaftkrr outline plan proves that town planning can be in an important role in improving the energy efficiency of an urban area as well as in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Town planning impacts the development of regional and urban structures of regions and municipalities, and thus it can have a big impact on energy consumption and transport emissions by influencing the need for transport and mobility. In addition, town planning can address energy efficiency through implementing better energy production modes and using energy efficient solutions and ecological material in buildings. Therefore energy efficiency and carbon balance calculations should be included in spatial planning processes and impact assessments of plans.104 The Skaftkrr project demonstrates that even though energy efficient solutions have their costs, the smaller carbon footprints that these solutions have can reduce residential costs significantly. In the same manner, even though spatial planning can be an expensive process, it can reduce the costs of implementation in projects.105 Challenges The challenges of Skaftkrr include putting high and ambitious goals into practice. Good solutions found in the research projects, for example, should be transferred into reality in order to actually make a difference. Also the fact that people may have different attitudes and opinions on the new project can be challenging. Cooperation of all the partners involved throughout the whole project is a very important aspect which should be stressed as well.106

100

Sustainable Cities (2011). 101

Skaftkrr (2011). 102

Porvoon kaupunki et al. (2012). 103


Sitra (2010). 105


Lytnen (2012).

33

Lessons learnt A lot of research work has been done in the Skaftkrr project to find alternative solutions for how to impact the energy efficiency and carbon footprint of a residential area. There have also been some calculations of the costs of low-carbon and energy efficient solutions, and it is clear that there will be some additional costs both to the city and to the residents compared to traditional building. However, the costs of living may turn out to be lower in the long run because of a lower carbon footprint.107 The Skaftkrr project has even shown that if the planning of all new city districts would be executed in the same way as in Skaftkrr, the savings for the municipalities would be as much as 2 billion by the year 2020.108 The cooperation of city planners and energy authorities has proved to be essential for the planning of Skaftkrr. It is estimated that in the future this cooperative way of planning will become even more common in city planning, for energy efficiency is gradually becoming an integral part of sustainable construction and living.109

107

Sitra (2010). 108

Schoultz (2012). 109

Sitra (2010).

34




Construction completed: 2018 (estimated)




Hammarby Sjstad Stockholm, Sweden

Photo: Lennart Johansson, City of Stockholm

Photo: Lennart Johansson, City of Stockholm

35

Hammarby Sjstad is a new environmentally-friendly residential development located near the inner city of Stockholm, Sweden. The district that was previously an industrial and a harbour area has now been converted into one of the worlds most recognized sustainable urban areas. There are around 10,000 specialists and policymakers visiting Hammarby Sjstad every year.110 Hammarby Sjstad is expected to be fully built by 2018, and by then the 200 hectare area will have 11,500 dwellings for approximately 26,000 people. All in all, about 35,000 people will live and work in the area. The district is the largest urban development project in Stockholm for many years.111 Originally Hammarby Sjstads redevelopment was supposed to be a part of Stockholms bid to host the Summer Olympic Games in 2004. However, after the bid failed the city authorities decided to

continue with the plans and create a pilot project of sustainable housing development.112 Because of its good location and proximity to the city centre, the area was attractive for this purpose, and the city purchased the privately owned land at above market value prices.113 After the purchase of the land a master plan for the infrastructure of the project was drawn. This plan included new public transport lines, district heating and cooling and an underground waste collection system.114 The solutions for water treatment, heat production and waste-treatment were part of the large scale solutions for the city of Stockholm at large, that have been developed over many decades.115 The City of Stockholm has been investing, e.g., in finding new and renewable energy sources already for a long time, and has been adopting the use of district heating for heating of buildings.116

Building of the development started in 1994 and it will continue until 2018. As the district used to be a polluted industrial site until the end of the 1990s, a throughout soil de-contamination had to be done before the construction work could start.117 Objectives One of the main targets in the planning phase of Hammarby Sjstad was that the environmental impact of the district should be 50% lower than it would be with the technology level used in 1990s. Another important goal was that the residents would produce half of the energy that they consumed, which refers to the energy bought to heat and operate the buildings.118,119 In order to achieve these objectives, the infrastructure systems for water, sewage and waste management, and energy and

110

GlashusEtt (2007). 111

Stockholms stad (2012a). 112

Future Communities (2009). 113

Solaripedia (2007). 114


Cederquist (2012b). 116

Hammarby Sjstad (2007). 117



Future Communities (2009).

Location of Hammarby Sjstad in Stockholm. (Picture: City of Stockholm)

Environmental map of Hammarby Sjstad. (Picture: City of Stockholm)

36

heating were designed as closed loop systems that would feed each other and decrease the amount of energy needed for functioning.120 The overall goal for energy use was set at 60 kWh/m/year which was quite low compared to the Swedish standard of approximately 270 kWh/m/year.121 All of the produced energy was designed to come from renewable energy sources, and as much as 80% of the energy was planned to be produced from waste. All of the waste and waste water coming from the residential area was planned to be recycled and turned into renewable energy.122 Water consumption per person was aimed to be reduced by 60%, landfill waste by 90% and all the waste produced by 40%.123 A 15% reduction by weight in the amount of domestic waste generated between 2005 and 2010 was also intended. Environmental consideration and the vast usage of sustainable materials and eco-certified products in development of the area for environmental and health protection reasons was also part of the plan.124 Another important issue that was taken into account in the eco-friendly city district of Hammarby Sjstad was public transport. The objectives regarding transport and mobility were the following:125

80% of travelling would be made by public transport, by cycling or on foot by 2010

At least 15% of the households would be using the services of a carpool by 2010

At least 5% of the workplaces in the district would have car-sharing membership by 2010

100% of heavy transportation would meet environmental zone requirements Other goals of the project included citizen involvement which would form a key aspect of social sustainability in Hammarby Sjstad. Also the general attractiveness of the district and the creation of green sustainable spaces were important since the beginning of the planning process.126

Partners & roles The development of Hammarby Sjstad was supervised by the City Development Administration and the City Planning Administration of Stockholm. These city authority departments collaborated with architecture firms and building contractors that consisted of private and public companies.127 These companies included 41 developers and 29 architectural firms in total.128 The large amount of building companies involved in the project created competition for leading products and thus stimulated driving up of the standards.129

120


Poldermans (2006). 122

Energy Cities (2008c). 123



Stockholms stad (2012a). 126



Stockholms stad (2012b). 129

Future Communities (2009).

Buildings in Hammarby Sjstad. (Photo: Lennart Johansson, City of Stockholm)

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The City of Stockholm has had control over the land in Hammarby Sjstad. The land is mostly leased out by developers, and only in few cases the sites were sold to other parties. The City has taken responsibility in making the required investments and preparations of the land as well, such as cleaning contaminated soil. Also infrastructure of the area is partly provided by the public sector including public transport, roads, district heating, electricity and water- and waste treatment.130 Financing structure The investors of the Hammarby Sjstad project include the City of Stockholm, Stockholm Transport, the National Road Administration and private funding. The citys financial support accounts for around 15% of the overall investments. The overall private investments of the Hammarby Sjstad project have been estimated to sum up to over 3 billion and the public investments to around 0.5 billion.131,132

A small part of the citys investment, approximately SEK 200 million, was received from the national government through the Local Investment Program (LIP). LIP was a subsidy granted for municipalities which were aiming to adopt new sustainable solutions, and Stockholms environmental programmes got their share of LIPs funds, too.133 The city will get revenues from the project mainly through land lease and taxes, while the private parties involved will benefit from the good location of the district and the popularity it has gained. The completed houses in Hammarby Sjstad have mostly been sold at inner city prices. The public sector revenues are allocated by the municipality back to the citizens as budget for services and new investments.134 Results The objective of cutting the environmental footprint by half demanded new environmental solutions, and an efficient methodology based on interdisciplinary work and decision making was adapted. As a result, the Hammarby Model, a unique eco-cycle describing the environmental solutions used for energy, waste, water and sewage was created in Stockholm.135 The Model was developed by the Stockholm Water Company, the energy company Fortum and the City of Stockholm Waste Management Administration.136

130

Cederquist (2012a). 131



Solaripedia (2007). 134


Stockholms stad (2012). 136

Poldermans (2006).

The Hammarby Model. (Picture: City of Stockholm)

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Implementations and practices that have contributed considerably to the reduction in environmental impact in Hammarby Sjstad include water, sewage, heating, technical services for the houses and the construction materials used in the buildings. However, the single most important factor reducing the environmental impact for the area has been a reduction in the use of personal transport. Private car usage has decreased while the use of public transport has clearly increased.137 The energy of the district is produced by renewable energy sources, biogas products and purified waste heat. District heating produced either from the reuse of waste or from the process of waste water treatment is supplied to the entire district. There is a large scale vacuum waste transport system in Hammarby Sjstad, comprising 12,000 apartments and other facilities. Waste is sorted thoroughly and combustible garbage is processed and used for both electricity and hot water. After this the process is being taken even further while the remaining cold water from the process can be used for district cooling.138,139 Also other solutions for energy supply are being tested in the district. For example solar cells have been placed in several buildings to generate electricity to the buildings, and also some solar panels have been installed to contribute to the buildings hot water requirement. In addition, a fuel cell running on biogas was installed in the areas Environmental Information Centre, but has been later removed.140,141 Other new solutions include an extremely effici

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