cities demonstrate energy and climate change … · 2011-12-12 · cities demonstrate energy and...

www.concertoplus.eu

CONCERTO is a European Commission Initiative

within the research framework programme

CITIES DEMONSTRATE ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY

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01 // CONCERTOMAP

CONCERTO IS CO-FUNDED BYTHE EUROPEAN COMMISSION UNDERTHE FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME

CURRENT PARTICIPATING CONCERTO COUNTRIES

TETRA ENER

Genève (CH)

STACCATO

Amsterdam (NL)Óbuda (Budapest, HU)

Sofia (BG)

SORCER

Apeldoorn (NL)Hillerød (DK)

SESAC

Delft (NL)Grenoble (FR)

Växjö (SE)

SERVE

Serve region (IR)

SEMS

Redange (LU)Słubice (PL)

Tulln (AT)Weilerbach (DE)

RENAISSANCE

Lyon (FR)Zaragoza (ES)

REMINING-LOWEX

Heerlen (NL)Zagorje (SL)

POLYCITY

Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona, ES)Ostfildern (Stuttgart, DE)

Torino (IT)

HOLISTIC

Dundalk (IR)Mödling (AT)Neuchâtel (CH)

GREEN SOLARCITIES

Lehen (Salzburg,AT)Valby (København, DK)

ENERGY IN MINDS!

Falkenberg (SE)Neckarsulm (DE)Weiz Gleisdorf (AT)Zlín (CZ)

ECOSTILLER

Amsterdam (NL)Måbjerg (DK)Lambeth (London, UK)

ECO-CITY

Helsingborg (SE)Helsingør (DK)Trondheim (NO)Tudela (ES)

CRRESCENDO

Almere (NL)Ajaccio (FR)Milton Keynes (UK)Viladecans (Barcelona, ES)

CONCERTO AL PIANO

Alessandria (IT)

CLASS 1

Stenløse (DK)

ACT2

Hannover (DE)Nantes (FR)

CURRENTLY ACTIVE PROJECTS IN EACH COUNTRY:CURRENTLY ACTIVE PROJECTS IN EACH COUNTRY:

Austria (AT)Bulgaria (BG)

Switzerland (CH)Czech Republic (CZ)

Germany (DE)Denmark (DK)

Spain (ES)France (FR)

Hungary (HU)Ireland (IR)

Italy (IT)Luxembourg (LU)Netherlands (NL)

Norway (NO)Poland (PL)

Sweden (SE)Slovenia (SL)

United Kingdom (UK)

CONTENTS // 02

03 EDITORIAL04 INTRODUCTION

05 What we do06 What is unique?07 What is CONCERTO Plus?08 Where we are09 Our target groups

10 CONCERTO COUNTRIES10-13 (AT) Austria

Salzburg (Green SolarCities) Mödling (HOLISTIC)Tulln (SEMS) Weiz Gleisdorf (energy in minds!)

14 (BG) BulgariaSofia (STACCATO)

15-16 (CH) SwitzerlandGeneva (Tetra Ener) Neuchâtel (HOLISTIC)

17 (CZ) Czech RepublicZlín (energy in minds!)

18-21 (DE) GermanyWeilerbach (SEMS) Hannover (act2),Neckarsulm (energy in minds!) Ostfildern (POLYCITY)

22-26 (DK) DenmarkStenløse (Class1) Valby (København) (Green Solar Cities),Hillerød (SORCER) Helsingør (ECO-City) Mäbjerg (ECOSTILER)

27-30 (ES) SpainViladecans (cRRescendo) Tudela (ECO-City),Cerdanyola del Vallès (POLYCITY) Zaragoza (RENAISSANCE)

31-34 (FR) FranceNantes (act2) Ajaccio (cRRescendo),Lyon (RENAISSANCE) Grenoble (SESAC)

35 (HU) HungaryBudapest (STACCATO)

36-37 (IR) IrelandDundalk (HOLISTIC) Serve region (SERVE)

38-39 (IT) ItalyAlessandria (CONCERTO AL Piano) Torino (POLYCITY)

40 (LU) LuxembourgRedange (SEMS)

41-46 (NL) NetherlandsApeldoorn (SORCER) Amsterdam (STACCATO),Heerlen (REMINING-LOWEX) Almere (cRRescendo),Amsterdam (ECOSTILER) Delft (SESAC)

47 (NO) NorwayTrondheim (ECO-City)

48 (PL) PolandSłubice (SEMS)

49-51 (SE) SwedenHelsingborg (ECO-City) Falkenberg (energy in minds!)Växjö (SESAC)

52 (SL) SloveniaZagorje (REMINING-LOWEX)

53-54 (UK) United KingdomMilton Keynes (cRRescendo) London (ECOSTILER)

55 GENERAL INFORMATION55-56 Map of associated communities57 Contact details - project coordinators58 Disclaimer

CONCERTO INITIATIVE

The projects are realised over defined geographical areas and concentrate on both

innovative technologies and on innovative technology mixed approaches. They put a

strong emphasis on the integrative approach to achieve solutions which most effectively

reduce CO2 emissions in the best economical way.

A CONCERTO community is formed by bringing together a multi disciplinary group of

actors including building owners and users, architects, construction companies,

technologists, utilities; energy agencies, financiers and other stakeholders. A typical

community has a clear social and decision making structure. A project includes an

energy strategy so that the planned improvements can be monitored and measured

leading to a unique database of real life examples within the coming years.

The CONCERTO initiative provides a platform to share experiences on the

internationally most advanced concepts and technologies for eco-buildings, and to

assess the potential of different policy measures. CONCERTO also offers city planners

new approaches for the design, construction and operation of buildings.

Due to first hand experiences, a great deal of success has already been achieved.

So far 45 CONCERTO communities have been created in 18 countries. A growing

number of actors are involved in CONCERTO projects. In addition citizens are

becoming increasingly convinced of the benefits of the initiative.

I wish you a stimulating read of this brochure!

Fabrizio Barbaso, Deputy Director General for Energy, European Commission

EDITORIAL

03 // EDITORIAL


CONCERTO INITIATIVE

INTRODUCTION // 04

THE CONCERTO INITIATIVE

The CONCERTO initiative sets a powerful example of howthe concept of low-energy neighbourhoods combined withsustainable energy supply can be realised on a Europeanscale.

Following a strong commitment within the European Commission to encourage the reduction in

the use of fossil fuel and to actively contribute to meet the goals of the climate actions plans and

the 20 / 20 / 20 targets, CONCERTO implements key innovative and integrative actions in the

building and energy sector to reach the goal of sustainable communities – with the strong

expectation for replication.

The CONCERTO initiative was created to promote the integration of energy efficiency measures

and renewable energy systems to encourage the development of sustainable cities through the

implementation of innovative technologies, and set the foundations for a more sustainable

European energy policy.

Launched and co-funded by the European Commission under the 6th and 7th Framework

Programme the CONCERTO initiative currently comprises 45 communities in 18 different

projects in 18 European countries.

CONCERTO implements key innovative andintegrative actions in the building and energy sectorsto reach the goal of sustainable communities

© COPYRIGHT SMRUZ (Zaragoza)

CONCERTO INITIATIVE

05 // INTRODUCTION


The implementation measures are accompanied by research in the field of energy

technologies, energy management, monitoring, pay-back assessments as well as socio-

economic and policy analysis. CONCERTO has a strong emphasis on both innovative

technologies and on their integration schemes and addresses technological as well as social,

economical and organisational issues. A typical CONCERTO community, which must be

located in a well-defined geographical zone, has a clear social and decision making structure,

and its energy strategy is defined at the beginning of the project in such a way that the

planned improvements can be monitored.

Typical communities include new urban developments and existing neighbourhoods in a city

and focus both on housing (including social housing) and the tertiary sector.

The CONCERTO initiative includes also rural communities where activities are distributed

over the whole territory.

THE CONCERTO COMMUNITIES

Each community addresses its own specific needs anddevelops solutions for a variety of measures which includethe refurbishment of existing buildings, the construction ofhighly efficient eco-buildings, energy systems usingrenewable energy sources to supply whole districts withenergy from renewable energy sources - thus significantlyreducing the use of fossil fuels and CO2 emissions.

Lyon © DEPAULE/PAD/ASYLUM pour SPLA Lyon Confluence

© Mats Samuelsson

WHATWE DO

THE UNIQUECONCERTOAPPROACH

Even though the individual communities all show a variety ofunique elements, the concept of all communities is built onthe same basis: the innovative integration of energyefficiency measures in buildings and the use of renewableenergy sources to cover the energy demand of buildings,neighbourhoods and whole cities in the most sustainableway. This is complemented by research, training andmonitoring in order to strongly enhance the replication aswell as the ‘lessons learned’ factor.

This common concept, instead of focusing on individual technologies, puts a strong emphasis on

the integrative approach to achieve solutions which most effectively reduce CO2 emissions.The

initiative is unique in applying an integrative approach based on new planning and implementation

mechanisms in 45 communities across Europe and is consequently acting as an enormous

multiplier in innovative actions. The additional value of the initiative lies in the comparability in

terms of the technical monitoring data and the socio-economical assessment - based on the

analysis carried out by the accompanying project CONCERTO Plus, the technical monitoring, as

well as socio-economic results from the demonstration actions of all communities will deliver

credible and valuable research data. From this analysis, questions like ‘What pool of technologies

can be most efficiently applied under which climatic conditions and for which type of community?’

can be answered. Together with a detailed policy analysis, the CONCERTO initiative will thus

provide invaluable answers to relevant stakeholders in the construction industry as well as to

policy and decision makers across Europe.

To implement these integrated concepts, the CONCERTO communities innovate in the decision

making and implementation processes.All relevant stakeholders, from urban and energy planning

departments of municipalities to energy service companies and project developers, collaborate

towards the realisation of sustainable neighbourhoods.

CONCERTO INITIATIVE WHAT IS UNIQUE?

INTRODUCTION // 06

The initiative isunique in applyingan integrativeapproach based onnew planning andimplementationmechanisms in 45communitiesacross Europe andis consequentlyacting as anenormousmultiplier ininnovative actions.

Zaragoza © EVZ + Sociedad Municipal ZaragozaVivienda

CONCERTO INITIATIVE WHAT IS CONCERTO PLUS?

07 // INTRODUCTION


To highlight the initiative on a European andnational level, CONCERTO Plus developed astrong corporate identity through a series ofdissemination tools and continuously spreadsthe information and latest findings duringconferences and other relevant events. Inorder to help the European Union achieve itsgoals concerning the emission levels, use ofrenewables and energy efficiency targets, it isimportant to maximise the promotion of thebest practice examples and approaches whichhave already proved their efficiency for largescale replication.

CONCERTO Plus dissemination continuouslyensures that the CONCERTO projects gainvisibility and distribute the knowledge aboutthe lessons learnt on a wider, European level,reaching important stakeholders in allMember States of the European Union.Dissemination is not limited to the countrieswhere the existing CONCERTOcommunities are located. All disseminationmaterials are published in several European

languages, ensuring that wide stakeholdergroups are reached.

The platform also promotes regional, nationaland European networks by fosteringknowledge and information exchange acrossall CONCERTO communities, thus bringingexperts and expertise together to benefitfrom the accumulated knowledge within theinitiative.

Knowledge exchange is also enhancedthrough the cooperation with otherEuropean initiatives and actions in this field toensure that the CONCERTO findings areincluded in important new standards anddirectives such as the EPBD (EnergyPerformance of Buildings Directive).

The technical analysis as well as the socio-economical analysis form another corner-stone of the project: CONCERTO Plusdeveloped, based on the expected results,common methodologies to combine an

unified approach the first findings andmonitoring results from all communities thusallowing a detailed analysis of the appliedtechnologies and innovative measures.

CONCERTO Plus will thus, together with theprojects, set new standards for sustainablecommunities. Through a series of examples,supported with facts and figures to act asreference for projects to come, it aims toaddress the barriers which the constructionsector currently faces to move towards amore integrative approach and the vitalinclusion of energy and sustainability in everyaspect of the building sector.

Based on the findings of the detailed technicaland socio-economic analysis of theCONCERTO communities, CONCERTOPlus will provide policy recommendations onEuropean, national and regional level todisseminate the vision of the initiative.

ADDEDVALUE THROUGH CONCERTO PLUSThe CONCERTO Plus project supports all individual projects, communities andstakeholders under a common umbrella.The main aim of CONCERTO Plus is to maximisethe impact of the initiative by providing common frameworks for dissemination,networking, technical and socio-economical analysis as well as policy recommendationsacross all CONCERTO communities.

Trondheim © Dagfinn Bell, COWI Norway

CONCERTO INITIATIVE

FIRST FINDINGS OFTHE CONCERTO INITIATIVEA preliminary analysis of the CONCERTO actions shows that the CONCERTOcommunities will achieve a significant reduction in the use of fossil fuel through energyefficiency measures whilst increasing the amount of renewable energy used: the 45CONCERTO communities are expected to save approximately 90,000tCO2 per yearthrough energy efficiency measures alone. In addition they are generating electricity fromrenewable energy of about 200GWh per year (corresponding to 125,000tCO2) and heatingenergy from renewable energy sources of about 340GWh per year (corresponding to105,000tCO2). Altogether the predicted reduction in CO2 emissions per year across theCONCERTO communities amounts to about 320,000tCO2 which is comparable to:`All the population of the country of Luxembourg switching to a CO2 neutral electricity provider*

WHEREWE ARE

INTRODUCTION // 08

The technologies used in the communities varystrongly according to the local environmental andplanning conditions: solar applications are used inalmost all communities and vary between large andsmall scale solar thermal applications, solar aircollectors and large or small scale PV applications.District heating applications involve mostly biomassor biogas CHP (combined heat and power) orheating plants and large scale solar thermal fieldsconnected to district heating networks. In thecooling sector, sorption cooling technologies drivenby solar energy, district heating or exhaust gas aswell as ground coupled and exhaust air heat pumpsare used in many projects. Some communities focuson wind applications, small scale hydro plants,Stirling engines, and the use of waste-to-energytechnologies. There are also research anddemonstration activities in the field of storage(seasonal or daily storage of electricity or heatingenergy). In the field of energy efficiency the focus is

mainly on large scale refurbishment and theintegration of all activities is supported bycomprehensive monitoring campaigns andcommunity energy management systems to ensurethe balance between energy demand and supply.

The accompanying socio-economic activities suchas assessment of improvement of quality of life orincrease in local employment are carried out in thecommunities to explain the CONCERTO measuresand to involve the citizens. The success of thesemeasures is crucial in order to increase theacceptance and contribute to the goals of theinitiative. Preliminary analysis confirm that thecitizens in the CONCERTO communitiesappreciate the changes brought about by theCONCERTO initiative, are positive about theperceived effects of the proposed developments,have positive attitudes towards the plannedmeasures because of expected economic benefits

and costs and foresee the stimulation of the localeconomy through new services, the possibility fornew jobs and the increase in the regionalattractiveness. This shows that based on the firstfindings, CONCERTO creates a win-win situationfor the environment, the citizens and businesses.

From a policy perspective, the CONCERTOcommunities succeed in implementing energyperformance standards (also in the private sector)which are on average 30 percent more ambitiousthan those required locally despite of policybarriers (national building codes or lack ofcompetence on building and energy sector at locallevel). On the financing aspects, communities usemostly public and private partnership financingmodels. The different implementation processesand their performance are currently being assessedand solutions will be formulated in terms of energypolicy recommendations.

* Reference: (average value for domestic electricity consumption: 1,000 kWhel/pers)

CONCERTO INITIATIVE OURTARGET GROUPS

09 // INTRODUCTION


WHOWILL BENEFIT FROMTHE FINDINGS?

The project puts strong emphasis on the importance of theparticipation of local utilities, industries, energy agencies andprofessional associations, and ensures that local authorities(municipalities) and policy making leaders of thecommunities are fully committed to its implementation.

The gained experience together with detailed energy efficiency assessments and payback

appraisals should define the path for a new outlook on the construction industry, the local energy

planning in communities and European energy policy. At the heart of the CONCERTO initiative

lays the aspiration to become a living example of how sustainability can be successfully integrated

into environmental, social and – despite all doubts – economical parameters of our communities.

© Sociedad Municipal ZaragozaVivienda S.L.U.

CONCERTO AUSTRIA

CONCERTO AUSTRIA

In Austria the building regulations as well as the EPBD requirements are implementedat the level of the single federal states.Therefore differences can be observed betweenthe federal states, as this legal framework provides the possibility for regional decisionmakers to position their own federal state as leader with regard to energy efficiencymeasures and use of renewable energy sources.This aspect can be an explanation forthe high motivation and success of the Austrian communities in participating in theCONCERTO initiative, but also for the high variety of project typologies: rural areaswith agricultural focus, rich urban suburbs and urban regeneration projects focusing onsocial integration aspects.

Due to the advantageous geographic situation of Austria,with vast biomass and hydraulic resources, the

electricity demand of the country can be covered byapproximately 50 percent of locally available renewableenergy sources. However in the last years, the supportmechanism for electricity from renewable energy sources,the so-called Green Electricity Act (“Ökostromgesetz”) hasonly been in favor of some of these technologies. Therefore,the Austrian CONCERTO communities have been focusingmainly on a large scale use of solar thermal collectors andbiomass resources, both from wood processing activities(wood chips and pellets) and from agriculture: in rural areasmainly in a decentralised way and in densely settled areasin direct connection to district heating.

The Green Electricity Act is currently under revision andthere are high expectations towards a stronger support inthe future. The Austrian CONCERTO communities are alsocharacterised by a large number of new buildings in passivehouse quality and a significant success of thermalrefurbishment actions in the residential sector, both in one-family houses and in apartment buildings. In some federalstates the financial support given by the government islinked to the energy performance level reached afterrefurbishment which gives a motivation for investors. Lastbut not least, many CONCERTO buildings in Austria focuson the general quality of the construction with a particularfocus on ecological construction materials.

AUSTRIA // 10


LEHEN CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORInge Strassl, Alpenstrasse 47; 5020 Salzburg, Austria T: + 43 662 623455 E: [email protected]

This means there is spacefor around 400 newapartments, plus socialand commercial facilities.

There is also scope for a large scale solarthermal plant, which will cover 2,000m2.Redeveloped Lehen will be powered to a largeextent by the sun. The capacity offered by thePV plant will be combined with solar panelsbeing built into both new and refurbishedbuildings.

As well as providing lighting and airconditioning, energy from the sun will be fedinto the municipal district heating grid. Notably,a heat pump is being built into the solar grid,meaning much larger amounts of heat can betransferred than would otherwise be possible.This is the main innovation of the project inLehen. Integration of the heat pump increasesthe efficiency of the solar plant, thus building onthe benefit the district takes from the sun'snatural energy.

The solar power initiative will combine with arange of energy efficiency measures such asinsulation and low-energy house design. Inaddition, care is being taken over trafficmanagement, planning of green spaces, andbetter mobility arrangements for newapartments – all of which will combine to keepthe sun shining on Lehen.

11 // AUSTRIA

MÖDLING - PART OFTHE HOLISTIC PROJECT

Mödling is a pleasant town of nearly 25,000 people, 14kilometres to the south of Vienna. Many of its inhabitants work inthe Austrian capital, and Mödling's objective is to stay clean andgreen, and to be a good place for children to grow up. To this end,Mödling has committed itself to reducing its greenhouse gasemissions by 50 percent by 2010 compared to 1990. Themunicipality is a member of the Climate Alliance, an associationof 1,400 towns and cities dedicated to fighting global warming.

Saved in the CONCERTO buildings: Generated locally from RES:375 MWh/yr 12 MWh/yr

Saved in the CONCERTO buildings: Generated locally from RES:4,060 MWh/yr* 1,025 MWh/yr*

EXPECTED CO2 EMISSIONS SAVEDTHROUGH CONCERTOINITIATIVE: 1,800 tCO2/yr

Estimated population affected by CONCERTO: 3,210

ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF ELECTRICITY:

ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF HEATING ENERGY:

LEHEN - PART OFTHE GREEN SOLAR CITIESPROJECTLehen is an area to the north of the centre of Salzburg. It isdensely populated, with some 15,000 inhabitants, many ofwhom live in energy inefficient buildings built between the1950s and 1970s.

Lehen is ripe for redevelopment: the football stadium, formerhome of SV Austria Salzburg, was pulled down in 2006, while inthe centre of the district there is a 43,000m2 site which waspreviously the base for the municipal energy supplier.

Forecast;The assumptions for the CO2 calculation can be found on page 58* Figure given after conversion into heating energy

CONCERTO AUSTRIA

MÖDLING CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORMichael Heidenreich, Ferchergasse 13/24, A-1170 Vienna, Austria, T: +43 699 1101 2978, E: [email protected]

AUSTRIA // 12

The project will add to theefficiency of the biomass-

based district heating system by insulatingbuildings connected to the grid.

By refurbishing these homes and otherbuildings, Tulln will reduce the demands on thedistrict heating system and will thus be able toconnect new buildings to it without increasingthe heating power of the oven.

In addition, new cogeneration capacity will beinstalled based on plant oil. Tulln hasagricultural surroundings and is known forusing energy crops. Regionally producedbiofuel is already used in tractors andagricultural vehicles; through SEMS it will beused to produce heat and electricity. Tulln alsoplans to increase its renewable energy output

by installing solar thermal collectors. Some ofthe energy thus produced will be distributed tothe benefit of local non-profit organisations.

A Decentralised Energy Management System(DEMS) will be put in place to better integratethe energy efficiency and renewable energymeasures.



EXPECTED CO2 EMISSIONS SAVEDTHROUGH CONCERTOINITIATIVE: 1819.73 tCO2/yr

Estimated population affected by CONCERTO: 14500



The project's objectiveis to cut emissions by11 percent per year

through a combination of energy efficiencymeasures and installing renewable energycapacity.

A key aspect of the project in Mödling is the useof combined heat and power (CHP): thesimultaneous generation of usable heat andpower (usually electricity) in a single process.Heat generated during the power productionprocess is recovered and can be used forheating water, or for general heating or coolingof buildings.

In Mödling, CHP capacity will be based on woodgas and biogas. Two plants are being installedbased on the former, and one based on thelatter. These, combined with an integrated PVsystem built into an eco-built office facility, willsubstantially increase the supply of renewableenergy within Mödling's urban environment.

Of course, maximising emission reductionsmeans combining new sources of energy withefficiency measures, so that waste is minimised.In Mödling's demonstration zone – home to3,600 of the town's inhabitants – residential andnon-residential buildings as well as street-lighting are being refurbished, reducing energyconsumption by 30 percent.

Innovative use is being made of load-levelling tomanage power demand at supermarketwarehouses – ensuring that all of Mödling'sinhabitants and businesses contribute to thetown's green goals.Saved in the CONCERTO buildings: Generated locally from RES:

886 MWh/yr 7,060 MWh/yr

Saved in the CONCERTO buildings: Generated locally from RES:756 MWh/yr* 3,300 MWh/yr*





TULLN - PART OFTHE SEMS PROJECT

Tulln, a town of 14,000 people on the river Danube in Lower Austria, has an excellentbasis for its participation in CONCERTO. It has worked for a number of years on becomingmore sustainable and on reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. It has a biomass-baseddistrict heating system, much of its electricity comes from hydropower, and themunicipality supports private citizens who want to install solar collectors. Tulln aims toconsolidate and build on this process.




13 // AUSTRIA

WEIZ AND GLEISDORF CONTACT DETAILS LOCAL: COMMUNITY COORDINATOREwald Selvicka, Feldgasse 19, A-8200 Gleisdorf, Austria, T: +43 311 258860, F: +43 311 2588618, E: [email protected]

WEIZ AND GLEISDORF -PART OF THE ENERGY IN MINDS PROJECT

Weiz and Gleisdorf, two towns in sunny Styria in the south of Austria, are no strangers to solar power. The regionhas a reputation as a solar pioneer, with some 7.7MW of solar thermal capacity, and the highest density of solarthermal and PV systems in Austria.

Gleisdorf even features a 'Solar Tree' on its main square, achieving recognition in 1999 from EUROSOLAR, theEuropean Association for Renewable Energy.

The region is now building on itsreputation through participation inCONCERTO. The focus is on solar

thermal energy, as distinct from solarphotovoltaics. Whilst the latter converts thesun's energy into electricity, solar thermalenergy produces heat. Solar thermal collectorsare being installed in 70 homes in Weiz andGleisdorf, along with fifteen villages in thelocality, enabling provision of heating and hotwater in the households concerned.

Photovoltaics, meanwhile, are not forgotten. Afurther twenty homes are being fitted with 60kWPV systems to boost reliance on renewables inthe area. The region's rationale is that the moresolar thermal capacity it has, the lower itsgreenhouse gas emissions will be. This is a keyissue for Weiz and Gleisdorf, which aremembers of the Climate Alliance, an associationof 1,400 towns and cities committed to fightingglobal warming.

Furthermore, solar power in a number of thehomes in the region is backed up by boilersburning wood pellets. The combination of solarenergy and biomass means the households inquestion are one hundred percent supplied byrenewable energy sources. Woodchip burningdistrict heating systems are also being installed.

A concerted programme of energy efficiencymeasures makes up the CONCERTO packagein Gleisdorf and Weiz. This includes energy-surveying of more than 700 buildings, andfollow-up offers of energy efficiencyimprovement programmes for those buildingsmost in need. Other buildings are beingretrofitted for better energy use. Renewableenergy and energy efficiency are combined asWeiz and Gleisdorf strive for their definedCONCERTO goal, which is to reduce their fossilfuel consumption by 21 percent.







TULLN CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORKatharina Hauser, Minoritenplatz 1, 3430 Tulln a.d. Donau, Austria, T: +43 2272 66712 18, E: [email protected]

The DEMS will enhance energy efficiency by at least five percent, andtheoretically by as much as 25 percent. The DEMS will be implemented andoperated by the Tullnerfeld Platform for Renewable Energies (PlattformErneuerbare Energie Tullnerfeld – PEET), which is a close cooperationbetween local farmers and the regional electric power supply utility.


The blocks constructed inthe 1950s till 1980s, are usually built withconcrete, have poor thermal performance andhave wooden or metal frame windows in needof renewal. The blocks are typical of thebuildings constructed in Sofia under Bulgaria'sformer communist regime.

Some apartment owners in the blocks havealready taken steps to improve their insulation,giving apartment buildings a “patchwork”appearance. Sofia will follow a comprehensiveapproach, encouraging residents to organisethemselves in homeowners' associations, andproviding a thorough programme of externalinsulation and window renewal. Use of energyfor heating is expected to plummet bypercentages reaching over 50 percent as aresult. High summer temperatures, meanwhile,will be countered by installation of sunshades.As a consequence, it will not be necessary toinstall cooling systems in the blocks.

The formation of residents' associations is an

important step because the project is alsoinstalling common renewable energy capacity.This comprises extensive fields of solar thermalcollectors on the roofs of the apartment blocksto provide energy for water heating. Back-upgas boilers will also be installed, meaning thehot water supply to the blocks will be separatedfrom the district heating system. Thisdisconnection will not just help the residents ofthe apartment blocks – it will also significantlyimprove the efficiency of the district heatingsystem.

SOFIA CONTACT DETAILS LOCAL: COMMUNITY COORDINATORAntoaneta Yoveva, 37, Hr. Botev blvd, Sofia 1606, Bulgaria, T: +35 929 442117, E: [email protected]

SOFIA - PART OF THE STACCATO PROJECT

Energy efficiency measures in buildings in some parts of Europe must take accountof high temperatures in the summer, and low temperatures in winter. The Bulgariancapital, Sofia, experiences significant variation, with temperatures falling to belowfreezing in winter, but easily going above 30 degrees Celsius in June, July andAugust. Renovations in the Oborishte district of Sofia, being carried out under theauspices of the project, are taking account of this. The CONCERTO project isrenovating a series of multi-storey prefabricated and brick residential buildings witha total of around 400 apartments.

In Bulgaria the new legal framework supporting the development of renewable energysources has been adopted in June 2007 with several goals that concerns the diversificationof energy supply, the environmental protection, and the support for sustainable regionaland local development.

BULGARIA

CONCERTO BULGARIA

CONCERTO

BULGARIA // 14


Saved in the CONCERTO buildings: Generated locally from RES:1,829 MWh/yr* 372 MWh/yr*

EXPECTED CO2 EMISSIONS SAVEDTHROUGH CONCERTOINITIATIVE: 820 tCO2/yr




It regulates the public relations aiming to promote theproduction and use of electrical, heating and/or cooling power

generated from renewable and alternative energy sources. TheCONCERTO project “STACCATO” in Sofia is going towards thisdirection, focusing on the renewable energy sources deploymentas an essential element of the dwellings upgrading. The inclusionof a common solar thermal system is seen as the most innovativepart of the CONCERTO initiative: it will add further to reduce theCO2 emissions of the energy consumed by the tenants in theapartment blocks.

The CONCERTO project works also in bringing individualapartment owners under one entity, the Home Owners’Association offering them specific solutions in terms of financial

mechanisms and funds which will help in creating lower energyexpenses and improve the quality of live for apartment owners. Inorder to promote rational use of energy, several funds have beenintroduced in Bulgaria for residential block renovation: an EBRDinitiated credit line (REECL), a state energy effeciency fund andnational renovation programme. A separate credit line forrenewable energy (BEERECL) is available as well.

The CONCERTO project strives to test the objectives of theEnergy Efficiency Law and the (proposed) Condominium, whichcould be leading to adaptations in these laws, all in order tosmoothen the deployment of renewable energy sources andarrive at lower consumption of traditional fuel types.

Sofia © Ecofys

Sofia © Ecofys


Switzerland is organised in a decentralised way, decision power often being delegated to localand cantonal administrations. In this respect, there is no national legislation in place for thebuilding sector, leaving it to the cantons to establish the local building regulations. Generallyspeaking, Swiss citizens are very receptive to environmental issues and therefore measures toimprove environmental standards find public acceptance.

CONCERTO SWITZERLAND

GENÈVE - PART OF THE TETRAENER PROJECTOne of the first principles of sustainable living is to make the best use ofthe resources that are closest at hand. Genève is putting this principle intopractice using a resource that is right at its doorstep: the waters of LakeGenève. The lake's waters – nearly 90km3 in volume – have a convenientlyconstant temperature of eight degrees Celsius. This makes the water anideal source of energy for heating and cooling buildings of Switzerland'ssecond city.

The Swiss Energy Action Plan, launched by the FederalGovernment, includes both energy policy targets and

measures to be taken in co-operation with cantons and theprivate sector. The key areas of the plan are energyefficiency in buildings, transport, industry and therenewable energies promotion. On this background, thecantons can impose incentives or taxes to steer andpromote energy efficient behaviour and the increased useof energy from renewable sources. Genève, for example,provides a financial guarantee fund, in order to facilitatethe realisation of “risky” projects, which also has paved theway for the realisation of the CONCERTO project inGenève. On the other hand, Neuchâtel has introduced atax, based on energy consumption, devoting the funds to

the realisation of new renewable energy projects.

Furthermore, large energy consumer projects, such asboth CONCERTO projects in Genève and Neuchâtel haveto submit an energy concept to the canton. For newbuildings, a construction permit is only granted after theapproval of the energy concept. Possible synergies withother buildings in the neighbourhood are identified andexploited. Moreover, in Genève, when built, large buildingswith high energy consumption have to report (to theauthorities), on a yearly basis, an energy performanceindex that enables the detection of any deviations. Thisenvironment strongly favours the uptake and replication ofCONCERTO projects.


15 // SWITZERLAND

Saved in the CONCERTO buildings: Generated locally from RES:6,977 MWh/yr 0 MWh/yr





ESTIMATED AMOUNT OFTHERMAL ENERGY:


The Genève Lac Nationsdemonstration project isrefurbishing seven buildings

and constructing five more to take advantage ofthis renewable energy source. The existingbuildings are located in the most internationaldistrict of this famous international city, andinclude offices of the United Nations, theInternational Labour Organisation and theInternational Committee for the Red Cross.New buildings will include residential units,offices and a school.

Genève's utility provider, Services Industriels deGenève (SIG) is leading the infrastructureeffort. It is constructing a 6km network of pipesthat will carry water from the lake, through apumping system to the demonstrationbuildings. For existing buildings, a specificcontrol strategy (constant flow rate, variabletemperature) allows to supply direct cooling(most of the time) resulting in large savings onelectricity consumption. Advanced systemsthat equip new buildings, such as coolingceilings or thermo-active slabs enable an

efficient use of water for heating, through theuse of heat pumps and direct cooling. Thewater is then returned to the lake – which isbeing monitored for any impact this may have– while on the way being for Genève's gardens.

Besides heating and cooling efficiently thebuildings, the network also allows to reducepotable water consumption as the returnpipeline system will be used to water greenspaces of the area. Then, new buildings of theproject will also have other eco-aspects such asreinforced insulation and efficient HVAC(heating, ventilating and air conditioning)systems.

Perhaps more significantly, the project offerslessons for other cities located on lakes. Itpromises to be a model of sustainable resourceuse, and has demonstrated the benefits thatcan arise if energy decisions are made locally,intelligently using the resources closest athand. Indeed, this project is currentlyreplicated in a nearby lemanic town.

NEUCHÂTEL CONTACT DETAILS LOCAL: COMMUNITY COORDINATORJoëlle Hars, Cret 108a, 2314- La Sagne, Switzerland, T: +41 32 933 88 40, F: +41 329 338850, E: [email protected]

NEUCHÂTEL - PART OF THE HOLISTIC PROJECT

Neuchâtel, a town with 32,000 inhabitants by Lake Neuchâtel in thewestern cantons of Switzerland, will finalise a series of demonstrationprojects by 2012, that will put it on the path to sustainability, throughincreased renewable energy generation capacity and through the intelligentuse of that capacity.

Sun, wind and water arethe main ingredients.Neuchâtel has established

a CONCERTO district, covering 1.5km2 and4,700 people. Two PV solar plants are beinginstalled, one on the roof of a high school andone built into a new sports stadium. These willbe accompanied by a wind farm with 4MWgenerating capacity. Hydropower is also part ofthe equation, with a refit being carried out on aplant on the river Serrière, and a new plantplanned for the river Seyon.

But sustainability should be smart. Oneexample of this in Neuchâtel is the use of heatfrom waste water in the district heating system.This system is also being made more efficientwith smart demand management implementedat a new hospital, and smart heating systemsinstalled in 50 other buildings. Universitybuildings from the eighteenth century are beingrefitted to conserve energy better, as are themunicipal swimming baths. Energy savingprinciples, meanwhile, are being incorporatedin the design and construction of newbuildings.

Overall, Neuchâtel is taking an integratedapproach: energy production and consumptionmeasures that will reduce by 23 percent theuse of non-renewable energy, whilesubstantially increasing renewable energy use.Retrofitting of older buildings can make majorinroads on consumption – reducing demand bymore than two thirds.

GENÈVE CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORAlexis Mayer, 4, Rue du Puits-Saint-Pierre, C.P. 3918, 1211 Genève, T: +41 21 618 15 52, F: +41 22 327 20 94, E: [email protected]

CONCERTO SWITZERLAND

SWITZERLAND // 16

Saved in the CONCERTO buildings: Generated locally from RES:597 MWh/yr 9,741 MWh/yr






Geneva © SIG


The CONCERTO community of Zlín has the reputation of being a “City of Innovation” andintends to become the leader for renewables and rational energy use in the Czech Republic.

CONCERTO CZECH REPUBLIC

The project in Zlín is fully aligned with the government’s EnergyPolicy (approved by the Government itself) called the “greenscenario“, including energy savings, use of domestic primaryenergy sources and development of renewable energy. Thisstrategy is reviewed every two years and integrates security ofenergy supply, environmental protection, economic developmentand social advancement.

In order to meet the energy efficiency targets of the programme,the CONCERTO project involves energy checks of all private,offices and industry buildings in the demonstration area andintroduced improving supporting measures, such as the presenceof a general energy - or climate - plan, subsidies and soft loans,information and public campaigns, education, training, activities oflocal energy agencies and networking for local actions.

Small and large scale installations of solar thermal and PVsystems have been the most innovative aspects, since thebeginning of the project, when the level of renewable energyinstallations was very low. Such installations are well visible toinhabitants and visitors of the CONCERTO demonstration area.

Thanks to CONCERTO funds and other EU and State resources,the project in Zlín can implement several activities within otherprogrammes, originally planned within the “Energy in Minds!”project only, so that CONCERTO objectives of promotion anddevelopment of renewable energies can be spread at a widernational level.

ZLÍN - PART OFTHE ENERGY IN MINDS! PROJECTZlín, previously a centre of industry and manufacturing, has a positiveattitude to energy saving and renewable power. Even in 2002, theproportion of energy provided by renewables in Zlín was double theCzech average, though still relatively low at 4.8 percent. The city hadalso tested innovative insulation technologies, with earth-shelteredhouses in the suburb of Chlum. This can result in significantly reducedenergy demand, as the earth retains heat and can thus provideoptimum comfort temperatures inside the houses.

Zlín decided to build on its existing achievements by participating inthe CONCERTO initiative. The municipal authority's stated aim is to reduce fossil fuel consumption in theCONCERTO zone by a third. The project will affect 1,900 people.

ZLÍN CONTACT DETAILS LOCAL: COMMUNITY COORDINATORLudek Frkal, Zelene bydleni, o.s. Chumska 386, CZ-763 02 Zlín – Louky, Czech Republic, T: +420 577 103212, F: +420 577 103303, E: [email protected]

Solar thermal installations in Zlínwill cover 20 single-family homes,an industrial premise and the

communal swimming baths. Other familyhomes will benefit from PV systems installed aspart of the project. In terms of large-scale PVinstallation, three plants with capacities of40kWp, 60kWp and 200kWp respectively willbe established. Meanwhile, a biogascogeneration plant is being constructed at thecommunal waste depot. This will reprocessbiodegradable waste into a combustiblecompost with a heating value of around3.2kWh per kilogramme. By burning this, thebiogas plant will have an output of 2.88GWhannually.

The aim of energy checking will be to identifythe 20 percent of buildings in Zlín – whetherhouseholds or commercial/industrial buildings– that leak the most energy. This checkingprogramme will allow the most cost-effective

measures for improving these buildings to beidentified. Energy efficiency demonstrationactions are also taking place. Space heatingdemand will be cut by 60 percent in 40 singlefamily households, 80 apartments, two publicbuildings, and three office facilities. A set ofnew constructions – 15 homes and twoapartment buildings – will also demonstrateheating demand 30 percent below the Czechnational standard.


17 // CZECH REPUBLIC







Zlín © Ludek FrkalZlín © Ludek Frkal


CONCERTO GERMANY

CONCERTO GERMANY

GERMANY // 18

WEILERBACH - PART OF THE SEMS PROJECT

The municipality of Weilerbach sits close to Kaiserslautern in western Germany. Itis a rural area – the municipality covers eight villages from Reichenbach-Steegenin the west to Rodenbach in the east. Weilerbach's aim is to be a zero emissionvillage by achieving CO2 neutrality by 2015. By participating in the CONCERTOproject, Weilerbach will take a big stride towards this.

In Germany, the stable national policy strategy and framework have lately been creatingfavourable conditions to energy efficiency and renewable energy penetration and growth.TheGerman CONCERTO projects have considered the Federal Renewable Energy Law and thefeed in tariffs, as well as the Energy Efficiency Ordinance EnEV (Energieeinsparverordnung) tobe very positive for their development.

Regional and municipal legislations play the major role in fosteringrenewables and energy efficiency: indeed, a large number of

responsibilities in the area of energy rests upon the Länders and theirrespective ministries and municipalities. In this matter, all communitiesrepresent a positive example for municipalities implementingcommunal energy policy, by enhancing sustainable energy paths. Theycame to assume a pioneering role by implementing high standards intheir demonstration areas for both energy efficiency and use ofrenewable energy sources in buildings; in most cases they have beenflanked by local stakeholders.

Local actors have proved to be major drivers, especially housingassociations and municipal energy companies. Such actors worktogether with the establishment of new administrative structures thatinitiate and direct the process (as for example the Klimaschutzstellein Hannover), linked by ad hoc regional/local sources for financing(proKlima Funds in Hannover). The participation and the highranking in the league of energy conscious communities is alsoremarkable, like in the case of, e.g., Neckarsulm, for the high densityof installed solar thermal and PV systems.

Accompanying socio-economic activities, carried out in the Germancommunities to explain the CONCERTO measures and to involvethe citizens, have been decisive in order to increase the acceptanceof the planned and implemented measures. The stakeholders’involvement in Ostfildern and in Hannover (esp. housingassociations) has been determinant for the wide consensusachieved. This has helped bringing the CONCERTO vision closer tothe targeted groups and citizens. Indeed, in Hannover andOstfildern the implementation of the measures could be realisedsmoothly (as to acceptance issues), because of accompanyingsocio-economic activities to inform about the projects and to involvethe stakeholders in all relevant planning and implementation stages.

Counselling and targeted information about the CONCERTOmeasures (in Hannover, Ostfildern and Neckarsulm) and thepresence of a liaison person in modernisation projects (“tenantsupport workers”/“Energie Lotse” in Hannover, “Energy ChangeManager” in Weilerbach, Energy Counselling in Neckarsulm) is themost common aspect in all projects.


19 // GERMANY

WEILERBACH CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORTeresa Karayel,VerbandsgemeindeWeilerbach Rummelstraße 15, 67685Weilerbach, T: +49 6374 922 105, E: [email protected]

HANNOVER - PART OF THE ACT2 PROJECT

Hannover, the capital of the German federal state of Lower Saxony, has had a focuson energy efficiency since at least the mid-1990s when it approved a local climateprotection programme.

Energy efficiency of buildings was a key consideration in this, as around half ofHannover's housing stock was built in the 1950s and 1960s to low energy retentionstandards. Hannover thus began to explore ways of financing modernisation andretrofitting of buildings, and installing renewable energy capacity, such as solar waterheating.

The city continues to build onthis through its participation inCONCERTO, which works in

the city districts of Ahlem, Hainholz, Vinnhorst,Vahrenwald and Nordstadt.

In these areas up to 400 apartments are beingretrofitted, and renewable energy capacity isbeing installed. The aim is for energy savings of25 percent above and beyond minimumstandards.

An example of the energy efficiency measurescan be seen at demonstration apartmentsmanaged by the Gundlach housing association.Here, 152 dwellings covering around 10,000m2

are being renovated, including centralisation oftheir heating, with district heating based onbiomass, while the insulation of facades, cellarsand roofs is being improved, and windows arebeing renewed.







Hannover © Landeshauptstadt

Weilerbach is putting in placea bundle of measures as part

of the SEMS initiative. It will use wind power,with a 4MW wind turbine; solar power, with a2.5MW solar power plant, plus 1MW of solarpower generated by solar collectors on citizens'houses; and geothermal energy via heatpumps.

These renewable sources will be combined witha 2.2MWth biomass cogeneration plant that willburn wood chips and used plant oils; a localsmall company will collect this waste fat fromthe district and deliver it to the energy utility.

An important factor in Weilerbach is aspecialised Decentralised Energy ManagementSystem (DEMS), overseen by an energy changemanager.

The DEMS will be put in place by the regionalenergy utility. It will monitor and control energyconsumption, and will manage the energysupply to street lamps and public buildings. Itsuse is expected to improve energy efficiency byat least five percent.

The overall aim in Weilerbach is to reach a netsupply of 100 percent of energy for electricityand heat from renewable energy sources. Themunicipality will even become an exporter ofrenewable power – to Kaiserslautern and to thehuge airbase of Ramstein, which is situatednearby.









CONCERTO GERMANY

GERMANY // 20

HANOVER CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORUte Heda, Prinzenstraße 4, D-30159 Hannover, Germany, T: +49 511 16840683, F: +49 511 16843689, E: [email protected]

Meanwhile, Hannover's largest open-airswimming pool, Lister Bad, is now heated bysolar energy, after northern Germany's largestsolar installation was put in place there. Thesolar heating is backed up by a gas-fired boiler.Other actions cover a school and maintenancedepot, converting their gas and oil heatingsystems to systems based on wood fuel.

Hannover has also moved to ensure supply ofrenewable fuel to homes and businesses thatare switching to biomass boilers. A wood fuelcentre has been opened, with the raw materialcoming from local plantations. The wood isprocessed at the centre, and 30,000 tonnes ofwood pellets and other wood fuel is being soldto customers each year, meaning a CO2

emissions reduction of 80,000 tonnes annually.

NECKARSULM - PART OF THE ENERGY IN MINDS! PROJECT

The town of Neckarsulm, near Stuttgart in Baden-Württemberg, is determined that allof its citizens should benefit from sustainability measures. The town has a populationof 27,000, more than a third of whom will receive a benefit from the activities of theCONCERTO project in Neckarsulm.

For almost ten years thecommunity has been active withregard to energy saving measures

on a local level. At that time the town ofNeckarsulm started a support program in thearea of climate protection and ecological energysupply. An energy agency was established toinform people about energy saving measures.Furthermore, Neckarsulm got an award forhaving the highest density of solar thermalsystems and PV-systems in Germany (0.35m²solar thermal systems and 114W PV-systemsper inhabitant) each year since 2004.

An efficient district heating net exists in thedistrict Amorbach. About 6,000m² of solarthermal systems are connected to anunderground duct store with a volume of63,000m³. 50 percent of the heat demand of900 households is covered by solar energy. Inorder to optimize the system, a heat pump willbe integrated until the end of 2008 to improvethe efficiency of the storage and the solarcollectors.

A new kind of co-generation plant with Organic-Rankine-Cycle (ORC) in Neckarsulm Trendparkserves together with a 6 MW wood chips burneras a central heating station. The efficiency wasimproved by the enlargement of the districtheating net finished in July 2007. A CO2-reduction of about 55 percent is expected.

Another way in which the town's inhabitants arebenefiting is through energy checks onbuildings – up to 20 percent of all the buildingsin Neckarsulm will be examined for theefficiency with which they use power. Onetechnique being used for this is infraredthermography, which produces images ofbuildings based on the heat they emit.











21 // GERMANY

NECKARSULM CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORKlaus Grabbe, Marktstrasse 18, D-74172 Neckarsulm Germany, T: +49 713 235203, F: +49 713 235364 E: [email protected]

A relatively low price of euros 69 has been setfor the thermal imaging, and it has provedpopular with householders, who areencouraged to improve the energy performanceof their homes as a result.

Demonstration projects, meanwhile, areshowing the impact measures such asinsulation and better windows can have. Aschool has been refurbished, and retrofitting of20 family homes and 100 apartments is takingplace, delivering 30 percent energy savings.

Besides the retrofit of the building envelope anew heating system was installed in the schoolconsisting of a pellet boiler and a prototypestirling engine. The expected reduction ofprimary energy is 90 percent when also takingthe electricity production by the PV system andstirling into consideration.

A high number of homes has been fitted withphotovoltaic collectors. In total about 1,000kWpwere installed in small and large scale systems.Germany's guaranteed feed-in tariffs, meaningsolar energy attracts a high price from energycompanies, have helped popularise such solarinstallations.

OSTFILDERN CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORUrsula Pietzsch, Schellingstr. 24 D-70174 Stuttgart, Germany, T: +49 711 89262888 F: +49 711 89262698, E: [email protected]

OSTFILDERN - PART OFTHE POLICITY PROJECT

Scharnhauser Park is a community that has arisen from thepost-Cold War peace dividend. It covers 150 hectares inthe municipality of Ostfildern, a town of 35,000 people onthe southern borders of Stuttgart.

Scharnhauser Park itself is located on the site of a formerUS military base, which became available after Americanwithdrawal as the Iron Curtain fell.

The community nowcombines work places,residential districts and

green areas. Its development has been basedon an integrated concept, with a plan for lowenergy consumption. The CONCERTO Policityproject in Ostfildern is resulting in an exemplaryecological community development. Electricityand heating energy are delivered by a wood-fired combined heat and power plant with a6.3MWth biomass cogeneration unit. Inaddition, power is supplied by a 200m2 solarthermal plant, and rooftop PV collectors. Afurther innovative aspect of the project is theuse of low temperature chillers based on

absorption technologies, which provide coolingfor office buildings.

This renewable energy set-up will provide animpressive 80 percent of the power for a total of178,000m2 of new residential and commercialbuildings. In this area apartments, singlehouses, double houses and row houses havebeen constructed to high standards of energyefficiency, with advanced ventilation (includingheat recovery and earth heat exchangers),optimised insulation, low temperature heatingand cooling systems and design that maximisenatural light. The objective is for heatconsumption in buildings to be 25 percentlower than standard constructions. The area'syouth centre, meanwhile, is earth covered andwill have a 'green roof'.

A communal energy management system isbeing installed, meaning that supply anddemand will be optimally balanced in thismodel development, where car use is alsominimised through excellent public transportlinks to nearby Stuttgart.







Ostfildern © AERO PHOTO RIEMANN


CONCERTO DENMARK

DENMARK // 22

DENMARKCONCERTO

In Denmark, the responsibility to lay down guidelines for the best possible production anddistribution of energy is taken on by the Danish Energy Authority. Compared to many othercountries, Denmark has a well-established planning system with a high degree of publicparticipation.

Danish CONCERTO communities lately benefited from anew incentive: it regards biogas, and is part of a new

Energy Agreement for the upcoming years as to energysavings and use of renewable energy Danish Governmentand Parliament entered into in February 2008. As a results,Danish CONCERTO communities projects share therealisation of different biomass projects (including waste),which is the single most important source of renewableenergy in Denmark. The Måbjerg community, for example,is establishing a new biogas plant, set to be the world’slargest one, by the use of a great amount of different rawmaterials.

Denmark is also one of the world leaders in the use ofaeolic energy sources and the Danish CONCERTOcommunities are dealing with different projects on windpower.

A wide range of subsidies, taxes and environmentallegislations, administrated by the Danish Energy Authority,dominate the development of renewable energy inDenmark. The support has principally been given throughfeed-in tariffs, that guarantee an above market price for thesale of electricity generated by certain technologies,primarily wind.

The implementation of the Energy Performance Directive inDenmark and the integration of new energy regulations intonational building regulations are the most importantspecific legal frameworks which facilitate the takeover ofCONCERTO in the country. This has forced the buildingsector to project low energy buildings. The national act onplanning has been changed recently and the municipalitycan demand low energy buildings in newly developedurban areas.


23 // DENMARK

STENLØSE CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORBruno Andersen, Rådhuset; Rådhustorvet 2; 3660 Stenløse; Denmark, T: +45 725 97211, F: +45 725 96073 E: [email protected]

VALBY,PART OFTHEGREEN SOLAR CITIES PROJECT

Rehabilitating former industrial sites is a key issue formany cities, and Valby, a district of 46,000 people inthe south-western part of København, is no exception.In the Valby CONCERTO project actions will becarried out across a number of sites including aformer brewery and a former vegetable market. Underthe project, new homes will be constructed andexisting ones retrofitted, with energy efficiency andrenewable power emphasised in each case.







STENLØSE - PART OF THE CLASS1 PROJECTStenløse Syd (South Stenløse) will be a new community of 442households on greenfield land in the municipality of Egedal nearKøbenhavn.

Part of the Stenløse Syd development will be composed of passivehouses, or ultra-low energy buildings. The yearly heating demand ofthese buildings will be just 15kWh per m2.


For water heating, in the summer, solarsystems will take over. The combination ofbiomass CHP with solar water heating isconsidered highly innovative. An intelligentenergy management system will oversee powerdistribution and use in the district.

Because Stenløse Syd is a new-build district, ithas the potential to teach lessons for futuresimilar developments, covering town planningaspects, regulatory issues, eco-labelling,communications activities, and adoption ofstandards.

Most of the houses will be privately owned, but there will also be a housingassociation-owned dense low-rise apartment development, along with a kindergartenand an older persons' centre.

Energy for the new district will be provided by a biomass-burning combined heat andpower plant. Heat pumps will also be installed in single homes, providing eitherspace heating or heating of floors or parts of floors.

CONCERTO DENMARK

DENMARK // 24

VALBY CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORJakob Klint, PB 280, Jarmers plads 2; 900 København, Denmark, T: +45 883 32211, E: [email protected]

The project will cover eightsites in total. New dwellingswill be established on anumber of them. For

example, 100 new units are being consideredfor an area around Valby railway station, while afurther 100 dwelling plus commercial buildingscovering 5,000m2 will be constructed on aformer site, the F. L. Smith area. In total, 600low energy dwellings will be built, with energystandards that reduce consumption by 30percent compared to current norms. An energyefficient cultural centre covering 10,000m2 willbe built at the site of Valby Sports Centre.

There will also be much retrofitting activity with

concrete housing blocks administered by thePost Office Employees' Housing Association atthe Hornemanns Vænge site refurbished. Inaddition, new rooftop apartments conforming topassive house standards will be erected at thissite. Refurbishment will also take place on othersites, with the aim of introducing low-costbalanced ventilation with heat recovery.

The eco-building programme will be combinedwith large-scale use of renewables. Aninnovative biomass gasification combined heatand power plant will be built. This will burnwood pellets, which provide a benefit becausetheir energy content is five to six times higherthan wood chips, meaning lesser volumes needto be transported and stored. Solar power willalso be integrated into the area's energy profile,with collectors installed both on new andrefurbished dwellings.

All new build projects will be connectedand monitored through an Internet-basedCommunity Energy Management System.

Saved in the CONCERTO buildings: Generated locally from RES:1,007 MWh/yr 1,740 MWh/yr






HILLERØD - PART OFTHE SORCER PROJECT

If renewable energy can meet 100 percent of a community's energy needs,that community will make a substantial contribution to meetinggreenhouse gas emission reduction targets. In Hillerød, the regionalcapital of Denmark's North Seeland region, is showing that a zero CO2community can become reality, with a development of more than78,000m2 eco-houses that will exceed by at least a quarter of currentenergy efficiency standards.

A combination of renewablesources will provide power

for the settlement. Biomass will be burned toproduce electricity and heat, with the biomassplant having 500kW heat output. There will alsobe a major investment in solar power, with theconstruction of the 3,000m2 solar thermal plantthat will be connected to the district heatinggrid. A variety of other techniques will be usedto complement the main renewable sources,including wind energy, PV capacity, heatpumps, and low-energy district lighting.



25 // DENMARK

Around 670 houses in the new community willbe Class 2 dwellings, meaning they go beyondmandated Danish standards by reducing heatenergy demand by an additional 25 percent.The Class 2 housing development will covermore than 72,000m2, and will include singlefamily houses, row houses and high riseapartments and small industry. These will beaccompanied by 6,500m2 of Class 1apartments, meaning their heat energy demand

is 50 percent below national standards. Allhousing will be well insulated, and will haveother energy saving measures.

Importantly, a system for energy data collectionfrom each house will be developed, with energyusage information collected in a centralcomputer. In this way, the utility company canfollow the individual consumption of eachhousehold and hence target energy advice.

Consumers will be able to monitor theirconsumption of both heat and electricitythrough an online graphical presentationavailable through the Internet, on theirtelevision, or via an energy meter. Additionaldata from weather forecasts and heat storagestatus will be available on the supply side, sothat the utility can moderate its energy outputaccordingly.







HILLERØD CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORJens Ole Hansen, Parallelvej 2 DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark, T: +45 459 71177, F: +45 459 72212, E: [email protected]

In Helsingør, the aim is for a 30percent reduction compared withpresent standards in the grossenergy consumption for heating,

hot water, lighting, ventilation and cooling innew eco-houses. Helsingør also wants to phase

out the use of fossil fuel in the district heatingsystem, in order to meet a legislativerequirement that 90 percent of the districtheating should be based on cogeneration fromnatural gas and waste.

A new biomass boiler will be key to this. Theboiler will burn woodchips and will have anoutput of 5 MW. It is being constructed in an oldincineration plant. Solar power generation willalso be part of the energy mix in Helsingør.

The Danish municipality is, like its counterpartacross the water, refurbishing old buildings andconstructing new ones to high energy efficiencystandards.

HELSINGØR - PART OF THE ECO-CITY PROJECT

The Swedish and Danish municipalities of Helsingborg (SE) and Helsingør (DK) areclose neighbours, located on each side of the Øresund sound. Inhabitants frequentlymake the twenty minute boat ride, and the cities have been cooperating forgenerations. They are now cooperating in a CONCERTO project – uniquely featuringtwo municipalities – which takes an integrated transnational approach to energyefficiency and sustainable energy supply. (See page 49 for more information onHelsingborg.)







ECO-City projectECO-City project

The figures given above include the activities of Helsingør &Helsingborg



CONCERTO DENMARK

DENMARK // 26

The biomass will come fromlocal farms which specialisein pigs, cattle, and mink. The

project has the support of farmers, who willeven be able to send manure down pipelines tothe plant, thus avoiding the need for excesstanker and truck transport. The expectedvolume of manure is 464,000 tonnes annually,and the plant will also digest 10,000 tonnes ofenergy crops, 5,000 tonnes of industrial waste,sewage slurry, and waste from abbatoirs anddairies. This latter biomass supply greatlyincreases the total production of biogas in thebioenergy plant, because though waste fromabattoirs and dairies only accounts for sevenpercent of the biomass processed in the plant,

it produces over 20 percent of the total biogas.

The production of biogas will be so substantialat Måbjerg that one third of it will be sent to aseparate CHP plant at Vinderup. The totalannual biogas production will be approximately18,000,000m3 or 128,500MWh. Innovativeaspects include furthermore combustion of thefibre fraction of the degasified manureand odour reduction measures. The generationof CO2-neutral heat and electricity from MåbjergBioEnergy (based on biogas and fibres) willincrease with almost 50 percent when utilisingthe carbon in the fibre fraction for combustionin stead of spreading the fibre fraction on thefields. The Måbjerg plant will also be highlyenergy efficient, with a focus on energyoptimisation. A number of local farms will alsotake energy efficiency measures.

One of the major benefits of the project will bethe reduction in the release of surplus nutrients,especially phosphorous and nitrogen, intoground and surface water. By cutting thesereleases and instead using agricultural waste toproduce energy, the area around Måbjergexpects to become considerably moresustainable.







HELSINGØR CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORReto Michael Hummelshǿj, Parallelvej 2 DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark, T: +45 459 72766 or +45 459 72211, F: +45 459 72212, E: [email protected]

MÅBJERG CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORBjarne Juul-Kristensen,Teknikerbyen 31, 2830 Virum, Denmark, T: +45 459 88795, F: +45 459 88540, E: [email protected]

Better energy use will be demonstrated in25,000m2 of administration buildings, schoolsand institutions, including the local socialservices building and the job centre.

New eco-buildings, meanwhile, will beconstructed on the northern side of Helsingørharbour. A further substantial redevelopment isalso planned for the harbour front, oppositeKronberg Castle: a new cultural centre with asolar facade will be built, covering 9,500m2 andincluding a theatre, exhibition areas and arestaurant.

MÅBJERG - PART OF THE ECOSTILER PROJECT

Måbjerg, near Holstebro in western Denmark, will be the location for theworld's largest bio-energy plant. This will burn agricultural waste,including slurry and animal carcasses, and use the resulting energy in acombined heat and power plant. The heat output from the plant shouldbe enough to heat 10,500 buildings in Holstebro and its vicinity.


Indeed, an innovative aspect of the projects is theinvolvement of inhabitants in the decision making

process from the very early beginning until the monitoringphase. This makes it easier for local communities to reachenergy targets and solutions.

The CONCERTO communities are also implementing alegally approved plan that demands all new buildingdevelopments to include energy performance standardsthat are higher than national standards, and to introducebioclimatic design criteria in both new and refurbishedbuildings.

With the implementation of energy-saving measures andinstallations of solar panels, the Spanish CONCERTOcommunities are predating the application of the NewTechnical Code of Buildings.

This led to a great interest among professional andtechnical sectors to the point that there have been severalvisits both to Zaragoza and Cerdanyola during professionalmeetings and technical seminaries.

The experience of the integral refurbishment (energy,accessibility, habitability) of some CONCERTO areas waspublished by the Municipal Society of Refurbishment, andhas been recognised at the national level as well asexplained in several professional seminaries.

Both regional and national (Ministry of Housing)authorities, are very interested in the experiences and wantto replicate them in other regions and cities of Spain.

The Spanish CONCERTO communities are developing integrated projects with animmediate potential for replication across the rest of Europe: they include actionswith regard to rehabilitation of buildings, construction of new housing, application ofinnovative technologies (with regard to renewable energies, energy efficiency andpolygeneration) and bioclimatic architecture. Such projects feature a socialcomponent (especially social housing) and aims at a high level of citizen participation.

CONCERTO SPAIN


27 // SPAIN

CONCERTO SPAIN

SPAIN // 28

VILADECANS CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORCarmen Pérez Figueras,Torre Roja, C/Pompeu Fabra 3, 08840 Vilandecans, Spain, T: +34 936 351816, F: +34 936 583860, E: [email protected]

Viladecans is a coastalcommunity, 12 kilometres fromBarcelona. It has seen fastpopulation growth, with a

number of inhabitants moving from other partsof Spain, and planning and development in thedistrict has been unstructured. Households inthe area have lower income and higherunemployment than the regional average.

The objective in Viladecans is to ensure thatfuture development is more structured than thedevelopments of the past, and that more

streamlined energy approaches can beintegrated into communities economically andefficiently. Solar water heating is being fitted to2,100 new dwellings – with the capacity toprovide 4,000m3 of hot water – while 50 newapartment blocks and seven public buildingsare getting PV capacity with 6kW peak output.Solar panels will cover 4,500m2 in total. Theseprojects, when their results are put together, areexpected to demonstrate 56 percent energysavings. Renewable capacity will also becombined with efficiency measures such asbetter insulation, and high efficiency airconditioners and refrigerators. Some 5,600people will benefit from these innovations.

As well as household-generated energy,Viladecans is putting in place renewable energycapacity that will supply some 12 percent of itsneeds. A combined heat and power plant willpower 3,000 homes. This facility will be able togenerate up to a quarter of its energy fromrenewable sources: biomass, the sun, and thewind.

VILADECANS - PART OF THE CRRESCENDO PROJECT

To what extent can households generate their own energy from renewablesources, becoming independent from the grid? Viladecans is showing thatsolar energy for hot water heating can provide a good proportion of ahousehold's energy needs.

TUDELA - PART OF THE ECO-CITY PROJECT

Navigating the peaks and troughs of demand is a key issuefor energy planners. If energy supply is closely matched todemand, waste can be minimised.

Tudela, a community to the south of Pamplona in the regionof Navarra, Spain, will be the site of 70,000m2 of new eco-dwellings, with 350 new buildings in total. Tudela will putintelligent energy management at the centre of itssustainability plan.







Tudela © Reto M. Hummelshøj, COWI



29 // SPAIN

TUDELA CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORJuan Jesús Sanciñena, Paseo Premín de Iruña 4, 1º Planta; E 31008 Pamplona, Spain, T: + 34 948 198000, F: +34 948 198448, E: [email protected]

Power supply to the new buildingsin Tudela will be controlled with acomfort metering system. The

objective is to balance energy supply withdemand. The ability to store energy is importantin this respect, and electrical storage heatingwill be installed. In principle, all of the energy

required to power the project will come fromrenewable sources, either through applicationof a green tariff when buying electricity, orthrough local generation.

Tudela plans to make full use of the sun andwind. Both PV and solar thermal capacity isbeing installed to take advantage of the sun'spower. The PV plant will cover 4,000m2, whilst2,000m2 of solar thermal collectors are beinginstalled. The community will also boast a windfarm with a capacity of 4MW.

Meanwhile, energy efficiency principles will ofcourse not be neglected, with the 350eco-buildings featuring bioclimatic architecture,passive solar heating and energy storage inthermal mass.

Establishment of an ecocity in the region ofNavarra is appropriate because Navarra hasestablished itself as a renewable energypioneer. Spain's National Centre for RenewableEnergies has since 2001 been based atSarriguren near Pamplona, and a nationaltraining centre for renewable energy is alsolocated in the region. Both of these institutionsare lending their expertise to the Tudelacommunity.

CERDANYOLA - PART OF THE POLYCITY PROJECT

The large-scale development of a whole new urban area in Catalonia, Spain, isgiving the CONCERTO project an opportunity to showcase a high efficiencypower generation system that could be implemented in other similardevelopments. Polygeneration will be used to energise the Directional Centre, a340 hectare site in Cerdanyola del Vallès, near Barcelona.

Polygeneration is thesimultaneous production ofelectricity, heat, and cooling. In

the Directional Centre, CONCERTO is sponsoringthe installation of three gas heat engines, eachwith an output of 11.5MW. As well as producingelectricity, these produce heat, which is used forproducing hot water with a temperature of 90degrees Celsius. The heat also runs back intoabsorption chillers that produce cold water used inthe air conditioning system. Back-up gas boilersand compression chillers support the system atpeak times.

This efficiently produced energy will bedistributed across the new urban area, whichwill eventually house 50,000 people, along withcommercial buildings.

In addition, more than half of the area will begiven over to a science and technology parkwith a Synchrotron particle accelerator at itsheart. A 2,000m2 solar collector field will also beintegrated into the energy supply system, as willa 1MW biomass plant, that will burn waste woodbiomass.











CONCERTO SPAIN

SPAIN // 30

The focus on the energy supply side will beaccompanied by a set of demonstration buildingsshowing how energy can best be used.

These will be the Synchrotron offices, a furtherset of office buildings, and two residentialbuildings with a total of 77 dwellings.

All of these will be constructed to the highestenergy efficiency standards, featuring naturalventilation and lighting, solar panels,optimised insulation and – importantly – buildingmanagement systems that will ensure energy isused with the minimum possible waste.

In Zaragoza, CONCERTO is workingboth on the refurbishment of anexisting district, and on the planningof a new one. Different legal

circumstances appear in each case. The existingdistrict, “El Picarral”, needs refurbishment andurban renewal. The district has a significantproportion of social housing, which means thatrefurbishment measures must be achievable bythe local authority. The new district,“Valdespartera”, also features a very highproportion (97 percent) of subsidised homes. Inboth cases public money must be spent tomaximum effect.

El Picarral has been declared as a SpecialRefurbishment Area. This means certain financialsystems can be brought into play, facilitating therefurbishment of the housing stock. Planningregulations that might obstruct refurbishmenthave also been modified.

In “Valdespartera”, the construction of new eco-buildings is being done according to a special legalinstrument establishing the application of energyperformance standards that go beyond currentnational standards in Spain.

The benefits of these approaches are clear. In “ElPicarral”, 358 houses are having their roofs andfacades isolated, saving a 44 percent on heatingrequirements and a 22 percent on electricity use.In “Valdespartera”, a range of energy efficiencymeasures is being introduced, includingcomprehensive insulation, special windows,passive elements, and more efficient heating andcooling systems. Energy savings will be around a70 percent in relation to national standards atstarting of project and will even exceed in relationto the “Valdespartera” plan standards by as muchas a 30 percent.

Refurbishment and new buildings areaccompanied by renewable energy capacityinstallation – which will provide enough energy tomeet no less than a 40 percent of the Renaissancecommunity's demand. Renewable energy will beprovided through biomass-fired polygeneration,and a wind farm on former military land in“Valdespartera”. In “El Picarral”, meanwhile,20kW of photovoltaic power capacity will beinstalled. Thanks to the energy efficiency andrenewable energy measures, Zaragoza expects toreduce carbon dioxide emissions by 70 percent.







CERDANYOLA CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORXavier Martí Ragué, Av. Diagona 523-525, 08029 Barcelona, Spain, T: +34 934 445062, F: +34 934 198709 E: [email protected]

Saved in the CONCERTO buildings: Generated locally from RES:2,787MWh/yr 3,360 MWh/yr






ZARAGOZA CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORJosé Antonio, Oficina de proyectos europeos Universidad de Zaragoza, C/ Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain, T: +34 976 761 000 30 83, E: [email protected]

ZARAGOZA, PART OF THE RENAISSANCE PROJECT

Aiming for sustainability, communities should be free to use the toolsthey need. Importantly, legal considerations should help and not hinderdevelopments. The CONCERTO Renaissance project in Zaragoza, Spain,shows the important effects of the influence of the local action in orderto encourage energy efficiency through legally recognised plans anddeclarations.

Zaragoza © Sociedad Municipal ZaragozaVivienda S.L.U.





While energy performance in building was not an issuein the French building regulation when the first

CONCERTO call was launched in 2003, the legalframework has since then positively changed. An energylaw was implemented, which established some indicativetargets and incentive policies for a rational use of energyand renewable energy use in buildings.

When the French Government started a wide spread publicconsultation process, followed by a legislation draft (knownas “Grenelle de l’Environnement”), the issue of energy usein buildings quickly came right to the top of the agenda.

The French communities showed that it is possible to set aprocess in motion to change the legal framework byhighlighting success factors, achievements and settingbest practice examples. They have impressively illustratedhow European initiatives can have a direct impact at a locallevel, leading then to a further step to change the nationallegislative framework as reflected by the “Grenelle del’Environnement”.

Furthermore, most objectives of CONCERTO have beentaken up by the local climate plans, leading communitiesto pave the way to further energy efficiency.

French CONCERTO communities learnt that training is akey element to success: the use of new interactive trainingmethods, introducing environmental awareness andenvironmentally conscious behaviour, addressed to thewhole chain of actors involved in the process (fromdecision makers to construction companies workers aswell as technicians), is a real drive to reach a culturalchange.

The training developed by the projects will be delivered ata national level by the national building federation and willbe included in the national education catalogue foremployees of the building industry. Additional training hasbeen developed for tenants and co-owners, making themacquainted with the new environment by explaining theenergy use and performance patterns.

France is characterised by a high level of centralisation.The French communities assumed

a pioneering role, by implementing high standards in their demonstration areas, as for

energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources in the demonstration buildings,

which was a highly innovative approach.

CONCERTO FRANCE


31 // FRANCE

© DEPAULE/PAD/ASYLUM pour SPLA Lyon Confluence

CONCERTO FRANCE

FRANCE // 32

In the frame of the act2demonstration activities, the localdistrict heating from waste-

incineration currently supplying energy to16,000 equivalent dwellings will be extendedin the eastern part of the Ile de Nantes to heat500 additional ones. By 2010, space heatingand hot water preparation of the newconstructions in the West of the island will beguaranteed via a new district grid fed bybiomass units. The interconnection betweenthose two grids is already foreseen in themedium term.

Together with some solar thermal installationsand developments concerning ground-coupledheat pumps taking advantage of the wateredsoil of the Ile de Nantes, photovoltaic systemswill largely be implemented. One of the biggestPV power plants in France integrateddowntown (180 kWp) will be installed in 2009on the car-park of the newly-refurbished andextended Beaulieu shopping centre.

Energy efficiency measures are implementedin partnership with real estate promoters intoboth tertiary and residential projects

accounting for an equivalent area of more than80,000m² new energy efficient constructionsbuilt in anticipation of the next French ThermalRegulation.

As major illustrations of the good practicestransfer expected in the frame of CONCERTO,advanced passive energy measures, such asthe non-use of active cooling systems fortertiary buildings, are integrated in the designof the act2 demonstration projects. Further,some constructions are planned tocompensate the rest of the energyconsumption by the production of renewableenergy (Ecotech, an activity centre dedicatedto the eco-construction sector).

Since its start in 2006, the CONCERTO projecthas already brought about an acceleration ofthe upgrade of the energy standards in the Ilede Nantes. Energy prescriptions are set aboveregulation for all new constructions and atechnical dialogue is systematically setbetween energy experts of the buildingdevelopers and the semi-public company incharge of the Ile de Nantes development.

NANTES - PART OFTHE ACT2 PROJECT

CONCERTO fits in the policyapplied by Nantes Métropole –acting as the local coordinatorof the project – in the frame ofits Climate ProtectionProgramme and its PluriannualEnergy Action Plan. As part of acommunity-wide integrated

project, Nantes partnerscombine an ambitious set ofdemonstration activities withinthe Ile de Nantes district withscientific and training-relatedcollaborations. Actually, as a350 ha area of urban renewal,the Ile de Nantes illustrates theopportunity to mix sustainableenergy use and major realestate and public spaceredevelopments.

NANTES CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORVincent Huré, 2 cours de Champ de Mars, F-44923 Nantes Cedex 9, France, T: +33 240 992374, F: +33 240 994938, E: [email protected]

AJACCIO - PART OF THE CRRESCENDO PROJECTMany cities have urban fabric ripe for renewal. Ajaccio, the regional capital of Corsica, is no exception. Takingbuildings from the 1960s and making them more energy efficient is one of the main challenges being tackled bythe project in the town. An added challenge is the renovation of buildings in Ajaccio's historic centre.

Double-glazing with thermo-coating is being installed in fiftybuildings in the protected city centre. These buildings are among250 being re-glazed in this way.

An additional 565 apartments will be targeted for energy efficiencymeasures, and the CONCERTO project in Ajaccio is alsoconstructing two High Environmental Quality new buildings, onewith 15 apartments and one public service office building. It iscalculated that ecobuildings with integrated measures result insavings of up to 4,000 tonnes of CO2 per year in this community.


Saved in the CONCERTO buildings: Generated locally from RES:237 MWh/yr* 1 MWh/yr*











Nantes © In Situ Architecture & Environnement

Nantes © Lionel Dunet Agency



To achieve these goals, theproject is researchinginnovative methods tointegrate solar water systems

in the buildings in the centre of the capital.Other specific innovations in Ajaccio

include polygeneration (an integratedprocess that has three or more outputsproduced from one or more naturalresources) for heating and cooling in officebuildings and the use of the locallypatented solar ventilation systems. Both hotwater and ventilation for the apartments areproduced from solar sources, resulting in a20 percent saving on energy consumption.

The training of builders and constructionworkers is also key to the success of theproject. Creating ‘zero-energy’ buildingsrequires changes in behaviour as well as indesign and technology. In keeping with thisphilosophy, the project also aims to informthose who will use the renovated buildingsabout the importance of energyconservation, and is providing them withinstruction manuals, whilst also sponsoringinformation and consultation meetings.


33 // FRANCE

AJACCIO CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORDenis Bravi, Bd, du Roi Jérôme – Place du Marché, 20000 Ajaccio, France, T: +33 495 104100, F: +33 495 104408, E: [email protected]

LYON - PART OF THE RENAISSANCE PROJECTLyon is undergoing an extensive new building programme that isimplementing targets for energy efficiency and use of renewable energysources in three large new apartment blocks, for a total of 620 dwellings andmore than 15 000m2 of offices. The programme covers 78,820m2 and is thefirst on such a large scale in France. It will reduce the consumption ofconventional energy by 77 percent compared to standard practices.

An integrated energy approach is being pursued, involving polygeneration,around 800m2 of solar thermal panels, 1800m2 of PV panels, and 3 wood-fired boilers with natural gas backup. These energy sources will provideheating and hot water for all the project’s area buildings, with over 80percent of the final energy needs being met from sustainable energy sources.







Lyon © DEPAULE/PAD/ASYLUM pour SPLA Lyon Confluence


CONCERTO FRANCE

FRANCE // 34

Nine natural gas micro-CHPplants, will provide half of therequired heating energy, as well asall of the electricity needed. A newHEQ elementary school covering

around 3,000m² will be constructed in De Bonne,with a wooden structure and a green roof. Also inthis district, a 1,000m² photovoltaic plant with an

output of 100kW will be set up on the roof of anoffice and shopping center. Another 1,000m²semi-transparent photovoltaic plant will beintegrated into the glazed roof of the newGrenoble Metropolitan Stadium, resulting in areduction of electricity consumption by around athird.

In Viscose, the 60 new ecobuildings will besupplied by district heating and solar thermalpanels. 277 residences that were built in the

1930s will be converted to receive their powerfrom biomass. A 2.7MW mini hydropower plantwill also be set up in the area. The installation ofthe plant will be accompanied by an informationcampaign to raise awareness among localresidents of the importance of energyconservation.

The residential construction owned by 9developers will be designed by 9 design teams.Thus different architectural and technicalsolutions will be found to meet the CONCERTOenergy performance targets. The project willaccelerate the introduction of sustainablepractices and standards in the private and publicconstruction sector in Grenoble.

New buildings will have an energy performancefar exceeding existing French regulations.Heating demands will be cut by 44 percent andother energy demands by 23 percent, comparedwith current regulations. The project will alsodemonstrate innovative aspects on a nontechnological level, such as the cooperationbetween a wide range of stakeholders (localauthorities, ESCOS, construction and housingcompanies). Furthermore, other innovativemethods such as the development of tenderingprocedures including targets for renewableenergy sources and energy efficiency, trainingactivities for all stakeholders involved in theconstruction process and a systematicmonitoring, will be demonstrated.

GRENOBLE - PART OFTHE SESAC PROJECT

Main metropolis of the FrenchAlps, at the junction of threeAlpine valleys, Grenoble is acompact city in a densepopulated area surrounded bynature. Grenoble suffers frombeing a sink for pollution.

The city is addressing thisproblem by promoting a lessconsuming town planning,irrigating the heart of the citywith soft and clean transport,developing a clever architecturethat is able to reduce energyconsumption and encouragingthe use of renewable energy.Construction activity is takingplace in two districts of the town,De Bonne and Viscose. Based on

the French High EnvironmentalQuality (HEQ) approach, 435new ecobuilding dwellings willbe constructed in De Bonne,supplied by solar thermal panels(680m²). Nine natural gasmicro-CHP plants will providehalf of the required heatingenergy, as well as all of theelectricity needed.

The project aims to achievein the new buildings heatingand hot water energy savingsof at least 50 percent morethan stipulated in currentregulations. The project will

also demonstrate innovative methodsconcerning both technical components (solarpassive and low energy design, very high levelsof renewable energy sources and integratedmonitoring systems) and social issues(tendering procedures, private developerspartnership, social mixing, promotion andtraining activities and social monitoring). Theproject will speed up the introduction ofsustainable practices and standards in theprivate construction sector in Lyon.

Accompanying research aims to maximiseacceptance of the project and to ensure theinvolvement of all stakeholders. Research willalso focus on the technical aspects ofrenewable energy and energy efficiency to testthe social impact and added quality of serviceas well as costs and savings.

The project is concentrated on Grand Lyon,which gathers 57 municipalities in the Lyonarea and was created following administrativereorganisation in 1969. The creation of thearea has helped promote sustainability as themain driver for urban development. Theexperiences of the project at community levelhave started to feed into governmentconsultations on energy strategy.

LYON CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORMalorie Clermont, 114 bd du 11 Novembre, 69100 Villeurbanne, France T: +33 4 37478090 E: [email protected]

GRENOBLE CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORPerrine Flouret, 3 Rue Malakoff, 38100 Grenoble France, T: +33 476 763658, F: +33 476 763516, E: [email protected]

Grenoble © CAPRI- Felix-Faure, Macary, Page architects

Grenoble © Bouygues immobilier-Thierry Roche et associés Grenoble © City of Grenoble


Saved in the CONCERTO buildings: Generated locally from RES:1,992 h/yr* 7,772 MWh/yr*





Lyon © DEPAULE/PAD/ASYLUMpour SPLA Lyon Confluence


CONCERTO HUNGARY


35 // HUNGARY

The area covered by CONCERTO activities in Óbuda, a district of Budapest, is focusedon the typical low cost panel buildings, which became a symbol of urban development inmany Central and eastern European countries during1960s and the 1970s.

Many of these panel buildings are in very bad shape today.This results in high costs for heating in winter and cooling in

summer. Obsolete district heating grids and sharply rising energyprices have led to “energy poverty”. Local governments fear thecollapse of the situation as more and more people cannot affordto pay their energy bills.

The refurbishment project in Óbuda has enormous replicationpotential not only in Hungary, but also in other central andeastern European countries, since a large number of theseuniform panel blocks have been constructed under thecommunist regime and which today face similar problems. Themunicipality of Óbuda has taken up the CONCERTO project tocreate a best practice example, paving the way to combat the

problem of energy poverty and climate change thereby increasingthe life quality for the inhabitants and the image of the districtoverall. The number of similar renovation plans in preparation isthe best performance indicator.

However, in addition to the political will, significant financialmeans are required for the refurbishment of Hungary’s panelblocks. In 2005 the Hungarian Government launched the “PanelPlus” programme to facilitate and accelerate the energy-savingmodernisation and renewal of owner occupied blocks of flats byjointly contributing with local municipalities to the coverage oftwo-thirds of the involved costs, leaving the inhabitants with onlyone third of the costs to face.

ÓBUDA CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORPéter Puskás, Fő tér 3, H-1033 Budapest, Hungary, T: +36 143 78688, F: +36 143 78511, E: [email protected]

ÓBUDA - PART OF THE STACCATO PROJECTIneffective insulation is a major cause of loss of energy to the atmosphere and thus excess CO2emissions. Óbuda, a district of Budapest, Hungary, is showing how this can be rectified. The projectis taking a total insulation approach. Five apartment buildings – nearly 900 apartments in all – arebeing given a complete insulation makeover.

As part of the renovation of the buildings, the roofs and the entire facades of the buildings will beisolated. Windows will be replaced throughout, and the heating systems in the buildings will berenewed. The overall objective is an insulation standard that goes far beyond the requirementsstipulated in Hungarian law.

An enormous impact relative to non-insulated buildings is expected –energy savings should be in the region of 70 percent.

A collective approach isbeing taken towards funding the project inÓbuda, meaning residents have a stake in theoutcome. The bulk of the costs are sharedbetween the district authorities and the EU, butresidents are chipping in euros 0.5 million –meaning that they can see the long-termbenefits better insulation will bring.

The insulation project is backed up byrenewable energy measures. Solar collectorsare being installed and these, backed up bygas-fired boilers, will provide hot water in theapartments. This means the district heatingsystem, which runs on fossil fuels, will notneed to operate during the summer time, whenonly hot water, rather than heating, is required.

The Óbuda project has replication potentialand is part of a larger development plan.Insulation is important for the district as 40percent of its inhabitants live in prefabricatedconcrete buildings with poor insulation. Mostof these inhabitants also manage on lowincomes, so energy and cost savings are ofgreat importance to them. The CONCERTOproject in Óbuda is scheduled to conclude in2010.








The Irish Government launched the EnergyWhite Paper ‘Delivering A Sustainable EnergyFuture For Ireland’ in 2007. This Paper sets ambitious targets including energy efficiencysavings of 20 percent by 2020, renewable energy supplying 33 percent of electricityrequirements and 12 percent of heat requirements by 2020.

CONCERTO IRELAND

IRELAND // 36

IRELAND

These targets will secure the Government’s ambition thatIreland should become a world leader in renewable energy. InIreland there are two projects. The Irish Government throughSustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) (the Sustainable EnergyAuthority of Ireland) has supported the development of theseprojects and continues to be involved in the management ofone of the projects. The targets within these projects reflectclosely those set within the Government’s White Paper. Theclose links with SEI and Government Departments which havebeen developed will ensure that future Irish policy can beinfluenced by outputs from their activities.

The CONCERTO targets have been translated into localactivities and the experts are investigating the possibility to go

beyond CONCERTO targets in some cases. A key element ofIrish communities is the inhabitants’ involvement in the energyprojects which is supported through important communicationprograms.

This has resulted in communities working in partnership withboth Concerto projects. This community support is evident inthe significant uptake on an insulation scheme for privatedwellings and development of a wind turbine in an urbanenvironment. The model of sustainable communitiesrepresented by the projects is an example and a tool forreplication which can be used by Local Authorities and theNational Government.

CONCERTO

DUNDALK - PART OFTHE HOLISTIC PROJECTDundalk has set out on the road to being a sustainability pioneer. Located on the east coastof Ireland about halfway between Belfast and Dublin, the town is the site of Ireland's firstsustainable energy zone. This is an area of Dundalk where around 2,500 people live, 3,500people work, and 5,850 people are in full-time education.

Implementation of the CONCERTO principles in Dundalk is very much based on the conceptthat “Integration is the Innovation”. Using this as guidance Dundalk has set ambitioustargets of 20 percent renewable heat, 20 percent renewable electricity and 40 percentimprovement in energy efficiency of selected buildings to be achieved by 2010. One of themain renewable technologies being put into place in Dundalk will be a biomass districtheating scheme for residential and commercial buildings within the zone.


37 // IRELAND

SERVE CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORSeamus Hoyne, Rural Development Department; Nenagh Rd.;Thurles;Tipperary/Ireland, T: +35 350 428114, E: [email protected]

THE 'SERVE' REGION - PART OF THE SERVE PROJECTThe Serve project – standing for Sustainable Energy for the Rural Village Environment –aims to develop a sustainable energy region by working with residents across a ruralarea in North Tipperary in central Ireland that is characterised by isolated dwellings andfarms. A comprehensive renewable energy retrofitting programme will see highefficiency wood stoves and boilers installed in hundreds of homes. Other households willbenefit from micro-wind turbines and PV panels.

To accompany thesemeasures, the buildings –500 in all – will have

improved insulation installed, along with modernenergy control systems, giving homeowners morecontrol over their power consumption.

Serve is also serving up a first for Ireland: aspecially designed and built ecovillage atCloghjordan. This will have 132 homes, allconstructed to the highest standards of energyperformance, marking a 40 percent efficiencygain on current building standards.

The village will be heated by Ireland's first districtheating system based on renewable power. Aswith individual dwellings, woody biomass will beused for heat, with the installation of a biomassboiler with 1MW capacity. Solar power will alsocontribute.

The plan is for the project to set new standards forenergy performance and renewable energy supplyin rural Ireland. The energy efficiency andrenewable power measures undertaken will be

monitored and measured with a view to improvingIreland's energy performance overall.

Importing knowledge from other EU countries willalso be crucial to this – and will help Ireland makeinroads on its CO2 emissions, which have risenquickly as a result of the rapid economicdevelopment of the country. Renewable energyinstallations in existing buildings will cut emissionsby 330 tonnes of CO2 annually, while the eco-village will emit 1,200 tonnes less per annumrelative to conventional developments.

DUNDALK CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORDeclan Meally, Finnabair Business Park; Dundalk, Ireland, T: +353 42 939 1516, F: +353 429 391501, E: [email protected]



EXPECTED CO2 EMISSIONS SAVEDTHROUGH CONCERTOINITIATIVE: 5300.33 tCO2/yr










The system will burn woodchip in order to generateheat. District heating is not a

new concept but as part of the Dundalk project amodel contract for Energy Service Companies(ESCOS) wishing to set up district heating schemesin Ireland will be made available. To further add tosustainability local farmers are being encouraged togrow energy crops to fuel the district heatingscheme.

An important renewable energy technology forDundalk is wind power. The sustainable energyzone already has a 0.8MW wind turbine. Theproject will add to this capacity by more than 200percent, installing a second, 1.8MW turbine. Streetlighting powered by renewable electricity willcomplete the renewable makeover of the zone.

The use of renewable electricity and heat is beingbalanced with improved energy efficiency inselected buildings within the zone. Homes andcommercial premises will be refurbished to ensurecompliance with current building regulations, whilenew homes will be constructed to a standard 30percent better than current building regulations.This will result in an overall improvement of energyefficiency in selected buildings of 40 percent.

The Dundalk Project has a strong focus on demandside management and a residential trial on smartmetering will be implemented in the zone. Asignificant element of this trial will concentrate onthe behavioural aspects related to smart metering,and it will encourage residents to make theircontribution to energy efficiency through bettermanagement of their electricity use.

Importantly, an energy bureau will be set up in thezone to monitor and collect energy information. Thisinformation is important as it will allow the Dundalkcommunity to measure energy flows into and out ofthe energy zone. It will also allow Dundalk to developnew opportunities to exceed original targets andexpand CONCERTO principles beyond the zone.



CONCERTO ITALY

ITALY // 38

ITALY

In Italy, the implementation of the CONCERTO projects is supported by the possibilities ofdecision making given at local and regional level: depending on the sectors of activity, localauthorities are used to act relatively independently and to be very active at regional andnational levels. More than the relative independency at higher decisional levels, the ItalianCONCERTO communities have been characterised by a strong political commitment and ahigh risk acceptance by all players.

As a typical financial instrument for urban rehabilitation in Italy,the Urban Neighbourhood Contract (“Contratti di Quartiere”)

has been successfully applied to both projects in Torino andAlessandria. The contracts include measures for economic andsocial re-vitalisation of urban neighbourhoods and provide financialsupport for municipalities, builders and investors acting in theconcerned neighbourhoods. This way, the general energy relatedissues supported by CONCERTO are integrated into the commonurban regeneration process.

The success of the activities carried out by the Italian CONCERTOcommunities is expected to have a multiplier effect because of thehigh level of integration characterising the projects. Energyefficiency and renewable energy measures are not implementedper se but strictly connected to measures of urban and socialredevelopment (Torino-Arquata) and the commitment to highstandard eco-buildings comes from a general “zero fossil fuelstrategy” defined at local level (Alessandria). Moreover, the climate

conditions in northern Italy provide special challenges for thedesign of eco-buildings, requiring combined solutions for coldwinter and hot summer situations.

Although both of the first CONCERTO communities are located inthe Regione Piemonte, the number of CONCERTO observercommunities is very high in other parts of Italy, both in the southand in the north of the country, which shows the high interest ofItalian municipalities to develop sustainable communities. Inparticular, the Ministry of Environment and Land and Sea is a realdriver, and facilitates the communication among all theCONCERTO actors throughout the various projects and involvesnew communities interested in replicating the CONCERTOprinciples. The role of the ministry as focal point for the‘Sustainable Campaign for Europe Initiative’, launched in 2005 incollaboration with the European Commission, further supports thisdriver role.

ALESSANDRIA - PART OF THE AL PIANO PROJECTThe objective for the municipality of Alessandria, in the north-western region of Piemonte, is simple:zero fossil fuel. Through its participation in the CONCERTO project, Alessandria will implement a'5Ps' approach. This means Process – following a comprehensive approach - Project – designworkshops to implement a renewable energy network and urban transformation; Product – acombination of biomass and solar power; Performance – monitoring the effectiveness of the stepstaken; and Promotion – ensuring that everyone in the district knows about the steps being taken, sothat there is a strong multiplying effect. The comprehensive approach taken by Alessandria will seeconstruction of a new 104 dwelling eco-village which will also feature sheltered housing for elderlypeople, a health centre and a kindergarden; refurbishment of 300 social housing units; andretrofitting of other buildings. These buildings will be powered by polygeneration and solar energy.

CONCERTO

The integrated energymanagement system willmonitor energy flows within the

demonstration area. The ultimate aim is toautomatically control power production andsupply through a monitoring network. The datafed into the system will include CO2 emissions,renewable energy produced, as well aselectricity and heat consumption.

By monitoring energy use, the system will buildup a databank on how energy is consumed,and this can be used to manage futuregeneration and supply. The project has otherhi-tech aspects, such as installation on thecommercial building of photovoltaic collectorsthat double as sun-shades. Meanwhile, highefficiency coated glazing will cut energydemand.

The project will see the refurbishment of allsocial housing blocks. Retrofitting includesincreased insulation, low emitting glazing andhigh efficiency lighting in common spaces.

Roof integrated photovoltaic collectors on 11social housing blocks created a total solarcapacity of 170kW, one of the largest in urbanareas in Italy. District heating, natural gascogeneration and thermally activated coolingfurther increase the efficiency of energysupply.

The energy management system will tie all thedifferent measures together, allowing operationof a distributed energy production network, inwhich renewable power is better integrated. Tothis end 1,800 digital meters are installed andintegrated in the control system.

TORINO - PART OFTHEPOLICITY PROJECT

The CONCERTO community inTurin is a district namedArquata, located near the citycentre.

Constituted by 30 socialhousing blocks and a high-risecommercial building, Arquataextends on a 87,000m2 areathat includes 758 dwellingsand a population of 2,000people. Within the Polycityproject both renewable energyand energy efficiency measuresare put in place. Localintegration of supply anddemand will be managed by anenergy control and monitoringsystem, which will greatlyimprove the sustainability ofthe demonstration actions.

Biomass in the form of wood fuel will play animportant part. It will be used to power thedistrict heating system, which, throughimplementation of polygeneration, will alsoprovide electricity and cooling. Solar collectors,meanwhile, will be installed on houses and the

health centre, and will supply power for publicbuildings. Total power output throughpolygeneration and solar power will be1,665MWh annually, while thermal outputfrom the burning of wood fuel and solarsources will amount to 6,030MWh per year.

A range of other measures are being takenwithin Alessandria, including use of rainwaterfor irrigation, re-use of grey water, and moreecofriendly waste management practices, suchas on-site composting. Alessandria will evenprovide better mobility for the inhabitants ofthe Alessandria demonstration district: electricbikes will be powered by PV energy, andinhabitants will be able to ride them through aspecially planned network of cycle paths.

ALESSANDRIA CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORRoberto Pagani,Via Principe Tommaso 36; 10125 Torino, Italy, T: +39 011 119701354, F: +39 011 119701354, E: [email protected]

TORINO CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORPasquale Campanile, Strada Torino 50, I-10043 Orbassano (TO), Italy, T: +39 119 083977, F: +39 119 083898, E: [email protected]


39 // ITALY















Courtesy of ATCTorino

Courtesy of ATCTorino

LUXEMBOURG

REDANGE CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORPaul Kauten, Jos Seylerstrooss 6, L-8522 Beckerich, Luxembourg, T: +35 226 620772, E: [email protected]

CONCERTO LUXEMBOURG

LUXEMBOURG // 40

Since the 90’s, the Government of Luxembourg, together with the syndicate, are organisinga local energy-saving campaign to inform and sensitise local households and are involvingprofessional energy experts in the works for that.

The participation of the Canton Redange in CONCERTOis seen as a major driver to have a multiplier effect. This

applies especially to retrofitting public and private buildingsup to 30 percent above standard, with a better insulationand heating systems based on renewable energies and theuse of low energy and passive energy standard for newconstructions.

The joint action of these two different structures, with theintroduction of new services into energy consulting, whileintegrating the auditing and the realisation phase, allowed tospread great awareness and information as to saving energyand using renewable energies amongst politicians and localpopulation.

Achieving the region’s local energy independence as for allsectors (private, public, professional) is one of the targetwhich can be reached thanks to the implementation of theCONCERTO projects. In particular, a national program withfinancing aids for energy saving and renewable energymeasures for households, and a new legal framework fixingthe standard of the energy performance of newconstructions in the private sector and introducing thecertificate of energy performance have been promoted.

Subsidies are available to private companies investing inrenewable energy source technologies, including solar,wind, biomass and geothermal technologies; new grants forhouseholds have also been established since 2008.

REDANGE - PART OF THE SEMS PROJECTThe CONCERTO project in Redange, Luxembourg covers more than a tenth of the area ofthe country. The Redange canton is an agricultural area with ten villages and 14,000inhabitants. In common with other communities, its objective is to switch largely over torenewable supplies for its energy. Redange already has a reputation in Luxembourg as anenergy efficiency and renewable power leader, and the project activities in the canton canbe a stepping stone to promotion of greater sustainability throughout the Grand Duchy.

CONCERTO

Central to the activities inRedange will be the

reorganisation of the energy supply networkaround a Decentralised Energy ManagementSystem (DEMS). This involves the local energycompany, Energipark, and the local energyagency, Energiatelier. They will be involved in acomprehensive transformation of energymanagement in Redange, involvingimplementation of a new software system, stafftraining, reviewing and optimising differentaspects of the energy network, and installationand connection of new energy generation,storage and consumption units.

Renewable energy will be a big part of this, withan ultimate target for 100 percent of demand tobe met from renewable sources. Solar power willplay a big role: a minimum of 50 solar thermalunits for single or double households will beinstalled, to provide hot water heating. Redangewill also put in place a regional biomass masterplan. It will construct four biogas combined heatand power plants during the project, into whichagricultural waste, domestic waste, and energycrops will be fed. For the future, Redange will

examine the potential of woodchips as a source ofbioenergy.

A further important aspect of the work inRedange will be to refurbish housing – single anddouble households are the norm in the district –and administrative buildings. A selection will becarried out of 250 private householders, who willbe given the opportunity to retrofit their homes sothat they are 30 percent more energy efficientthan standard. At least two public buildings willbe treated in the same way, with other buildingssurveyed to find out the potential benefits ofretrofitting for the future.








CONCERTO NETHERLANDS


41 // NETHERLANDS

The CONCERTO projects are actively involved in the‘Energy Transition’ process, an initiative developed by

the Dutch Government and the private sector as partner. Itis focused on making existing construction more energyefficient, through a participatory approach where allnational and local actors (like research centers andbusinesses) are involved.

In this context, Dutch CONCERTO project coordinatorsand regional coordinators see themselves as front runnersconcerning sustainable energy solutions in theNetherlands. They want to forward their experiencesstraight to the Government, in order to bring barriers tolight and initiate new regulations.

The Dutch building permits are expected to be influencedby demonstrations and further promotion and exploitationof projects achievements. The CONCERTO communities’demonstration projects reach beyond present and futureDutch standards and regulations for new dwellings. Delftdemonstration dwellings reach well beyond the state-of-the-art in the Netherlands at the moment and they scorean Energy Performance Coefficient (EPC) of less than 0.7for new buildings and for old one show significantimprovements against current energy use.

The experiences from CONCERTO communities play animportant role in the new regulation on district heating inthe Netherlands and will be discussed in the DutchParliament during 2008.

The Netherlands is a country whose attention is focused to comply with the Kyoto

protocol: Amsterdam, the country’s capital, has taken this up rigorously and wants to play

a leading role, being itself promoter of two CONCERTO projects.

The specific technologies are renewable energy and efficiency measures to refurbish

existing houses. Typically, the CONCERTO communities and the Netherlands feature a

large scale kind of refurbishment.


NETHERLANDS // 42

The new area (Zuidbroek)will itself be carbon neutralby 2020. In its construction,

Apeldoorn is putting into practice its belief thatgood planning, taking into account all keystakeholders, plays a central role in thedevelopment of a successful, sustainablecommunity.

The main renewable energy source will bebiogas from sludge from a waste watertreatment plan. This will power a combinedheat and power plant with 1.5MW electricaloutput that will provide electricity and heat forthe district heating system.

Further renewable capacity will be added byextensive installation of PV collectorsthroughout, 1,000 will be installed in total onthe district's buildings. The goal is a significantreduction of CO2 emissions caused by fossilfuels for the neighbourhood on its completionin 2015.

The dwellings will have an energy performanceexceeding new build regulations by 20percent. Providing information allowinginhabitants to make informed energy choiceswill also be key to the project. An energy

consumption information website is beingestablished, and intelligent heat metering innew dwellings will provide inhabitants withdetailed energy consumption information.

APELDOORN - PART OFTHE SORCER PROJECT

Apeldoorn is situated incentral Holland, to the east ofAmsterdam, and has around155,000 inhabitants. It hasset itself the ambitious targetof becoming carbon neutralby 2020, and, through the

CONCERTO project, istaking the first steps towardsrealising this aim byconstructing to the highestenergy standards a newdevelopment of 3,100dwellings.

APELDOORN CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORRudy Rooth, Utrechtseweg 310, 6812 AR Arnhem; P.O. Box 9035, 6800 ET Arnhem,The Netherlands, T: +31 263 563192, F: +31 263 517362, E: [email protected]







AMSTERDAM - PART OF THE STACCATO PROJECT

A major challenge for Dutch housing associations is to obtainapproval from tenants of buildings scheduled for renovation. Morethan 70 percent of tenants must agree to the renovation before itcan start. Communication is therefore important, as the project HetBreed is showing in the district Amsterdam North.

Apeldoorn ©Warmtenetwerk





43 // NETHERLANDS

The last miner left the mines in Heerlen in1976. Since then the former mineshafts havebeen filled with geothermally heated groundwater, which has a different temperature atdifferent depths and can therefore be used forboth heating and cooling. A new districtheating grid will pump water at a constanttemperature of 22 degrees Celsius from themines, with used water pumped back into themineshafts. No further increase in thetemperature of the mine water is needed.

The water will be run through an embeddedhydraulic piping system under the floor of theHeerlerheide Centrum, a new multifunctionalcomplex for residential use, which also

contains a library, a supermarket, a conferenceroom and café. The energy from the water willactivate the thermal mass of the floor toprovide warmth. Even the heat produced bythe chilled cabinets in the supermarket will bedelivered back to the energy station. Solar cellswill also be integrated into the buildings inwindow shades that will move according to theposition of the sun.

HEERLEN - PART OF THE REMINING-LOWEX PROJECT

Through its participation in the CONCERTO project, the south-eastern Dutch cityof Heerlen will use heat energy stored in old mineshafts for the heating and coolingof buildings. Heerlen expanded quickly in the early twentieth century because ofmining, and the municipality now borders Kerkrade, Brunssum and Landgraaf.Together they have an urban population of 220,000.

In this area, arenovation project will

eventually cover 1,172 dwellings.Refurbishment is especially important as northAmsterdam developed rapidly after the secondworld war, and the buildings of Het Breed areripe for renewal. A five-level communicationplan is being put in place in the area.

A website, newsletter, and progress updates onthe refurbishment works are being provided.Residents can also benefit from conferencescovering their residential block, and evenhome visits to explain the refurbishment plans.A DVD about the renovations has also beenproduced. This level of communication isimportant because renovations will take placewhile inhabitants continue to live in theirapartments.

The refurbishments will see apartmentsbrought up to the standard of new housing interms of insulation, high performance doubleglazing, and window frames. Central heatingsystems will be updated with modern piping.The project backers want Amsterdam to be astepping stone for the implementation

of energy efficiency measurements andrenewable energy sources in otherredevelopment areas.

General information about energy saving isprovided to the inhabitants. An additionalreduction on space heating and on domestichot water will be achieved by the integration ofsustainable energy into the energy supplysystem. The district heating system is the idealstarting point for a sustainable energy system.In 'Het Breed', an energy system with forexample 2,000m2 solar thermal collectors willbe realised.







AMSTERDAM CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORWilfred van der Plas, Diakenhuisweg 39 t/m 43, 2033AP Haarlem, Netherlands, T: + 31 23 510 34 94, E: [email protected]



NETHERLANDS // 44

Heerlen aims for at least a 50 percent CO2

reduction in the short term and a 60 percentincrease in energy supply from renewablesources. The Heerlen demonstration siteincludes 440 new houses, 57,000m2 of non-residential new buildings, 84,500m2 of non-residential existing buildings, and threeexisting prepared buildings.

HEERLEN CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORElianne Demollin-Schneiders, Postbus 01, 6400 AA Heerlen, Netherlands, T: +31 455 605040, E: [email protected]

The Almere districts ofNoorderplassen West andColumbuskwartier were thusobvious candidates for actionsunder the CONCERTO project.

In these areas, 2,000 eco-homes are beingbuilt, along with commercial and publicbuildings. Specific innovations with thesedevelopments include the integration ofrenewable energy sources and the applicationof energy efficiency measures in city planning,area development, public tendering,architecture and building.

Of the new buildings, 600 will be certified assolar homes: low-energy homes with solarpower supply. In fact, integration of PV systemsinto the built environment, and implementationof a large-scale solar power certificationscheme are key elements of the projectsactivities in Almere.

ALMERE - PART OF THE CRRESCENDO PROJECT

Almere is a young municipality. Its first house was completed only in 1976.It is sited on the reclaimed territory of Flevoland. From the start, Almerecommitted itself to sustainable development, and it now has the aim ofdoubling in size – to 350,000 people by 2030 – in a sustainable way.













Almere © cRRescendo

Almere © cRRescendo




45 // NETHERLANDS

Steps being taken includerigorous building shellimprovement and insulation,

upgrading of heating systems and thedomestic hot water supply system, andreplacing old windows with high performancenew ones.

The first completed building, De Leeuw vanVlaanderen, won the 2007 Dutch award for thebest renovated building of the year. Since thebuilding is situated beside a highway, one ofthe main improvements was a completechange of the internal room arrangements.

Previously, the living rooms faced the noisyhighway; in the new layout they are facing thequiet street on the other side of the building.The ‘highway’ side has been wrapped in aglass façade as a noise buffer zone.

A second project is Complex 40, consisting ofa series of social housing units. Improvementsinclude installation of high efficiency windowswith a 30 percent better insulation value thanstandard double glazed windows, attic andground floor insulation as well as waste waterheat recovery. PV panels have also beeninstalled on the roof.

Meanwhile, the energy supply to the area is

benefiting from a new biogas plant, that willconvert waste to energy. This will increase theenergy conversion efficiency from waste tobiogas from 50 to 90 percent, throughconnection to the district heating system. Theplant will also reduce emissions of methane, apolluting greenhouse gas. The buildingsrenovated by the project will be integrated withthe district heating system.

In addition to investments in hardware,Amsterdam organised a stakeholderdialogue on CO2-saving targets in urbanrefurbishments. A group of residents, housingassociations and city district managersconcluded that Amsterdam must strive for a 70percent CO2-reduction in each buldingcomplex to be renovated. This reduction targetis feasible by a combination of heatinsulation, connection to heat pumps or districtheating and collective purchase of greenelectricity. Interestingly, this 70 percent targetis twice as high as national recommendationsfor an 'Energy transition in the builtenvironment'. Ecostiler Amsterdam activelypromotes these results to Dutch stakeholders.

The plant will also reduce emissions ofmethane, a polluting greenhouse gas. Thebuildings renovated by the project will beintegrated with the district heating system.

AMSTERDAM - PART OF THE ECOSTILER PROJECT

Amsterdam is known for its historic houses, but it also has manyapartment buildings constructed in the 1960s. The CONCERTOproject in Amsterdam is eco-refurbishing some of these more modernblocks in the Amsterdam New West neighbourhood.

A total of 300 1960s dwelling houses will be refurbished by theproject, providing inspiration for 50,000 further dwellings that couldbe renewed in the same way.

ALMERE CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORAlex van Oost, Postbus 200; Stadthuisplein 1; 1300 AE Almere; Netherlands, T: +31 365 399387, F: +31 365 484005, E: [email protected]

Energy efficiency measures will be taken withother new buildings, making them up to 42percent more efficient than specified innational standards. There will also be 100passive houses.

Renewable energy will also feature strongly,with 1,000 homes receiving 100 percent oftheir electricity and 80 percent of their heatfrom a combined heat and power plant basedon biomass and solar energy. A 'solar island'with solar collectors covering nearly 1.5

hectares will make a further additionalsignificant contribution to sustainablegeneration of heating.

Waste heat from the exhaust pipe of an existingCHP plant will also be used. The aim overall isfor a near halving of energy use compared toconventional developments. The projectactivities will make a sizeable contribution toAlmere's aim for a 20 percent reduction of CO2

emissions by 2010.Almere © cRRescendo


NETHERLANDS // 46

AMSTERDAM CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORFrans van derWoerd, Institute for Environmental Studies,Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1087, NL-1081 Amsterdam Netherlands,T:+31 205 989533, F:+31 204 449553, E: [email protected]







The CONCERTO project in Delftwill play its part, with one of themain features of the project beingthe use of residual heat fromwastewater for district heating.

The source of this will be the effluent streamfrom a wastewater treatment plant. The districtheating company will take the residual heatfrom this, boost the temperature using a gas-fired heat pump, and feed the resulting heatenergy into the local network. Some PVcapacity is also being installed on the facade ofa demonstration apartment building to improveDelft's renewable energy profile.

Meanwhile, an energy services company(ESCO) is being established to help financeenergy saving measures being taken as part ofthe refurbishment of social housing. Therefurbishment programme is taking place inhigh-rise buildings in the Poptahof district ofDelft. Around 200 dwellings in Poptahof will berenewed, as part of a long-term project localrefurbishment project that will go beyond theproject’s activities, but will be inspired by them.

The dwellings will be modified so that they aresuitable for the low temperature district heatingsystem. At the same time, energy efficiencymeasures will improve the apartments' energyperformance by a fifth compared to legal

standards. New dwellings are also beingbuilt in a second demonstration district,Harnaschpolder. These, covering 30,000m2

initially, will also be based on eco-buildingprinciples, and will be integrated into thedistrict heating system.

DELFT - PART OF THESESAC PROJECT

Delft is one of a number ofEuropean municipalitiestaking seriously theirresponsibility to cut CO2

emissions. This town of100,000 people,

which styles itself as a 'Cityof Knowledge', adopted in2003 a climate plan, withthe aim of reducing CO2

output by 33,500 tonnesannually by 2012 comparedto 1999.

DELFT CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORKees Kruijff, Postbox 78, 2600 ME Delft,The Netherlands, T: +31 152 602788, F: +31 152 602364, E: [email protected]









CONCERTO NORWAY


47 // NORWAY

An important part of Norwegian energy policy is promoting energy efficiency, renewableenergy sources and energy technologies. Experiences of co-operation at the Europeanlevel, such as the participation of Trondheim in CONCERTO, are vital and give importantimpulses to the formulation and implementation of domestic policies and contribute to thedissemination of policy instruments and energy technologies.

Norway will press for a more comprehensive andambitious climate agreement to succeed the Kyoto

Protocol and follow up its commitments and reduceemissions nationally as well as internationally. The NorwegianCONCERTO community Trondheim as a municipality hasan overachieving strategy with several goals that concernsenergy and energy related issues; the first aim is that themunicipality should contain the Kyoto-target for Norwaywithin themselves.

A new state enterprise, Enova SF, was established in 2001and has taken over responsibility for state efforts to promoteenergy savings and environmentally friendly forms ofenergy production (including renewable energy).

The Norwegian regulation whereby if a district heating gridis available houses must be connected to the grid, pay theconnection fee and the fixed part of the energy is also agood example for other countries.

TRONDHEIM CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORFartein Brautaset, Otto Nielsen vei 12, P.O. Box 2564 Sentrum; NO-7414 Trondheim Norway, T: +47 959 89127 , F: +47 738 96001 E: [email protected]

TRONDHEIM - PART OF THE ECO-CITY PROJECT

Insulation features high on the list of energy saving measures inTrondheim, Norway, the most northern of all the CONCERTOactions. The municipality of Trondheim, along with local buildingcompanies and other stakeholders, is playing a part in theCONCERTO project.

The project will set new energyefficiency standards – which arealready high in Norway. One ofthe schools covered by the

project, the Nardo school, is beingreconstructed with new buildings built largelyfrom wood, with external wood cladding andwood beams as a bearing structure. Heatlosses will be minimised by high insulationvalues (insulation throughout of 30 centimetre

thickness) and requirements on air tightness.Similar measures are being applied in otherbuildings covered by the project in Trondheim,with the objective being to achieve a 35percent energy saving.

Power supply in the area is also being mademore efficient and more reliant on renewablesources. Both ground source and sea waterheat pumps, and biomass and biogas boilerswill help contribute to the projects objectives.The district heating system will burn localwaste as an energy source and send theenergy thus recovered to the new eco-homes.And even in this northern city, cooling andventilation are not overlooked: the Nardoschool will feature a heat recovery ventilationsystem with 80 to 85 percent efficiency, animportant factor as Norway has high standardsfor ventilation in schools. The Nardo school, infact, is gaining recognition as a best practicecase for educational establishments in Norway.








Trondheim © Reto M. Hummelshøj, COWI

Trondheim © Reto M. Hummelshøj, COWI


CONCERTO POLAND

POLAND // 48

POLANDCONCERTO

One main aspect of the Polish community is the switchover of the district heating systemfrom coal to biomass, combined with solar systems.

This sets a national standard for local sustainable energysystems, and sets out development paths for other

Polish communities and other countries to follow, inparticular those in the same region or in areas with similargeographical conditions. Biomass potential is substantialin Poland, but it will only be exploitable with proper localmanagement ensuring sufficient and efficient supplychains.

The use of renewables in Poland is still at a low level andthe CONCERTO initiative is an opportunity to study bestpractices. The key element of the project is the effectivemanagement of the energy system. For the project, the

Energy Manager is a new professional figure, who is incharge of the implementation of the activities. The maintasks of these professionals are raising awareness ofenergy efficiency and renewable energies among citizens,and citizen relationship management.

Measures to improve buildings' energy performanceintegrated with deployment of renewable energies aresupported by different financing mechanisms: regional(such as environmental protection funds), national(including thermo-modernisation funds) and Europeanfunds. The CONCERTO community is going to be rationaland effective in receiving and using financial support.

SŁUBICE CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORRyszard Krzysztof Bodziacki, Urząd Miejski w Słubicach; ul.Akademicka 1, 69-100 Słubice, Poland, T: +48 957 372018, E: [email protected]

SŁUBICE - PART OF THE SEMS PROJECTIn Słubice the CONCERTO project will develop a biomass master plan.Taking into consideratrion the functioning of the District HeatingCompany which is planning to modernise the town’s heating plant andchanging the coal burning heating system into a biomass system. Thiswill involve the completion of a study on the area's biomass potential,and work will be done to create local markets for wood, energy corn,grass, biogas, short rotation willow plantations and straw.

Słubice together with Polishpartners will then show the

benefits of biomass by constructing a 200kWwoodchip burning heating system in a publicuse building in the town. This will serve as ademonstration and springboard for otheractivities. Retrofitting of the public building willbe integrated into the demonstration activity,with insulation and glazing to bring it up toEuropean Union standards.

Energy saving will be further demonstratedthrough the heating plant modernisation by theDistrict Heating Ltd Company (ZEC) – theproject partner. ZEC will modernise culmburning boilers and change the heating systeminto biomass burning system together withpure electric energy production. The additionalsaving will be gained through selection of anumber of other buildings for retrofitting. Thiswork will include at least 20 apartmentdwellings, commercial buildings and publicoffices. The general aim will be to reduceenergy demand in public buildings by 30percent, and to reduce Słubice's energyrequirement overall by 10 percent. The

combined actions will mean less pressure onthe district heating grid.

In the Słubice community the solar thermalinstallation will be combined with anotherwood-burner in a chosen building, thusmeeting that building's needs entirely throughrenewable energy. Meanwhile, the wind energydevelopment will be substantial: ten 1.3MWturbines will be erected, with local techniciansalso trained to operate and maintain them. Thesupply of power from the turbines will be linkedto Słubice through an energy managementsystem.








CONCERTO SWEDEN


49 // SWEDEN

Sweden is considered as a good example to prove that combining proactive climate policieswhilst ensuring economic growth is possible.The Swedish CONCERTO communities are infact among the first pioneers in that sense: on the one hand, they are implementing eco-rehabilitation of existing buildings and erection of new eco-buildings with energy performancelevels that go well beyond the existing Swedish regulation and on the other hand theCONCERTO actions contribute to local economy growth.

As an example, the local building sector is involved in theconstruction of the first high-rise passive house in woodstructure, which strengthens the expertise of the localconstruction sector on the basis of a natural constructionmaterial available in large quantities in the country.

Altough the Swedish government has large investmentprogrammes for local sustainability and climate protectionand there are several incentives for building sustainableenergy systems, such as the CO2-tax imposed in 1991 andthe green electricity certificates, the CONCERTOcommunities go further and are going to be best practiceexamples for other communities. The Swedishcommunities have a good link to consumers by using

feedback systems and offering advisory service and cantherefore better optimise their energy policy. The long termvision consists in ensuring an overall energy supply fromrenewable energy sources.

Since Swedish municipalities have a high degree ofautonomy and are very influential, they are encouraged tofix their own environmental protection goals as the result ofa consultation process among citizens, industries, energysuppliers, NGOs und universities. Following this strategy,the Fossil Fuel Free Växjö has become a CONCERTOmodel for other cities all over the world. CONCERTO thussignificantly contributes to the achievement of suchambitious climate protection targets.

HELSINGBORG - PART OF THE ECO-CITY PROJECT

The Swedish and Danish municipalities ofHelsingborg (SE) and Helsingør (DK) are closeneighbours, located on each side of the Øresundsound. Inhabitants frequently make the twentyminute boat ride, and the cities have beencooperating for generations. They are nowcooperating in a CONCERTO project – uniquelyfeaturing two municipalities – which takes anintegrated transnational approach to energyefficiency and sustainable energy supply. (Seepage 25 for more information on Helsingør.)

Växjö © Peter Arnere

Helsingborg © Reto M. Hummelshøj, COWI

Helsingborg has ambitioussustainability goals. The municipalitywants to reduce total energyconsumption per inhabitant by four

percent by 2010 compared to 1990, while reducingfossil fuel input to the district heating and powersystem by 20 percent in the same period. Energy useas a whole in the domestic and service sectors mustbe reduced by a further seven percent. And theenergy use in municipal buildings and dwellingsmust be cut by a fifth compared to 1998.

The project will contribute to these goals with anumber of demonstration activities. One of these,known as the 'Kvarteret Fronten 3' project, will seethe construction of 50 ecodwellings for elderlyresidents in a 14-storey block. These will go beyondcurrent building standards in terms of insulation,and will feature high quality glazing, heat recoveryventilation, and connection to the district heatingsystem. An additional 440 ecodwellings will also becompleted in Helsingborg, along with 64 new rowhouses, and the refurbishment of around 250

apartments in blocks, some of which date from the1960s.

Renewable energy supply in Helsingborg will comefrom a 2MW wind turbine sited in the harbour area,while waste from the municipality will be used toproduce biogas.

HELSINGBORG CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORReto Michael Hummelshǿj, Parallelvej 2 DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark, T: +45 459 72766 or +45 459 72211, F: +45 459 72212, E: [email protected]


CONCERTO SWEDEN

SWEDEN // 50







FALKENBERG - PART OF THE ENERGY IN MINDS! PROJECT

Many Swedish municipalities are stretched out over a large area.Falkenberg, with 40,000 people, is a case in point. To cut its energyconsumption by a quarter within the CONCERTO project area, Falkenberghas taken a diversified approach.

A key activity is the conversionof oil-burning boilers in 100private homes to run on woodpellets. At the same time, upto 20 percent of Falkenberg'shouses are being energychecked, and 30 privatehouses and 180 apartmentsare being renovated in anenergy-conscious way. Themunicipality's goal is to userenewable sources for 65percent of its energyconsumption.

Falkenberg © Sweco

The figures given above include the activities of Helsingborg &Helsingør

Falkenberg © Tom Bengtsson




Through the CONCERTO project500m2 of solar thermal panels willbe installed, which will optimise the

existing bio fuelled district heating net. This nethas been extended by the construction of twosmall scale heating systems covering the villagesof Ullared and Vessigebro. Wind power will alsobe part of the mix and therefore five new windturbines have been set up, which contribute tothe long term goal to meet the total demand ofelectricity in Falkenberg by wind power.

These CONCERTO measures in Falkenbergare an example of how the community buildson its existing knowledge. The municipality hassignificant existing experience in wind energy,and even before CONCERTO, windcontributed 5 percent of annual electricitydemand. Solar power is another area ofexpertise for Falkenberg: in the 1980s, a solarthermal plant covering 5,500m2 wasconnected to the newly built district heatingsystem.

The project will also see high energy retentionstandards applied in 64 new apartments,paving the way for a residential development of90 apartments where the low energy conceptwill be followed. In a school solar air systemshave been installed in combination with otherefficient technical installations. The expectedelectricity bill reduction is in the order of 40percent. In the new fire station solar thermalpanels are installed to produce domestic hotwater. The fire station is also built for lowenergy use.

FALKENBERG CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORMargareta Gunnarsson, Falkenbergs kommun S-311 80 Falkenberg, Sweden, T: +46 346 885402, F: +46 346 58985, E: [email protected]

VÄXJÖ CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORTorun Israelsson,Växjö Kommun, Box 1222, 351 12 Växjö, Sweden, T: +46 470 41571, F: +46 470 41580, E:[email protected]

VÄXJÖ - PART OF THE SESAC PROJECTVäxjö in the south of Sweden wants to free itself from fossil fuels. It has already taken big stepsin the right direction, reducing its CO2 emissions from fossil fuels by 32 percent from1993 - 2007, aided by taxation measures and other green initiatives in Sweden. But Växjöwants to go further, and cut its carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2010.


51 // SWEDEN

The project area, Välle Broar,connects the university to the city.New developments herecomprise energy efficient

dwellings and commercial buildings suppliedby district heating generated from forestrywaste material. In total, 400 dwellings, oneoffice and one commercial premise will beerected. Energy consumption will be 30 to 40percent below applicable national indices, with90 percent of the energy coming fromrenewable sources. Individual meters will beinstalled and households can go online tocompare their energy consumption with theirneighbours.

The new dwellings in the project area will be inlow-energy wooden buildings, two of which arebeing constructed. They are among the firstmulti-storey residential buildings usingprefabricated wood panels in Sweden. Some ofthe high-rise wooden dwellings are builtwithout a heating system, relying instead onheat recovery, with hot water coming from thedistrict heating system, itself powered by bio-energy. This marks a world first. Besides beingcarbon-efficient, the buildings themselvesserve as carbon sinks.

The district heating system supplies Växjö withheating and now also with absorption coolingin some areas. Concurrently, an anaerobicdigestion plant is being rebuilt and extendedfor polygeneration.







Falkenberg © Tom Bengtsson

Växjö © Mats Samuelsson









In Slovenia, the main potential in the reduction of CO2 bythe usage of renewable sources is in the use of biomass,because 54 percent of the country is covered with forests.This biomass will be used in combination with local PVapplications and the use of mine water. The community ofZagorje meets this potential and shows an alternative wayof renewable energy use in a country, where, at the time,the principal source of renewable energy relies on a largeamount of very old small hydro plants. However, since2004, Slovenia has supported the growth of the renewableenergy use through subsidies (up to 40 percent of theinvestment), and through loans with interest rate subsidies.

Renewable energy sources have recently started topenetrate the market. A best practice on a local energypolicy level, is the use of renewable energy sources incombination with energy efficiency measures in Zagorje,which make a good example for implementing energypolicies in whole Slovenia.

The Slovenian CONCERTO community is also participatingin studies on comparative law on use of mine water forheating and cooling. The dissemination work combinedwith cooperation with associated communities in Bulgariaand Poland provides a good opportunity for future projectson the use of abandoned mines for renewable energy use.

CONCERTO SLOVENIA

SLOVENIA // 52

SLOVENIA

Renewable energy can come from surprising sources. The Slovenian CONCERTOcommunity of Zagorje could become a significant case study in the re-use of abandonedmines and mine-water as a renewable energy source.The use of mine water to heat andcool buildings is an innovative idea and is a good instrument to decrease CO2 emissions.

ZAGORJE CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORMatjaz Svagan, Cesta 9, Avgusta 5, SL-1410 Zagorje Ob Savi, Slovenia, T: +38 635 655700, E: [email protected]

ZAGORJE - PART OF THE REMINING-LOWEX PROJECT

Zagorje is showing that locally available, low-valued renewable energyresources can be capitalised. In Zagorje's case, it is water fromabandoned mines. A system is being put in place that will seegeothermal energy from mine-water used to heat a youth centre and aprimary school. The water has a temperature of around 33 to 34 degreesCelsius, and will also be the source for energy to provide cooling incommercial buildings and a planned swimming pool.

In using this resource, Zagorje is taking stepsto clean itself up and overcome a reputation asone of the most polluted towns in Slovenia.Zagorje's 240 year tradition of coal miningcame to an end after 1995, when the town'smining capacity was gradually closed down.

Zagorje will also improve its heating system byadding biomass-burning capacity with

cogeneration. The objective is to increaserenewable energy supply by 60 percentcompared with standard national practices.

Residential buildings are being retrofitted andconnected to the biomass grid. The retrofittingshould reduce energy consumption by around70 percent. Two apartment blocks and afurther 15 apartments are being refurbished,with steps taken to include improved insulationand new windows. The retrofitting work isbased on information from thermal imaging.

Once this work has been completed, thecommunity will start to look at what can bedone for a number of public buildings. Theseare being monitored for energy performance,and calculations of their energy efficiency arebeing done, meaning Zagorje will be in anexcellent position to further improve its energyperformance.







CONCERTO


Local councils can impose, in addition, even higherenvironmental standards than the Building Regulations

ones, through Local Development Plans. Both CONCERTOcommunities in the UK can already be seen as frontrunnersin this field. For example, Milton Keynes is implementing asustainable construction policy that requires newdevelopments to be carbon neutral, including the use of alocal carbon offset fund. CO2 emissions have to be at least25 percent less than building regulations, with theremaining CO2 dealt with by a carbon offset payment. Themore a development surpasses the regulations, the lowerthe offset payment.

The ability of the UK to cut down on CO2 is very closelylinked to how it produces the energy, which is currentlymostly based on coal and gas. The Climate Change

Programme is moving towards using more renewableenergy, and combined heat and power (CHP), whichproduce less CO2 than fossil fuel. The UK is thereforemostly focused on the most efficient way of a global CO2reduction and high performance technologies, such aslarge scale CHP plants. Both CONCERTO communitieshave foreseen this development and have included CHPsystems, together with district heating grids, into theirprojects. The CONCERTO communities also set newstandards in energy efficiency: extremely highrequirements for air-tightness and insulation are to beapplied to the high density, multi-storey buildings in MiltonKeynes. In London the Roupell Park area will surpass thecurrent regulations to set higher standards in the oftenneglected refurbishment sector, through a large scale socialhousing refurbishment programme.

The Building Regulations include all national requirements such as the EPBD which is relatedto the ‘Conservation of Fuel and Power’ and thus to energy requirements in both new andrefurbished buildings.The Buildings Regulations are executed by local governments and applyto the whole of England andWales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different regulations:anyway, they closely follow the standards in the rest of the UK.

MILTON KEYNES - PART OF THE CRRESCENDO PROJECTMilton Keynes already has a reputation in the UK as an energy pioneer. The town, nearLondon, was established in the 1960s as a new town and was intended as asustainable community.

The project is building seven apartment blocks, with a total of 650 dwellings, that willtake sustainability in Milton Keynes to the next level.

CONCERTO UNITEDKINGDOM


53 // UNITED KINGDOM

The blocks in question are on 2estates in Lambeth the RoupellPark estate, and include over 700

apartments. The blocks on the Ethelred Estatewere built in the 1970s and are structurally soundbut suffer from cold and condensation. Renewableenergy capacity will thus be combined withretrofitting of solid wall insulation and doubleglazing, to ensure that the buildings keep the heatin.

The other aspect of the renewable energy mix inLambeth is installation of both solar thermal andphotovoltaic collectors. The photovoltaicinstallation will provide 120kW at peak. At thesame time, a combined heat and power plant isbeing installed to provide additional power to theestate as well as heat to a new community heatingsystem.

On the Roupell Park Estate polygeneration withapprox 5,250MWhel and 7,000MWth will be takena step further to achieve condensing CHP design

combined with Intelligent load management whichwill further improve the system's overall efficiency.

The overall objective on the Ethelred Estate is toreduce heating energy demand by 25 percentthrough energy efficiency measures, and to cutCO2 output overall by 83 percent, using thecombination of efficiency measures and renewablepower. All of this is combined with a thoroughdissemination and education programme reachingout to the wider community through six localschools which will also received solar PV andthermal systems.

MILTON KEYNES CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORJon Muncaster, English Partnerships, 414-428 Midsummer Boulevard, Central Milton Keynes MK92EA, UK, T: +44 777 1851501, F: +44 190 8353737, E: [email protected]

LAMBETH - PART OF THE ECOSTILER PROJECTWind turbines do not only have to be installed in hilly, remote areas. Lambeth ,oneof the 32 London boroughs is demonstrating that urban wind power can beproduced as part of an integrated approach to renewable energy generation.Vertical wind turbines are being installed on social housing blocks that are alsobeing retrofitted to be more energy efficient. The turbines have 10-30kW peakoutput, providing a valuable contribution to the overall energy mix.

LONDON CONTACT DETAILS: LOCAL COMMUNITY COORDINATORChris Dunham, Carbon Descent,Third floor, 84 Long Lane, Borough, London SE1 4AU T: +44 20 7089 6971, F: +44 20 7407 9646, E: [email protected]

CONCERTO UNITED KINGDOM

UNITED KINGDOM // 54

The apartment blocks will bepowered by a combination of agas-fired combined heat andpower plant, (electrical output:1,602 MWhel/yr; heating energy

output: 1,985 MWhth/yr) PV collectors – whichwill cover a fifth of the buildings' roofspace –and ground source heat pumps. Theapartments are located in the centre of MiltonKeynes and will feature retail units on theground floor, which will be served by the224kW of heating and cooling produced by theground source heat pumps.

The apartments themselves are designed to bedesirable places to live, and sustainability willbe part of their sales pitch. High performancestandards are being applied including those forinsulation and air tightness.

The project also aims to give the inhabitants ofthe apartments information so they canmonitor their own energy consumption: therewill be intelligent energy management systemsand displays in some apartments showingexactly how much power is being consumed.The project also features intelligentmanagement on the supply side.

All in all, about 1,500 people will directlybenefit from the project in Milton Keynes.Because of renewable energy supply andenergy savings, the buildings they live in willproduce just half the CO2 that would beproduced by equivalent dwellings withoutthese measures.















CURRENT PARTICIPATING ASSOCIATED CONCERTO COUNTRIES

NON EUROPEAN CONCERTO ASSOCIATED COUNTRIES

CHINA

INDEX OF CONCERTO PROJECTS

Act2Class 1

CONCERTO Al PianoCrrescendo

Eco-cityEcostiller

Energy in minds!Green Solarcities

HolisticPolycity

RenaissanceRemining-Lowex

SemsServeSesac

SorcerStaccato

Tetra Ener

12

11

31

13

14

5

55

15

16

17

18

1920

24

32

33

41

40

22

21

25

30

64

27

28

29

35

36 394243

44

67

23

48

50

45

37

47

59 49

46

61

34

60

63

62

12

54

4 58

56

388

9

10

6

51

52

53

57

66

26

65

3

7

CONCERTO


55 // ASSOCIATED COMMUNITIES

CONCERTO

1 SWEDEN MALMÖ ACT 22 UNITED KINGDOM NEWCASTLE ACT 23 POLAND KOSZALIN ACT 2

4 ESTONIA VALGA CLASS15 FRANCE BELGES CLASS16 ITALY BOLOGNA CLASS17 ROMANIA ODOBEŞTI CLASS1

8 PORTUGAL PORTO CONCERTOAL PIANO9 PORTUGAL TAVIRA CONCERTOAL PIANO10 PORTUGAL MOURA CONCERTOAL PIANO11 HUNGARY MOSZONMAGYARÓVÁR CONCERTOAL PIANO

12 BULGARIA SOFIA CRRESCENDO13 ITALY MISTERBIANCO CRRESCENDO14 FRANCE SÉNART CRRESCENDO

15 SLOVAKIA ŽILINA ECO-CITY

16 ITALY VENEZIA ECOSTILER17 UNITED KINGDOM SOUTHAMPTON ECOSTILER18 SLOVENIA DESTRNIK ECOSTILER

19 SLOVENIA GORNJI GRAD ENERGY IN MINDS!20 ITALY PROVINCE OF TORINO ENERGY IN MINDS!21 AUSTRIA WIESELBURG ENERGY IN MINDS!22 SWEDEN VÄRNAMO ENERGY IN MINDS!23 ITALY COMUNITÀ MONTANAVAL PELLICE ENERGY IN MINDS!24 ITALY PROVINCIA DI BIELLA ENERGY IN MINDS!25 GERMANY TRIER ENERGY IN MINDS!

26 HUNGARY SZENTENDRE GREEN SOLAR CITIES27 NETHERLANDS EINDHOVEN GREEN SOLAR CITIES28 NETHERLANDS MAASTRICHT GREEN SOLAR CITIES

29 UNITED KINGDOM NEWRY AND MOURNE DISTRICT COUNCIL HOLISTIC30 GERMANY AACHEN HOLISTIC31 ITALY ITALIAN MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND LANDAND SEA HOLISTIC

32 ITALY ALBA POLYCITY33 SWITZERLAND BASEL POLYCITY34 ROMANIA BUCUREŞTI POLYCITY35 GERMANY GÖPPINGEN POLYCITY36 GERMANY KONSTANZ POLYCITY37 POLAND OPOLE POLYCITY38 FRANCE PERPIGNAN POLYCITY39 GERMANY REGION HEGAU POLYCITY40 AUSTRIA WIEN POLYCITY41 PORTUGAL LISBOA POLYCITY42 GERMANY ALBSTADT POLYCITY43 GERMANY STUTTGART POLYCITY44 GERMANY LUDWIGSBURG POLYCITY45 BULGARIA UBBSLA – UNION OF BULGARIAN BLACK SEA LOCAL AUTHORITIES POLYCITY46 POLAND GNIEW POLYCITY47 POLAND GNIEZNO POLYCITY48 BELARUS SOSNY/MINSK POLYCITY

49 POLAND CZELADZ REMINING-LOWEX50 BULGARIA BURGAS REMINING-LOWEX

51 ITALY REGION OF LOMBARDIA RENAISSANCE

52 SLOVENIA GORNJI GRAD SEMS53 LITHUANIA CITY OF ELEKTRENAI SEMS54 CHINA NINGNAN COUNTY SEMS

55 SPAIN AYUNTAMIENTO DE EL FRANCO SERVE

56 LITHUANIA KAUNAS SESAC57 HUNGARY MISKOLC SESAC58 ESTONIA VASTSELIINA SESAC

59 POLAND SKOROSZYCE SORCER60 ROMANIA SIBIU SORCER61 BULGARIA PLOVDIV SORCER62 ROMANIA TIMISOARA SORCER63 ROMANIA TALMACIU SORCER

64 NETHERLANDS MUNICIPALITY OF NIEUWEGEIN STACCATO65 POLAND MUNICIPALITY OF PUŁAWY STACCATO66 HUNGARY EHÖSZ ASSOCIATION OF ENERGY EFFICIENT MUNICIPALITIES IN HUNGARY STACCATO

67 GERMANY FRANKFURT TETRAENER

COUNTRY ASSOCIATED COMMUNITY PROJECT

ASSOCIATED COMMUNITIES // 56

CONCERTO


57 // CONTACT INFORMATION

CONCERTO PROJECT COORDINATORS

ACT2

CLASS1

CONCERTOAL PIANO

CRRESCENDO

ECO-CITY

ECOSTILER

ENERGY IN MINDS!

GREEN SOLAR CITIES

HOLISTIC

POLYCITY

REMINING-LOWEX

RENAISSANCE

SEMS

SERVE

SESAC

SORCER

STACCATO

TETRAENER

CONCERTO

DISCLAIMER // 58

This brochure is printed on paper issued from sustainable paper pulp production processes (PEFCcertified).The paper is produced through chlorine free processes.The brochures are printed according tobest available technologies for sustainable printing (energy efficient machines, environmentally friendly ink,etc…) and according to fair trade principles.

The total CO2 emissions caused by the printing of all the brochures are estimated at 24 tons of CO2 (lifecycle assessment made by the European Commission for all greenhouse gases). Offsetting the CO2

footprint of each brochure at a carbon trading organisation would amount to about 0.091 euros perbrochure.


The European Commission would like to thank the following partners involved in the CONCERTOinitiative for their contributions:

First of all we would like to sincerely thank the CONCERTO Projects: ACT2, CLASS1, CONCERTO ALPIANO, CRRESCENDO, ECO-CITY, ECOSTILER, ENERGY IN MINDS!, GREEN SOLAR CITIES,HOLISTIC, POLYCITY, REMINING-LOWEX, RENAISSANCE, SEMS, SERVE, SESAC, SORCER,STACCATO,TETRA ENER

and their project coordinators as well as the involved communities of:

Ajaccio, Alessandria, Almere, Amsterdam, Apeldoorn, Óbuda, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Delft, Dundalk,Falkenberg, Genève, Grenoble, Hannover, Heerlen, Hillerød, Helsingborg, Helsingør, København, Lambeth,Luxembourg, Lyon, Måbjerg, Milton Keynes, Mödling, Nantes, Neckarsulm, Neuchâtel, Redange, Ostfildern,Salzburg, Serve region, Sofia, Stenløse, Słubice, Torino, Trondheim, Tudela, Tulln, Valby, Växjö, Viladecans,Weilerbach,Weiz Gleisdorf, Zaragoza, Zagorje, Zlín

their partners and associated communities, for their help, grant of copyrights and delivery of material forthis brochure.

Further we would like to thank the project partners of CONCERTO Plus arsenal research ÖsterreichischesForschungs- und Prüfzentrum Arsenal Ges.m.b.H., ARC systems research GmbH, DN Consulting s.r.l., EuroKeys sprl., Kape S.A., Costa and Partners Consulting sprl and all their subcontractors for their work for theCONCERTO initiative.

NOTE ON CALCULATION OF CO2 EMISSIONS

For coherence reasons, all CO2 figures are taken from the European norm EN15603 (informative AnnexE). Therefore the figures may not coincide with the figures published by individual communities, wherecalculations may be based on a local energy mix.

It should be noted, that for the purpose of this preliminary analysis, no life-cycle analysis has been carriedout. The reduction of CO2 emissions is therefore based on the yearly amount of electricity and heatingenergy displaced by the implementation of the CONCERTO demonstration activities (both RES and EE).For the biogas projects in Amsterdam and Måbjerg, the calculation is based on the total amount of naturalgas replaced through the installation of the biogas plants.

For the gas CHP projects in Cerdanyola, London, Milton Keynes, Turin and Viladecans, the referencescenarios for the calculation of the amount of CO2 emissions displaced have not been defined and thecorresponding impact on CO2 emissions reduction has not been considered in the given figures so far.

Electricity mix UCPTE 617 kgCO2/MWhGas 277 kgCO2/MWhEfficiency of gas boilers 90 percentSeasonal performance factor of cooling units 3

LEGALDISCLAIMER

Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the European Commission is responsible for the use which might be made ofthe information contained in this publication. No action should be taken by any individual on the basis of the information contained herein, or reliedupon for action, as it is for illustration and general information purposes only. It also should be noted that the projects may be subject to evolutionarychanges during the lifespan of their activities.

www.concertoplus.eu

CONCERTO is a European Commission Initiative

within the research framework programme

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