Advisory service package “Sustainable Buildings for Communities”
Region: Vorarlberg
Implemented on: Regional level
Target group: Local authorities, planners and craftsmen
Summary:
Since 2006, the Umweltverband Vorarlberg runs together with the partners Energy Institute Vorarlberg and Spektrum GmbH the advisory service “Nachhaltig:Bauen in der Gemeinde” (sustainable construction in municipalities). The Umweltverband Vorarlberg is a public authority held by all 96 municipalities in the Province of Vorarlberg. Contents of the advisory service: Coaching of public building owners, planners and craftsmen during the whole planning and building process of energy efficient and ecological public buildings.
Objectives:
- Reducing heat demand in new and renovated public buildings to passive house level;
- Reducing primary energy to passive house level;
- Supporting the use of renewable energy for heating and the implementation of solar plants to produce energy;
- Construct buildings with less embedded energy, avoid poisonous materials and to strengthen the use of local, renewable products.
Funding/Costs:
- The community pays about 1% of the building costs for the coaching service;
- The builder pays the worked hours of the 3 partners;
- Each public building is accompanied by an expert for public procurement, an architect or building service engineer specialized on energy efficiency and a building physicist specialized on ecological materials..
Results:
- 46 public buildings, half new constructed, half renovated in or close to passive house standard and measured air quality;
Lessons learnt:
- The service has not been not properly evaluated, so since 2011 an evaluation tool is connected with the funding;
- Pollution levels in conventional new buildings or refurbishments is up to 10 times higher than for ecological optimized buildings;
- In a new building with ecological materials the generated additional costs are only about 1-2% higher. The additional costs of increased energy efficiency pay for themselves.