Eco-efficient practice(3)-Renovate old buildings into sustainable ones
Eco-efficient practice(3)-Renovate old buildings into sustainable ones
16:24, November 06, 2009 
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Sweden is one of the European countries with experience of long term climate efforts, where switching of the energy system and reduced greenhouse gas emissions have been combined with economic growth. Emissions have fallen by just over 9 percent since 1990, while the rate of economic growth has been around 48 percent. Another example of the eco-efficient practices is to upgrade old buildings into environmentally sustainable ones.
The district of Gårdsten in north-east Gothenburg is a 'million new homes programme' area that has been given a new face. The district has changed character in many aspects over a decade.
The buildings have been renovated and the outdoor environment has been freshened up. The residents report in annual surveys that they enjoy living there, and there is strong demand for such kind of apartments because they have been transformed into sustainable buildings.
In the Gårdsten district in northeast Gothenburg, second biggest city in Sweden, a housing company --Gårdstensbostäder was formed in 1997. The company bought 2000 old apartments and it brought the tenants who presented their ideas to architects and building engineers. They want to renovate the old buildings into new environmentally sustainable areas.
Environmentally sustainable areas with wind and solar energy
Gårdstensbostäder has undertaken consistent and systematic environmental work from alternative energy solutions to recycling. As a result, the company is now self-sufficient in environmentally friendly wind-generated electricity, produced right next to the properties.
The extensive renovation project of 'Solar Buildings' attained the goal of reducing future maintenance and energy use, lowering housing costs and applying modern recycling technology.
The tenants were also given an opportunity to influence their costs for example through metering of electricity, heating and water.
The solar buildings have attracted wide attention both in Sweden and abroad.
In 2001 the project won the Swedish Association of Painting Contractors prize for the best painting environment.
In 2002 Solhusen was awarded the Great Energy Prize for individual metering, and in 2005 it won the "World Habitat Award” of the Building and Social Housing Foundation.
The first area of solar buildings, Solhus 1, comprised three courtyards with 255 households, and was built under an all-in contract with Skanska as main contractor. Preparatory work began in the spring of 1998, and the first tenants took up residence in March 2000.
The second part of the project, Solhus2, was completed in the autumn of 2003. Solhus 2 contained roughly the same number of properties.
The buildings are constructed of concrete panels and have flat roofs. There are two types of buildings, balcony access blocks, with three or five floors, and slabs blocks with entrances at floor level and internal staircases.
The balcony access blocks have balconies facing south along the whole length of the building, while the slab blocks have inset balconies facing east and west. This is one of the ways to make use of the sun.
District heating was installed as part of the renovation, and the blocks were given exhaust-air and supply-air systems for ventilation. Solar panels were installed on the balcony-access blocks to supply hot water to the buildings via accumulator tanks in the basement.
The balconies were glazed in to protect the outside walls, reduce heat loss and increase their use.
The ground floor in Solhus 1 also been glazed in and provided with greenhouses which are used to grow plants for the tenants. There are also new laundries here. In addition, composting machines were installed to convert household waste to soil, which is used in the greenhouses.
New energy solutions
The project comprised a well thought-through renovation in which most of the costs of energy measures were covered by reduced operating expenses. The energy-related measures can be summarized in the following items:
Conversion to exhaust-air ventilation and installation of heat recovery system
Glazing in of balconies.
Using low emission glass
Roof-integrated solar panels
Additional insulation of roofs and end walls
New washing machines and drying room equipment connected to hot water
New energy-labelled white goods
Installation of a central control and monitoring system
Installation of individual metering for electricity, heating and hot and cold water.
The renovation project has been carried out in cooperation with five European housing projects with assistance from the European Commission.
This renovation led to a decrease in energy costs of 1.6 million kronor(800 thousand dollars) in 2004. The eco-efficient economy shows that environmental methods can be rewarding and must be rewarding with the help of innovative solutions.
By Xuefei Chen, People's Daily Online, Stockholm.
The district of Gårdsten in north-east Gothenburg is a 'million new homes programme' area that has been given a new face. The district has changed character in many aspects over a decade.
The buildings have been renovated and the outdoor environment has been freshened up. The residents report in annual surveys that they enjoy living there, and there is strong demand for such kind of apartments because they have been transformed into sustainable buildings.
In the Gårdsten district in northeast Gothenburg, second biggest city in Sweden, a housing company --Gårdstensbostäder was formed in 1997. The company bought 2000 old apartments and it brought the tenants who presented their ideas to architects and building engineers. They want to renovate the old buildings into new environmentally sustainable areas.
Environmentally sustainable areas with wind and solar energy
Gårdstensbostäder has undertaken consistent and systematic environmental work from alternative energy solutions to recycling. As a result, the company is now self-sufficient in environmentally friendly wind-generated electricity, produced right next to the properties.
The extensive renovation project of 'Solar Buildings' attained the goal of reducing future maintenance and energy use, lowering housing costs and applying modern recycling technology.
The tenants were also given an opportunity to influence their costs for example through metering of electricity, heating and water.
The solar buildings have attracted wide attention both in Sweden and abroad.
In 2001 the project won the Swedish Association of Painting Contractors prize for the best painting environment.
In 2002 Solhusen was awarded the Great Energy Prize for individual metering, and in 2005 it won the "World Habitat Award” of the Building and Social Housing Foundation.
The first area of solar buildings, Solhus 1, comprised three courtyards with 255 households, and was built under an all-in contract with Skanska as main contractor. Preparatory work began in the spring of 1998, and the first tenants took up residence in March 2000.
The second part of the project, Solhus2, was completed in the autumn of 2003. Solhus 2 contained roughly the same number of properties.
The buildings are constructed of concrete panels and have flat roofs. There are two types of buildings, balcony access blocks, with three or five floors, and slabs blocks with entrances at floor level and internal staircases.
The balcony access blocks have balconies facing south along the whole length of the building, while the slab blocks have inset balconies facing east and west. This is one of the ways to make use of the sun.
District heating was installed as part of the renovation, and the blocks were given exhaust-air and supply-air systems for ventilation. Solar panels were installed on the balcony-access blocks to supply hot water to the buildings via accumulator tanks in the basement.
The balconies were glazed in to protect the outside walls, reduce heat loss and increase their use.
The ground floor in Solhus 1 also been glazed in and provided with greenhouses which are used to grow plants for the tenants. There are also new laundries here. In addition, composting machines were installed to convert household waste to soil, which is used in the greenhouses.
New energy solutions
The project comprised a well thought-through renovation in which most of the costs of energy measures were covered by reduced operating expenses. The energy-related measures can be summarized in the following items:
Conversion to exhaust-air ventilation and installation of heat recovery system
Glazing in of balconies.
Using low emission glass
Roof-integrated solar panels
Additional insulation of roofs and end walls
New washing machines and drying room equipment connected to hot water
New energy-labelled white goods
Installation of a central control and monitoring system
Installation of individual metering for electricity, heating and hot and cold water.
The renovation project has been carried out in cooperation with five European housing projects with assistance from the European Commission.
This renovation led to a decrease in energy costs of 1.6 million kronor(800 thousand dollars) in 2004. The eco-efficient economy shows that environmental methods can be rewarding and must be rewarding with the help of innovative solutions.
By Xuefei Chen, People's Daily Online, Stockholm.
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