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E+ solar living in Bremen
The student design from Bremen University of Applied Sciences is a response to new forms of communal living. Its three housing groups, which are each arranged around a central courtyard, consist of two- and three-storey buildings that unite completely contrasting lifestyles within a single community. In addition to houses designed for multiple generation living, there are also concepts for couples and families with children. All designs provide excellent thermal insulation with targeted utilisation of the sun.
How the judges assessed it:
“Three housing groups are arranged around central courtyards and, in two- and three-storey buildings, offer accommodation for different types of families. The central features of this work include the targeted utilisation of the sun on the transparent facades and the integration of PV systems on the roof and facades. The designs are supplemented with excellently insulated external construction components, a targeted air supply via geothermal heat exchangers and heat generation using pellet heating with gas-condensing technology and central buffer storage systems. The concept impresses through its integrated approach to the function-, design- and energy-related aspects. In urban design terms, the project demonstrates the potential for realising energy-plus residential buildings based on medium densities in the urban context. It also impresses in terms of the high degree of professional thoroughness and the convincing depiction of individual aspects such as the energy concept and the architectural expression.”
Building concept
A clearly structured urban design form was developed for the site, which is situated within an existing residential block. Three housing groups were developed that each surround a courtyard. The entrances to the terraced single-family homes are oriented to the courtyard. This means that for one half, the entrances are situated to the northwest and the gardens to the southwest, while for the other half it is the other way round. The three housing groups are accessed via a greened circulation space. This is where the car parking spaces are located. The design contains a total of 6 building types, which differ in terms of their type of use. There are 8 houses in each terrace. Multi-generational centres are situated on the corner of each housing group.
The buildings have two full stories and a set-back roof storey, which creates a roof terrace on the second floor. Each terraced house has two external stores that can be used, for example, for storing rubbish or gardening equipment on the garden side. On the narrow side of the courtyards there are two plant / bicycle / ancillary rooms.
Energy concept
The buildings have ventilation systems, whereby the ventilation equipment is situated on the ground floor. The fresh air is sucked in via a 20-metre-long geothermal heat exchanger. The supply air is fed via jet nozzles into the living spaces. The pipe network is very compact since the air supply and air exhaust rooms (kitchen, bathroom WC, storeroom) are optimally arranged alongside one another. The ventilation equipment is compactly located in the storeroom beneath the ceiling.
The entire row of terraced housing will be heated by a heating plant that is located in the plant room next to the road. The pellet heating is supported by a 1,500-litre buffer storage tank. An elevated photovoltaic system is planned for the roof, with an area of 40.32 m² for each individual house.