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Energy-optimised construction in refurbishment
Old buildings also have a future, because the greatest potential for energy savings is in the building’s fabric. The implementation of new concepts, materials and technologies in refurbishment is demonstrated in a whole range of exemplary refurbishment projects. Whether a large residential complex, a small residential building, office building or hall of residence, data acquired from scientific evaluation makes these pilot applications into models for consistent building refurbishment. Each project description is updated on an ongoing basis, and follows the project through its phases, from "planned", "refurbished", "in operation" and "evaluated", through to "optimised".
Schools
The school in Olbersdorf provides an example of a successful compromise between historic conservation and energy-based refurbishment. In order that the building, which was constructed in 1928, could also be used in future as a school, it was necessary to considerably reduce the energy costs. The most important starting point was to provide consistent thermal protection for the building. Vacuum insulation was deployed which, despite its very good thermal insulation values, still maintains the proportions of the building.
more details Comprehensive refurbishment of a school listed as a historic monument
Schools
Instead of attending three different school sites in the Rostock suburb of Reutershagen, in future school pupils shall be taught in a central and expanded school building that has been refurbished in terms of its energy efficiency. The school is designed to achieve the energy-plus standard, which means that it will produce more energy than the building requires during the course of the year. The project can be transferred to other schools because this type of building is widespread in the former East German federal states and also exists in a similar form in the West German federal states.
more details Refurbishment and expansion to become energy-plus school
Special buildings
The Luitpoldhaus, erected in 1911 and reconstructed in the 1950s after having been largely destroyed, will now be refurbished. The project will merge the various library functions at this central location in Nuremberg. To this end, the buildings will also be converted and extended. The storage of manuscripts, incunabula, prints and maps from the Middle Ages requires sophisticated air-conditioned rooms.
more details Nuremberg City Library - conversion and general refurbishment
Small residential buildings
In Hofheim am Taunus, three structurally identical double-family houses were refurbished according to different energy standards, allowing for a direct comparison. The pre-fabricated, storey-high insulating elements represent a new kind of facade heat insulation. They are thinner than the traditional insulation due to their integrated vacuum panels and do not stick so far out onto the public pavement.
more details Three residential buildings in Hofheim – a comparison of energy standards
Office buildings
The headquarters of the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) was built in the late 1960s as a group of office towers in Frankfurt’s Westend.In recent times, the building was starting to look somewhat down at heel and therefore the owner decided that it needed to undergo radical modernisation – only the load-bearing framework from the original building remained intact. This enabled the provision of daylight, fresh air, heat and cooling to be considerably improved and, above all, to be carried out in a much more energy-efficient way.
more details Revitalising office towers
