Introduction

At an early stage client, developer, utility and housing association co-operated closely in order to realise a new residential area with high standards on architecture, sustainability, health and comfort.  All dwellings have an energy reduction of at least 25%.  The project demonstrates a great variety of collective and individual energy saving systems.  The water and green design brings good opportunities for natural flora and fauna.

Objectives and target audience

The target is to reduce energy consumption by 25 – 40% through a combination of eight small gas-fired combined heat-and-power plants, heat pumps connected to the ground water, solar collectors and high levels of insulation.

Financial Resources and Partners involved

City of Rotterdam

Process

In 1997 the City of Rotterdam used to give a premium of €240 for each dwelling that was built according to certain conditions.  In 1998 this list was replaced by a convenant.
Rotterdam and surrounding municipalities work together with building partners in a Sustainable Building convenant on spatial planning, new building and renovation.  Parties also speak on experiments, dissemination of knowledge and communication. In the region of Rotterdam already more than 125 parties signed this convenant.
In Nieuw Terbregge extra attention has been paid to the realisation of the convenant by instruction and education of building parties by the sustainable building consultant.
Being a demonstration project on sustainable building, several sustainable features can be
recognised in the plan.  First of all attention has been paid to energy saving and use of sustainable energy.  All dwellings in Nieuw Terbregge have very high insulation in order to reduce energy demand.
The south-orientation of most window openings provides passive solar energy.  Other expressions of sustainable urban planning are the special water system in Nieuw Terbregge and measures to enlarge accessibility for bicycles.
Concerning other aspects of sustainable building environmentally sound building materials and water saving devices have been chosen.  Examples are use of tropical hardwood with FSC quality mark, elimination of copper, zinc and led for gutters, elimination of polyurethane products and avoiding unnecessary use of material.

Results

Energy-saving demonstration in Nieuw Terbregge every part has a different combination of
collective and individual heat and power production:-

1. 41 dwellings have individual solar collector for DHW and heating;
2. 32 optimised with passive solar energy use through sun houses and solar collectors;
3. 38 have CHP, heat pump and solar collectors;
4. 150 with CHP, partly with solar collectors;
5. 170 have solar collectors for DHW;

Carbon emissions are up to 55 per cent lower than new housing produced in 1996.

Critical Success Factors / Challenges

When offering a building plan to the local authorities for a building permit, one is obliged to present a calculation of the Energy Performance Standard (EP) of the building.
The Energy Performance Standard measures the energy efficiency of a building.  By governmental regulation this Energy Performance Standard may not exceed a certain fixed value.  In New Terbregge the EP Standard was below the national regulations at that moment.