Newsletter ‐ First Edition

December 2010

► News

Green Carpet for GovernEE at Launch in Hódmezővásárhely, Hungary

Economy responsible for Climate & Energy policy. On behalf of the project Lead Partner, the Deputy‐Mayor of Hódmezővásárhely István Almási commented on the “transnational partnership” that will “provide guidance and set of good practices to decision‐makers and stakeholders to improve towards a more energy‐ conscious policy‐making. It will set the stages for better planning and decision‐making competences and for the commitment of policy‐makers at local and regional level towards environmental‐friendly approaches.”

Jörg PERRMANN, Project manager of Partner District Our newly born project was presented to the public Administration of explained that and the media at an official opening event held on 3rd “GovernEE will contribute to knowledge transfer to November 2010 in the project’s lead partner reach the sustainable development needs of our municipality of Hódmezővásárhely. Running under region. Investments in energy efficiency, use of the Central Europe Programme, GovernEE has been renewable energies as well as utilisation of energy introduced as a highly innovative project standing for efficient technologies will be stimulated and other improving good governance in energy efficiency in project partners will benefit from our experiences as public and historic buildings. The "Energy Efficient well.” Speakers and audience ranked from renewable Public Buildings for a Greener Future of Central energy experts, architects and specialists of old public Europe" public event was opened in the presence of and historic buildings. Ensuing press conference Pál VÖLNER, State Secretary of the Hungarian permitted high media coverage of the event by large Ministry of National Development responsible for local, regional and national echo given in the press. infrastructure and of Péter OLAJOS, Deputy‐State Secretary of the Hungarian Ministry for National

GovernEE on Cross‐fertilization at Euregia 2010

GovernEE participated to the Euregia help combating climate change. Energy 2010, the international congress and performance of buildings has been fair on local & regional development, discussed after a presentation given by held biannually in Leipzig, Mr T. Constantinescu, Executive . This year the event was Director of the Buildings Performance held under the topic of “Climate Institute Europe based in Brussels. change” ‐ a key priority for the EU With regards to the overall aim of the which has set itself strict goals to be EU goal 20‐20‐20 to be achieved by the achieved until 2020. The accomplishment of the EU year 2020, the expert noticed that Member States will targets will be primarily fulfilled by the regions of need to be more ambitious to fasten today’s pace of Europe. Duly represented by our project partner 9% only, up to the envisaged 20% which is targeted to BurgelandKreis from Germany, our project took part in be reached by a term of 10 years. He also presented the debates involving experts and partners from the EU legal framework related to energy efficiency, Central European projects who debated among major highlighting major developments in this context. issues on better promotion of energy efficiency and use of renewable energy and their contribution to

GovernEE at a Green Buildings International Forum in Debrecen, Hungary

Represented by its Lead Partner, Hódmezővásárhely, European countries debating and reviewing the latest the project was presented at an exhibition & developments of conception, architecture & design of international conference addressing green building & sustainable intelligent buildings. Students from the system performance, organized in the city of Faculty of Engineering of the University of Debrecen Debrecen, Hungary on 14‐15th October. The 16th were exposing their creations and works. A model of edition of the “Building Services, Mechanical, and intelligent house was also exhibited. Building Industry Days International Trade” welcomed Find pictures & more information on the event on: some 50 exhibitors and professionals from 13 www.mk.unideb.hu/conference/index.php/en

► Project partners

Preserving the World’s Heritage:

The UNESCO City of Looking Into Alternative Energy Opportunities to Safeguarding Historic Medieval Center

Quedlinburg is a very good example of a central the city within the walls, consisting of the Old‐and European city on an early medieval ground plan with New Town (10th& 12th century), the area of many preserved individual buildings. The Old Town Westendorf including the Collegiate Church along with of Quedlinburg is of outstanding universal value, as a the Collegiate buildings, as well as Wiperti Church and monument to the art of urban development and Münzenberg. Because of its historical role during the major scene of German history. The area comprises time of the Saxon‐Otto rulers, Quedlinburg gained worldwide cultural significance. Through the crowning regarding the specific regulations. The old town, of King Heinrich I the Royal Court of Quedlinburg within the 180 hectares redevelopment area, became the capital of the East‐Franconia German surrounds of good examples for the use of renewable Empire as successor of Charlemagne’s Aachen. As energies. Approximately 15 mostly private buildings “metropolis of the empire” of the first German state, have been provided solar panels in addition to other founded by Heinrich I, the city was a place of shining energy sources. In the reconstructed timbered house congregations and church festivities. at Reichenstraße 38, within the historical urban area, the solar panels were permitted under the condition Despite glorious past, today’s protection status of that it would be hidden from the street view and the historical monuments and the compliance of energy castle’s overlook. Such constraints implied that the efficiency rules can be badly teamed with each other. panels’ capacity couldn’t be optimally exploited. The Due to conservation constrains, the inner and outer timbered centre supervises some pilot projects in appearance of buildings can’t be changed Quedlinburg old town and other protected buildings considerably. Also, the use of modern insulating outside the town. Besides RES, secondary heating materials is problematic for the same reasons. systems i.e. timber, wood pellet and chimney ovens Numerous private owners took the challenge to are used increasingly. Besides, heat pump systems insulate their old properties with natural materials. with closed energy cycle systems are installed by These ecological building materials like clay, straw, private energy‐conscious owners upon planned reed and timber are though often used and acceptable renewal of their building.

Bologna: Regional Efforts for Cost‐Efficient Energy Management of Public Buildings

The Municipality of Bologna has a strong efficiency environmental profile in terms of promoting energy actions to efficiency in the urban environment and within the achieve high building sector. Since 30 years the city has been energy developing tools devoted to the management of performance energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at local (Class A). It scale. After all, the 2007 “Energy Program” fixed the also objective of strong reduction of CO2 emissions. It has performed an also elaborated a mapping analyzing energy energy consumption (GIS) matching real consumption of screening via users to the buildings’ location. Energy saving the local measures and promotion of renewable energy sources Energy Service are based on the integration of energy issues Operator, assessment and development of appropriate urban which aimed planning tools. These measures aim at integrating the at categorizing “Energy Programme” to the municipal structural plan the energy and its operational application tools. They also look at performance identifying initiatives from the energy performance of of the buildings, through their energy classification. the Buildings Directive in future district buildings and Old public buildings were also included both in the renovation projects with special emphasis on public energy screening and in the energy audit. Cost‐benefit buildings. The attention devoted by Bologna to the analyses of energy‐saving actions were also energy issue has brought to the revision of the Urban performed. The “Energy Program” considers specific Building Regulation in 2009 which had to deal with the measures regarding Bologna Old Town, being the change operated regarding building performance largest medieval centre in Italy, subject to cultural requirements due to the latest EU and national heritage constraints. The programme identified regulations on minimum energy consumption affordable savings with regards to energy requirements. Besides, the Municipality carried out an consumption by better thermal insulation, renovation energy‐survey of municipal buildings involving an of heating systems and improvement of electric energy audit aimed at identifying cost‐effective energy devices.

► Events to come

Gothenburg Welcomes GovernEE for Project Benchmarking

visit to refurbished multifamily buildings from the 70's, including a solar energy collector farm. It is foreseen to include a presentation of the “Eracobuild” project for sustainable renovation carried out by the The next GovernEE benchmark visit will take place on Department of Architecture, aiming at the eco‐ 18, 19 and 20 January 2011 at the Gothenburg refurbishment of inner city blocks in some European Chalmers University of Technology, in Sweden. The cities. Another project that might be of interest to the Programme will be finalized soon by the Lead Partner GovernEE project partners is the National Energy and will possibly include study visits of Gothenburg’s Agency’s project “Totalprojektet” which focuses on district heating utility “Energi” where 85% of the profitable refurbishment packages for commercial production originates from waste heating and well as buildings (hospitals and schools).

GovernEE’s 2nd Working Group Meeting in Italy Adjoins Transnational Workshop of Architects

GovernEE’s Italian project partner, Center for Theoretical and Applied Ecology – CETA, will host the transnational workshop of architects in Gorizia, Italy, foreseen on 12 and 13 April 2011. (N.B.: Dates are to be confirmed). Taking the opportunity of the event, the GovernEE project partners agreed to schedule their 2nd Project Working Group meeting on the same dates. A Steering Committee (SC) meeting discussing internal project management issues will also take place during these days. More information of the Programme & Planning will soon be available on our website (www.governeeproject.eu)

Editorial: Project Manager: Erika Baksics ‐ [email protected] GovernEE Communications: [email protected]

www.governeeproject.eu

This project is implemented through the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme co‐financed by the ERDF.