Links

These links represent information relevant to sustainable housing, both in regard to the actual construction and to the preliminary planning and design processes.

European Energy Performance Directive (EPD)
Directive 2002/91/EC on the Energy Performance of Buildings was officially adopted on 16 December 2002, and the text published in the Official Journal of the European Communities on 4 January 2003. With this publication, the deadline for the national implementation of the EPD is defined: 4 January 2006. The only exceptions are the energy certification and the inspection of boilers and air conditioning systems if there is a lack of qualified and/or accredited experts. In such case the absolute deadline is 4 January 2009.
The EPD is also applicable to the EU candidate countries where the same timetable has to be respected.
The Directive is available in all languages of the EC.

Solar City Copenhagen is an organisation for a more extensive use of solar energy in the Copenhagen Region. With the sun as an endless energy source, combined with good architecture and building techniques the idea is to reduce energy use in buildings and CO₂ emission in general.

Demonstration projects on sustainable housing
These links present websites that disseminates information on experiences and solutions of other demonstration projects in Europe on sustainable development.

SOLTAG.net apartments is a prototype of a new prefabricated CO₂ neutral rooftop dwelling, which is build according to the new Danish low energy standard 1.
With their design and advanced utilisation of windows, insulation and use of heat recovery ventilation, SOLTAG.net apartments approach the requirements for CO₂ neutrality. They need no traditional heating system, thus improving the indoor climate and eliminating problems of moisture and condensation.

Ecobuilding aims to demonstrate how to optimise the use of innovative solar energy technologies together with energy savings and optimised energy supply for different types of buildings.

Thematic networks
Websites that organise and disseminate information for anyone involved with the planning and organisation of construction projects.

EHEN Network aims to identify and develop good practice in all aspects of ecology involved in or affecting the provision, management and serving of housing.

PRESCO-network (Practical REcommendations on Sustainable COnstruction) has as main objective to define a European Code of Practice for Sustainable Building and provide guidance for the construction of sustainable buildings for residential, commercial and industrial use.

CRISP Network aims to identify, define, verify, and implement sustainability performance indicators of urban construction projects in order to provide decision and policy-makers with the optimal basis for evaluating economic viability and technical feasibility, whilst at the same time increasing resource use efficiency.

Sustainable Cities and Towns Campaign supports transfer of knowledge and exchange of experience in the field of urban sustainability and Local Agenda 21 in Europe, thereby helping implement the concept of sustainable development. It provides central access to comprehensive and up-to-date information relevant to all those working towards sustainability in an urban context.

Supplementary tools for the preliminary planning process
Below you find information on websites that present inspirational and methodological tools that facilitate the preliminary planning procedures, preceding construction or retrofit projects.

ASCOT is a simple and quick calculation tool for economical optimisation of sustainability measures in building renovation and new construction projects.

GREEN Catalogue is a manual with a definition of performance indicators and performance requirements/recommendations for best practice technologies in the area of Rational Use of Energy (RUE) and Renewable Energy Systems (RES) in buildings. The manual gives information on 32 different building related technologies from approx. 200 producers, builders, cities, energy offices and energy companies in 10 different EU-countries. Green Catalogue is a practical support for the implementation of the EU Energy Performance Directive for Building (EPD).

Green Global 21 is an energy and environmental point rating system. The objective is to present an operational tool for sustainability evaluations to decision makers, builders, engineers and other interested parties involved in designing building projects of all sizes – from single-family houses up to whole urbanisations. A questionnaire about sustainability measures for new or existing buildings and urban development areas is developed and can be found at the Green Global 21 web site.

Passive House is a construction standard, which – although it can be met using a variety of technologies, designs and materials – requires that the annual demand for space heating of a building does not exceed 15 kWh/(m²a). Thereby Passive Houses are buildings which assure a comfortable indoor climate in summer and in winter without needing a conventional heating system.

An Energy Point System for the housing funding programme in the Salzburg Region has been in operation since 1992. The main goal is to promote higher quality of thermal building-standards and renewable energy systems. Depending on the thermal quality of the building there are subsidies for measures like biomass heating systems, solar collector systems or air ventilation systems. In March 2003 the system was extended. Now additional subsidies are also given when defined ecological criteria are fulfilled.

Online-Monitoring of the solar heating system at the Housing Project "Gneis Moos" in Salzburg
Online-Monitoring of the solar heating system at the Housing Project "Taxham" in Salzburg
Online-Monitoring of the solar heating system at the Housing Project "Sam" in Salzburg

EU energy
Websites that present sustainable development programmes initiated by the European Union on energy issues.

DG TREN (Directorate-General for Energy and Transport) is responsible for developing and implementing European policies in the energy and transport field and seeks to ensure that energy and transport policies are designed for the benefit of all sectors of the society, businesses, cities, rural areas and above all of citizens. 

Managenergy, a initiative by DG TREN, is to bring together energy agencies and other organisations that are working at regional and local levels to promote good enrgy practice.

EESD (Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development) is one of the four thematic programmes of the Fifth RTD Framework Programme (1998-2002). As the Fifth RTD Framework Programme is intended to end this year, the Sixth RTD Framework Programme is coming up. More information on the sustainable activities covered by the programme on www.cordis.lu