Gerber Architekten’s Post

https://lnkd.in/e6Xc3W_p In July, I had the honor of presenting at the World Congress of Architects in Copenhagen during the session titled "End of Life Innovations: Unleashing the Potential of Construction Materials through Repurposing, Reusing, and Recycling." The key message from both myself and my fellow presenters was clear: the best circular strategy is the transformation of already-existing buildings. Among the obvious benefits are the lower consumption of raw materials and a reduction in CO2 emissions. However, another critical point to consider is that building transformation brings into focus what we, as humans, perceive as quality in buildings. Often, quality in a building is equated with meeting various legislations and building regulations. But when a building changes its function, appearance, and users, it becomes essential to ask how the users perceive quality. Perhaps it's not about having completely silent buildings or maintaining a perfectly balanced temperature throughout the year. Many times, users express their appreciation for the story within a building, the small, imperfect additions that create an atmosphere and allow them to connect with the building. A building is not just a collection of building elements; it serves as a physical framework for human lives. Building components are parts of systems, and systems are parts of functions. Humans relate to function and identity, not just systems and materials. Pernille Kernel Søren Nielsen Lone Lindgård Laursen Roskilde Kommune Tegnestuen Vandkunsten #CityLoops ICLEI Europe

Today, as we stand on the precipice of a rapidly changing world, the role of sustainability in real estate development and architectural marvels has never been more crucial. Our planet faces unprecedented challenges from climate change, resource depletion, and environmental degradation. As stewards of the built environment, we hold a profound responsibility to shape our cities and structures in ways that honor our planet and support the well-being of current and future generations. Sustainability is not merely a buzzword or a passing trend; it is a moral imperative and an economic necessity. In real estate development, sustainable practices encompass everything from site selection and design to construction materials and energy efficiency. By integrating sustainable principles into our projects, we can reduce carbon emissions, minimize waste, and mitigate the environmental impact of urbanization. Architectural marvels, in particular, have the power to inspire and influence on a grand scale. They serve as beacons of innovation and creativity, capturing the imagination of millions around the world. But true architectural greatness must extend beyond mere aesthetics; it must embrace sustainability as a core value. Imagine towering skyscrapers that generate their own clean energy through solar panels and wind turbines. Picture vibrant communities where green spaces and public transportation are prioritized over sprawling highways and car-centric development. Envision homes and buildings constructed from recycled materials, designed to promote natural ventilation and daylighting, reducing the need for artificial lighting and air conditioning. This vision of sustainability in real estate and architecture is not some distant utopia—it is within our reach, and indeed, it is our obligation to pursue it with unwavering determination. The benefits are manifold: healthier environments for inhabitants, cost savings for developers, and a legacy of stewardship for future generations to inherit. But achieving sustainability in real estate and architecture requires more than just good intentions. It demands collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to pushing the boundaries of what is possible. It requires developers, architects, engineers, policymakers, and communities to come together in pursuit of a common goal: a built environment that harmonizes with nature rather than exploits it. As we look to the future, let us pledge to make sustainability the cornerstone of our real estate developments and architectural masterpieces. Let us embrace bold ideas and transformative technologies that will redefine what it means to build and inhabit our cities. And let us do so not out of obligation, but out of love and reverence for this precious planet we call home.

Outside of Hanover, Germany, a curious client and an innovative architecture office pushed the limits on the possibility of building with recycled materials. If you want to build a new building with reused materials, you face three major problems. First, how to find the materials in an appropriate condition and sufficient quantity. Secondly, how to be sure that these reused materials will meet all the technical and engineering demands of contemporary building standards. And thirdly, finding a builder who will agree to use these unconventional materials. These obstacles are part of the reason why recycling has received short shrift in the current bonanza of sustainable building. There is no doubt that the construction industry is one of the largest waste producers and consumer of resources globally, while also being responsible for about 40 percent of the global CO2 emissions. At the same time, the existing building stock is one of the largest resources we have on earth—and if older buildings cannot be transformed to serve new purposes, at least their materials should be considered for reuse. That’s why this single-family home in a suburb of Hanover, Germany, is more important than its size suggests: It is a prototype for a future construction industry. https://lnkd.in/gZhegcrz

WINNERS ANNOUNCED! It’s been a record achievement for entrants in the lighting category of the Build Back Better Awards 2023. No fewer than 18 entries won awards, including 10 projects, five products and three industry initiatives. The judges awarded no fewer than seven Platinums, their ultimate accolade and a record number in this category. It was also an unrivalled year for Green awards, with a total of 13 awarded, reflecting significant investment in sustainability by the lighting industry in recent years. Schemes rated included ones in the UK, USA, Norway and Denmark. Projects and Initiatives PLATINUM and GREEN • Espenes Rest Stop, Hardanger, Norway by Light Bureau • Good Lighting Technical Advice Note for Cumbria, UK by Dark Source • The Regen Initiative • TM65.2 Embodied Carbon in Lighting by CIBSE GOLD and GREEN • Building Crafts College, London, UK by Silent Design • London Borough of Haringey, UK by Urbis Schréder PLATINUM • Kings College Chapel, Cambridge, UK by Atelier Ten • Orientkaj Metro Station, Copenhagen, Denmark by Light Bureau GOLD • Castlefield Viaduct, Manchester, UK by Arup • Rothko Chapel, Houston, Texas, USA by George Sexton Associates GREEN • Arup, Manchester, UK by Arup and The Regen Initiative • Entopia Building, Cambridge, UK by BDP (Building Design Partnership Ltd) • Senate House Steps, University of London by BDP (Building Design Partnership Ltd) Products PLATINUM • NightScape Technology by Lumileds GOLD and GREEN • Lorelux sustainable urban luminaires GREEN • Aeromax by Acrospire • Firestay Sustainable Geo by BELL Lighting  • ReCinder by Rosy Napper Learn more: Link in the comments

Changing perspectives: Do we always need MORE technology? Buildings like the one in the picture work completely without heating, ventilation or cooling systems. ⬇️ Projects such as ROBIN in Vienna, Seestadt are a testament to innovative design and eco-conscious principles. The key to ROBIN’s success? It lies in the building concept which challenges the conventional notion that energy efficiency requires complex HVAC systems. Instead, it leverages the fundamental elements of architecture. Here's how the building concept works: It uses massive brick walls for insulation and temperature regulation. The interplay of facades, windows, proportions, materials, and natural light further contributes to maintaining a comfortable temperature range of 22 to 26 degrees celsius throughout the building. This system continuously monitors external and internal conditions, adjusting temperature settings accordingly. The result? Substantial cost savings by eliminating the need for complex HVAC planning, installation, and maintenance. Sensor-controlled ventilation flaps regulate temperature and CO2 levels, ensuring a consistently pleasant indoor climate. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗥𝗢𝗕𝗜𝗡 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗩𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗮 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝘂𝘀: When we combine principles of nature with smart technologies in a completely new way then new possibilities can arise. A very inspiring project which provides interesting food for thought on how we develop our living space over the next decade.

Often the most sustainable buildings are the ones already built – our recent work on the Revy Development in Sydney is proof. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour this integrated office redevelopment aims to create an inspiring, purposeful and authentic home for our client as part of its existing Sydney campus. In line with our client’s focus on data driven design, we utilised building physics techniques and advanced simulation platforms to optimise the facade, external shading system and services design meet the project’s energy, thermal comfort, indoor environment and functionality success criteria. Modelling methods to assess the indoor environment of the heritage building were also used to influence the design of the new building to ensure that a consistent solution is achieved throughout the project. The project is targeting International Living Future Institute Zero Carbon certification. #WorldGreenBuildingWeek Tetra Tech High Performance Buildings Group | Tetra Tech | Cosentini Associates | Glumac | Hoare Lea https://bit.ly/44JCNXg

🔊 By 2026, the building sector in the Netherlands has used all its CO2 budget to stay within 1.5 degrees. That's only two years away❗️ And whilst this is an increasingly known fact, we still have the social ambition to build almost 1.000.000 new houses in the Netherlands to solve the housing crisis. This is a known dilemma to many countries, including Germany where I am from. Whilst certainly, we might question the target in the first place ("We won't solve the housing crisis by building 1 million houses" Marja Elsinga, Delft University of Technology), it was one the reasons, Liesbeth Sträter, Sybren Bosch, Mara Haverkort and I came together to host an event on "Building within planetary boundaries" at Pakhuis de Zwijger last month. Nico Schouten summarized the advice he would give to Architects as following: 1️⃣ Extend the lifespan of buildings: Everything that you don't demolish, is good. 2️⃣ Alternatives for new built: How much space do we really need? Are there solutions that can serve more needs? 3️⃣ Build differently: How can we built with bio-based and second-life materials? 4️⃣ Making the building materials more sustainable: Building a repertoire of sustainable materials choices all Architects can implement. Which prompted the public to reply: "I am 70+ years old, I am not going to invest anymore into renovating my home. How are we going to tackle this problem?" which prompted a later question of the public "What new narrative do we need to get everyone on board?" Luckily, we had solutions in the room: 👉 Mare Santema from Usespace on the "tinder for spaces" on using existing spaces better 👉 Harvey Otten from on his new project "De Burman", a way of bringing additional living spaces to the city by topping up buildings. 👉 Michel Baars from MOOS (Middle of our Street) to create modular, demountable living room for all that sets a new standard for the construction sector. 👉 Anke Verhagen from Rabo SmartBuilds to demonstrate how they tackle the urgency of the housing crisis (HET IS NU!), by creating temporary solutions on vacant spaces. The main problem still: "Sustainability is more expensive as long as polluting costs nothing. And sustainability will be competitive as soon as polluting costs real money." The second panel on sectorial change was as intriguing as the first: 👉 Rutger Buch from Rotterdam Cirkelstad 👉 Esther Heijink from Rijkswaterstaat 👉 Imme Groet from the Timber Construction Convenvant 👉 Mart van Uden, PhD candidate at Delft University of Technology A few snippets of the discussion: "There is a sort of anti-aging creme for asphalt, that extends the life spam of asphalt (usually it's renewed every 12-14 years)." "The timber covenant aims at 20% of timber construction by 2025 of all new buildings, the current expectations are around 8%" What new narrative do we need? Comment👇 Circular Economy Club Amsterdam Copper8 Metabolic NIBE experts in sustainability Alba Concepts.

𝙊𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙡 𝘽𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙃𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙎𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 Medium-rise buildings (4-8 stories) offer an optimal balance for urban sustainability. They support efficient land use and infrastructure without overwhelming services. Their height promotes walkability, natural ventilation, and daylight, reducing energy consumption. Medium-rise structures mitigate the urban heat island effect and minimize wind and shadow impacts. Incorporating sustainable design elements, such as green roofs, solar panels, and eco-friendly materials, enhances their environmental performance. These buildings foster community interaction and maintain a human-scale aesthetic, blending with historic areas and vibrant streetscapes. 𝘼𝙡𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙇𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙨 𝙎𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙚 In areas with limited land, vertical gardens, rooftop green spaces, and energy-efficient high-rise buildings can be implemented. Mixed-use developments and smart city planning ensure that even taller buildings contribute to sustainability goals. Efficient public transportation, renewable energy integration, and innovative architectural designs can further mitigate environmental impacts. #𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙥𝙩

Around one million British pounds have been sourced to fund the Deep Retrofitting project of the 107 Niddrie Road tenement in Glasgow, as per the Scottish Housing News article in 2021. This sandstone tenement is a historic building from before 1919, representing about one-fifth of Glasgow's housing stock. Led by the Southside Housing Association 🏡, the scheme resulted in eight renovated social housing rental flats adopting the Passivhaus enerPHit standards. The case study demonstrates an example of retrofitting an old & cold building to be healthy and affordable regarding rent and energy bills. In this case study for the RE-DWELL — MSCA-ITN knowledge base, I was curious to find out: What decisions have John Gilbert Architects made to retrofit this pre-1919 building with genuine care for Climate and Health? Interesting Highlights: - Care for Climate + Health = Low energy consumption + Low carbon emissions + Ensuring the health and wellbeing of future dwellers. - A retrofitted fabric might still leak air, accumulate moisture, and cause dampness. An illustration (Figure 2 in Images) highlights an example differentiating between a common practice approach to retrofitting and the approach adopted for this project, showing "the devil in details". The "Sustainable Renovation" guidelines from The Scottish Ecological Design Association (SEDA) are worth checking; links are provided. It has beautiful hand-drawn illustrations explaining lots of details. - Insights on replicating this retrofitting process on a large scale. - The scheme's connection to seven of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). You can find valuable references and videos for the case study (all in one place!). The recent report on this project from the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence (CaCHE) presents research evaluations in collaboration with residents, including a cost-benefit analysis. Thank you Chris Morgan for introducing me to this project! Thank you Professor Karim Hadjri and Professor Leandro Madrazo for peer-reviewing the case study. I hope you enjoy checking it out! #retrofitting #retrofit #sustainablearchitecture #sdgs #affordability #affordablehousing #healthandwellbeing #healthyhomes #passivhaus #sustainability #cop28 #scotland

In this insightful article from PBC Today, Simon Vernon-Harcourt, Design and Planning Director at City & Country, explores the necessity of retrofitting the UK’s historical building stock in order to meet Net Zero targets. 'Renovating and converting existing properties uses far less carbon than constructing new buildings from scratch,' says Vernon-Harcourt, 'yet all the talk is about how we can build new super-efficient homes, often demolishing existing buildings along the way.' Reusing as much of our existing buildings as possible, rather than sourcing and transporting raw materials, is Vernon-Harcourt's 'solution to building sustainably.' Pointing to a 2019 Heritage Counts publication 'There’s No Place Like Old Homes,' Vernon-Harcourt reveals the findings from a study commissioned by Historic England. The study compared the carbon generated by retrofitting and insulating a Victorian end-of-terrace house against the estimated carbon generated from demolition and building a similar-sized modern house in its place. The research found that by 2050 retrofitting would reduce carbon emissions by an impressive 60%! To find out more about the sustainable benefits of retrofitting, you can read the article in full at: https://lnkd.in/dQBCnhUm #retrofitting #sustainability #netzero