Gullandsgården
Amager, Copenhagen, Denmark
Gullandsgården
Amager, Copenhagen, Denmark A part of the existing buildings.
Gullandsgården
Amager, Copenhagen, Denmark
Facts
The housing area Gullandsgården situated on the streets Gullandsgade and Hørhusvej in Copenhagen consists of 11 blocks of flats with 342 tenancies. Gullandsgården is part of a social housing association under the City of Copenhagen.
Gullandsgården consists of 4-storey blocks of flats. Some of the flats have a balcony and several of the ground floor flats have a small garden. The blocks create a number of lovely courtyards with playgrounds and green areas. The buildings are traditional pre-cast constructions characteristic of the period.
Professor, architect Poul Kjærgaard designed Gullandsgården in 1978 and the project was awarded a prize in 1980. |
Visualization showing new attic apartments in two floors
and a new facade look after energy renovation. |
The Challenge
The municipality of Copenhagen has a vision to reach CO2 neutrality in 2025 and a concrete target to reduce the city’s CO2 emissions by 20% in 2015 compared with 2005.
75% of the total CO2 emissions in the city derives from energy consumption of buildings. The municipality of Copenhagen is endeavouring to find concrete solutions of how to reduce the energy consumption of the existing buildings drastically so the vision of CO2 neutrality can be met.
VELUX want to contribute to setting a new standard for energy renovation and show that sustainable living can also be attained in existing houses. With sustainable living is meant energy efficiency of houses and integration of renewable energy in order to minimize the CO2 impact of the house. Simultaneously, focus will be on the indoor climate in the house through maximum use of daylight and fresh air to the benefit of the tenants.
The municipality of Copenhagen, VELUX, The Ecological Council and NCC have, therefore, agreed to take the initiative for the creation of a “Task-force for CO2 neutrailty in the Sundholmsvej neighbourhood”.
The purpose of the task-force is to find the answer of how to work towards CO2 neutrality when energy renovating the buildings in existing parts of town. The answer will be given in form of a concrete strategy and a catalogue of ideas showing how the Sundholmsvej neighbourhood can move towards CO2 neutrality in 2025.
The strategy is going to include heating and insulation of the buildings, supply and consumption of electricity, optimisation of the indoor climate and the tenants’ possibility of reducing their own CO2 contribution through their daily conduct.
A Solution
General suggestions
Energy renovation proposal
- Façade renovation with external insulation
- External insulation of the roof in connection with establishment of new flats in the attic storey
- Solar collectors and solar cells
- New windows with energy panes
- Covering of balconies
- New French balconies
- Insulation of stairways
- Renovation/renewal of ventilation and heating system
- New perimeter drain
- Green walls
- Collection of rainwater in a lake
- Sorting of rubbish
- Common roof gardens
A general situation report has been made where the primary important elements of the building have been examined with a view to the necessary energy changes, which must be made.
When the energy renovation project has been finished, the task will be to document the expected reduction of the energy consumption through monthly registration of heat, electricity and water consumption.
It is important for the accomplishment of the energy renovation project that the tenants have a proper understanding of the
situation reports and the energy measures/proposals prepared for the houses. In the end it is their approval that will be decisive for a thorough energy renovation. Therefore, it is essential to get the tenants interested in and set on the future changes of the construction, look and function.
In the future the houses will be modern and with all likely energy efficient measures.
The thermographic photos show the lack of insulation especially around the basement, the windows, the French balconies, the stairways and the balconies.
The basement
The French balconies
The stairway and the balconies
Block D. Apartment type D1. 4th floor
A Solution
General suggestions
Gullandsgården in the future
In some of the buildings, two-storey flats (the upper one in the attic and connected by internal stairs) will be established. In other buildings, one-storey flats will be established in the attic storey.
Lifts will be installed where they are considered necessary.
The roof
The old roof construction will be insulated on the outside by 360 mm insulation material. The present concrete tiles will be replaced by new concrete tiles as suggested in one of the façade proposals. Normally concrete tiles have a life of 30 years and the present tiles are more than 30 years old. Rheinzink roofing has been suggested in an alternative façade proposal.
Solar collectors and solar cells will be installed on the roof. The concrete cover for the attic storey will be insulated by 50 mm floor slabs for noise reduction.
Façade components
The front panel of the façade components is approx. 30 mm thick with red brick slips concreted in the front panel, all in all 90 mm. Insulation is 100 mm batts in two layers. The back panel components are 150 mm precast concrete panels. The existing façade components must be insulated by 220 mm on the outside before the new Rockpanel façade panels are set up. The insulating material will be fixed directly on the back panel components. By reinsulation of the houses a considerable saving on heating will be gained.
Balconies
It is the plan to cover the balconies to avoid great heat losses. The balconies will remain unheated. New sliding balcony doors with low-energy panes will be fitted in the present façade wall.
French balconies
New glazing with low-energy panes and external sun screening.
Basements
New perimeter drain will be established around all the houses and new pumps will be installed. New storm water pipes will be established around the façades and the water led to a rainwater lake.
Basement walls will be primed with bituminous coating. Shrinkage cracks and casting joints will be filled with extra bituminous coating and glass fibre fabric will be used for reinforcement. Following this, 75 mm insulating polystyrene drainage plates will be installed along the external basement walls covered with earth.
New windows with low-energy panes will be installed in the basement rooms.
Laundry in the basement
The laundry has six small and three large washing machines more than 10 years old. At replacement and renovation it will be investigated whether the required machines are available for hot water connection (cf. the energy report). Rainwater will be used for machine washing.
Windows / Entrances / Stairways
All windows in the façade will be replaced with new windows with low-energy panes. New entrance doors will be fitted in the stairways in connection with the new insulated external wall, which will flush with the existing façade.
Ventilation
A new ventilation system will be installed as the requirement for airing will bencreased when the house gets tighter. The installations will be placed in the dwarf wall in the attic storey. Other systems will be placed in the gable walls of the attic storey. In the living space in the attic storey with double-high rooms and VELUX roof windows, natural ventilation will be established.
Heating system
The present district heating system will be renovated and completed with solar panels for DHW. The water storage tanks of the solar panels will be placed in the gables of the attic storey for connection to the existing system.
An access hatch for workers and a ladder will be placed in the stairways for access to the attic space in the gables.
Bathrooms
Electricity by PV, placed on balcony front edges or roof, if possible, will be used for underfloor heating in the prefabricated bathroom units.
In some of the buildings , two-storey flats (the upper one in the attic and connected by internal stairs) will be established. In other buildings, one-storey flats will be established in the attic storey. Block D. Apartment type D1. 4th floor
A Solution
General suggestions
Gullandsgården in the future
In some of the buildings, two-storey flats (the upper one in the attic and connected by internal stairs) will be established. In other buildings, one-storey flats will be established in the attic storey.
Lifts will be installed where they are considered necessary.
The roof
The old roof construction will be insulated on the outside by 360 mm insulation material. The present concrete tiles will be replaced by new concrete tiles as suggested in one of the façade proposals. Normally concrete tiles have a life of 30 years and the present tiles are more than 30 years old. Rheinzink roofing has been suggested in an alternative façade proposal.
Solar collectors and solar cells will be installed on the roof. The concrete cover for the attic storey will be insulated by 50 mm floor slabs for noise reduction.
Façade components
The front panel of the façade components is approx. 30 mm thick with red brick slips concreted in the front panel, all in all 90 mm. Insulation is 100 mm batts in two layers. The back panel components are 150 mm precast concrete panels. The existing façade components must be insulated by 220 mm on the outside before the new Rockpanel façade panels are set up. The insulating material will be fixed directly on the back panel components. By reinsulation of the houses a considerable saving on heating will be gained.
Balconies
It is the plan to cover the balconies to avoid great heat losses. The balconies will remain unheated. New sliding balcony doors with low-energy panes will be fitted in the present façade wall.
French balconies
New glazing with low-energy panes and external sun screening.
Basements
New perimeter drain will be established around all the houses and new pumps will be installed. New storm water pipes will be established around the façades and the water led to a rainwater lake.
Basement walls will be primed with bituminous coating. Shrinkage cracks and casting joints will be filled with extra bituminous coating and glass fibre fabric will be used for reinforcement. Following this, 75 mm insulating polystyrene drainage plates will be installed along the external basement walls covered with earth.
New windows with low-energy panes will be installed in the basement rooms.
Laundry in the basement
The laundry has six small and three large washing machines more than 10 years old. At replacement and renovation it will be investigated whether the required machines are available for hot water connection (cf. the energy report). Rainwater will be used for machine washing.
Windows / Entrances / Stairways
All windows in the façade will be replaced with new windows with low-energy panes. New entrance doors will be fitted in the stairways in connection with the new insulated external wall, which will flush with the existing façade.
Ventilation
A new ventilation system will be installed as the requirement for airing will bencreased when the house gets tighter. The installations will be placed in the dwarf wall in the attic storey. Other systems will be placed in the gable walls of the attic storey. In the living space in the attic storey with double-high rooms and VELUX roof windows, natural ventilation will be established.
Heating system
The present district heating system will be renovated and completed with solar panels for DHW. The water storage tanks of the solar panels will be placed in the gables of the attic storey for connection to the existing system.
An access hatch for workers and a ladder will be placed in the stairways for access to the attic space in the gables.
Bathrooms
Electricity by PV, placed on balcony front edges or roof, if possible, will be used for underfloor heating in the prefabricated bathroom units.
In some of the buildings , two-storey flats (the upper one in the attic and connected by internal stairs) will be established. In other buildings, one-storey flats will be established in the attic storey. A Solution
General suggestions
Examples of placing of lift:
The housing association wants to utilize the uninhabited attic storey for new flats of different sizes to get a larger selection of flats so they can accommodate both families with young children, elderly and young people as well as disabled people. They are, therefore, contemplating to make two-storey flats with internal stairs to the attic storey in a few of the blocks. In other blocks they are contemplating prolonging the front stairs to the attic storey for new small flats for young, elderly or disabled residents. To ensure accessibility of the elderly and the disabled, a lift will be installed for the new attic storey.
It has been chosen to place the lift at the corner connection at the gables between two blocks of flats. This placing enables one construction to carry both lift and a common roof terrace. The construction must be light and airy. Simultaneously, it must function as a green wall. Green walls absorb rainwater and reduce the amount of water. Façade planting improves the local climate and air quality and has marked architectonic effect.
It has been opted out placing lifts at the front stairs as you have to walk up half a flight of stairs to get to the flats which means that there is no level access. The Danish building regulations demand that there must be level access to lifts. This means that the users of a lift must not be forced to enter stairs to use the lift. The power for the lifts is planned to come from solar cells on the roof. A Solution
General suggestions
Examples of placing of lift:
The housing association wants to utilize the uninhabited attic storey for new flats of different sizes to get a larger selection of flats so they can accommodate both families with young children, elderly and young people as well as disabled people. They are, therefore, contemplating to make two-storey flats with internal stairs to the attic storey in a few of the blocks. In other blocks they are contemplating prolonging the front stairs to the attic storey for new small flats for young, elderly or disabled residents. To ensure accessibility of the elderly and the disabled, a lift will be installed for the new attic storey.
It has been chosen to place the lift at the corner connection at the gables between two blocks of flats. This placing enables one construction to carry both lift and a common roof terrace. The construction must be light and airy. Simultaneously, it must function as a green wall. Green walls absorb rainwater and reduce the amount of water. Façade planting improves the local climate and air quality and has marked architectonic effect.
It has been opted out placing lifts at the front stairs as you have to walk up half a flight of stairs to get to the flats which means that there is no level access. The Danish building regulations demand that there must be level access to lifts. This means that the users of a lift must not be forced to enter stairs to use the lift. The power for the lifts is planned to come from solar cells on the roof.
Visualization: Façade proposal with the rainwater lake in front. A Solution
General suggestions
Examples of placing of lift:
The housing association wants to utilize the uninhabited attic storey for new flats of different sizes to get a larger selection of flats so they can accommodate both families with young children, elderly and young people as well as disabled people. They are, therefore, contemplating to make two-storey flats with internal stairs to the attic storey in a few of the blocks. In other blocks they are contemplating prolonging the front stairs to the attic storey for new small flats for young, elderly or disabled residents. To ensure accessibility of the elderly and the disabled, a lift will be installed for the new attic storey.
It has been chosen to place the lift at the corner connection at the gables between two blocks of flats. This placing enables one construction to carry both lift and a common roof terrace. The construction must be light and airy. Simultaneously, it must function as a green wall. Green walls absorb rainwater and reduce the amount of water. Façade planting improves the local climate and air quality and has marked architectonic effect.
It has been opted out placing lifts at the front stairs as you have to walk up half a flight of stairs to get to the flats which means that there is no level access. The Danish building regulations demand that there must be level access to lifts. This means that the users of a lift must not be forced to enter stairs to use the lift. The power for the lifts is planned to come from solar cells on the roof.
Visualization: Common roof terrace.
Vision
Active House is a vision of buildings that create healthier and more comfortable lives for their occupants without impacting negatively on the climate – moving us towards a cleaner, healthier and safer world.
The Active House vision defines highly ambitious long term goals for the future building stock. The purpose of the vision is to unite interested parties based on a balanced and holistic approach to building design and performance, and to facilitate cooperation on e.g. building projects, product development, research initiatives and performance targets that can move us further towards the vision.
Active House proposes a target framework for how to design and renovate buildings that contribute positively to human health and well-being by focusing on the indoor and outdoor environment and the use of renewable energy. An Active House is evaluated on the basis of the interaction between energy consumption, indoor climate conditions and impact on the external environment.
Energy – Contributes positively to the energy balance of the building
An Active House is energy efficient and all energy needed is supplied by renewable energy sources integrated in the building or from the nearby collective energy system and electricity grid. |
Indoor Climate – Creates a healthier and more comfortable life
An Active House creates healthier and more comfortable indoor conditions for the occupants and the building ensures a generous supply of daylight and fresh air. Materials used have a positive impact on comfort and indoor climate. |
Environment – Has a positive impact on the environment
An Active House interacts positively with the environment by means of an optimised relationship with the local context, focused use of resources and on its overall environmental impact throughout its life cycle. |
Key principles of Active House
An important aspect of the Active House concept is that of ‘integration’. Although Energy, Indoor climate and Environment are essential components of the vision, it is the way their integration promotes architectural quality, human health, comfort and well-being which represents the value of the building.
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Energy
- A building which is energy efficient and easy to operate
- A building which substantially exceeds the statutory minimum in terms of energy efficiency
- A building which exploits a variety of energy sources integrated in the overall design
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Indoor climate
- An indoor climate that promotes health, comfort and the sense of well-being
- A building which ensures good indoor air quality, adequate thermal climate and appropriate visual and acoustical comfort
- An indoor climate which is easy for the occupants to control and at the same time encourages responsible environmental behavior
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Environment
- A building which exerts the minimum impact on environmental and cultural resource
- A building which avoids ecological damage and seeks to add to local biodiversity
- A building which is constructed of materials which have high recycled content and which provides the ability for its own recycling or re-use
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Integration of the three main principles of energy, indoor climate and environment
- A building which integrates the demands of comfort, climate, energy, environment and ecology into an attractive whole
- A building where such integration adds to the architectural quality and human well-being
- A building whose interactive systems and spaces add to human enjoyment and support environmentally responsive family life
Active House is an initiative supported by the VELUX Group
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