Page 43 - European Energy Innovation magazine - spring 2023 edition

Spring 2023 European Energy Innovation
POSITIVE ENERGY BUILDINGS 43

From concept to cost-effective solution:

Positive Energy Buildings in four EU cities

By Alexandra Pfohl, Officer Communications, Media & Outreach. Communications & Member
Relations, ICLEI Europe and Andreas Jaeger, Officer, Built Infrastructure & Sustainable Energy,
Sustainable Resources, Climate & Resilience, ICLEI
a small roof wind turbine, as well as
geothermal heat pumps connected
via a small district heating network.
A smart Building Energy Management
System optimises and synchronises
energy production and demand. With
inhabitants moved in and energy
systems running since 2021, the
Hasselt building proves that positive excess energy to be made available Solar panels to cover the roof of a
energy standards can be achieved via two EV charging stations for local 16th century Renaissance Palace in
cost-effectively. What is more, electro-mobility and the local energy Valladolid (Spain)
the building shows high energetic grid. 30 kWh lithium batteries will Photo: U·rb atelier
performance can go hand in hand ensure flexibility and continuous
with creating modern and affordable supply. Domestic hot water will come
living spaces. from additional 55 KWe PV, 2,8 kWe
hybrid photovoltaic / thermal PVT
In Valladolid (Spain), project partners panels, with a 40KW heat pump to be
focused on testing solutions to installed for heating and cooling. The
decarbonise Europe’s historical transformation into a residential PEB
buildings, which currently represent building is hence contributing to the
more than 30% of the entire EU building’s preservation and provides
building stock and are responsible an important example for the deep
for more than one third of the total renovation of Europe’s protected
energy consumption of the residential buildings.
sector. Whereas historical buildings
are part of Europe’s unique cultural While these buildings were developed
heritage, they are also a major for different contexts, they all offer
challenge on the path towards EU a glimpse into what could be the
carbon neutrality by 2050. This is path towards, as much as the result
due to the difficulty of applying of, a sustainable building stock.
energy measures, while safeguarding The EXCESS buildings show that
architectural values. Focusing on plus-energy houses are attainable
a highly efficient thermal envelope with benefits for occupants and
and the development of a prototype actors across the construction and
smart energy system, EXCESS renovation value chain.
developed a solution package that
will safeguard the historical facade The biggest challenge to the building
of the 16 century palace. The energy stock transition is no longer technical,
th
concept of the building is designed but often of legal and organisational
for the local mild temperatures, and nature. It is often more complicated
high solar radiation, by maximising to commercialise surplus energy
electricity production from than it is to generate it. It will be
conventional PV panels installed up to the optimisation of political
on the roof. The panels will supply and administrative processes to
energy for collective household unlock the mainstreaming of proven
self-consumption and storage, with technological solutions packages. l

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