Energy refurbishment as an opportunity
The white paper, which was produced in collaboration between ewz and the research and consulting company intep, sheds light on the relevance of energy refurbishments for the real estate industry.
Knowing that the building sector causes about a quarter of the emissions, it is urgent that the building stock is renovated. After all, the few climate-friendly and energy-efficient new buildings will not have much effect on the sector as a whole. Right now, we are in a renovation backlog. The current renovation rate of one percent must be doubled if the climate targets are to be achieved.
Practical experience has shown that, in comparison with new buildings, too little attention is paid to energy-efficient refurbishment during the renewal process. Property owners often lack basic information that shows them the economic, ecological and social potential of energy refurbishment. The Whitepaper is intended to make a contribution to precisely this. It provides a basic overview of the urgency, legal framework, benefits, opportunities and possible strategies of energy retrofits.
Excellent bases for decision-making are, for example, the results of a life cycle assessment (LCA) and a life cycle cost (LCC) analysis. These quantitative assessment methods take into account the entire building life cycle.
Comprehensive redevelopment of the Webermühle housing estate
One example of a successful refurbishment is the large Webermühle development in Neuenhof. The former Göhner housing estate, which was occupied in 1984 and has been owned by a Credit Suisse Asset Management real estate fund since 2008, houses 368 rental apartments with around 1,500 residents.
Core of the energetic renovation of the weaver mill is the realignment of the heat supply. To this end, the client defined a clear goal from the outset: The heat supply was to be at least 70% CO₂-free in the future. Due to the size of the facility, Credit Suisse Asset Management wanted to replace the heating system with a contractor instead of producing heat itself. The sustainability of the solution proposed by ewz with a river water heat pump convinced the client.
