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Solution sets for the Cost reduction of new Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings - CoNZEBs

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - CoNZEBs (Solution sets for the Cost reduction of new Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings - CoNZEBs)

Okres sprawozdawczy: 2018-12-01 do 2019-11-30

CoNZEBs detected and assessed technology solution sets that lead to significant investment cost reductions of new Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings. The focus of the project was on multi-family houses. Close cooperation with housing associations allowed for an intensive interaction with stakeholders and tenants. The project started by setting baseline costs for conventional new buildings, currently available NZEBs and buildings that go beyond the NZEB level based on the experience of the consortium and available statistical data. It analysed planning and construction processes and identified possible cost reductions. An investigation of end-users experiences and expectations together with a guide on co-benefits of NZEBs promotes living in these buildings and enhances the energy performance by conducive user behaviour.

The NZEB technology solution sets include approaches that can reduce costs for installations or generation systems, pre-fabrication and construction acceleration, RES integration, and many more. Examples are pure electrical heating in combination with PV, ventilation supply through the walls to reduce the costs for ducts, larger bricks including insulation, decentral domestic hot water generation (fresh-water stations), etc. Cost savings were also possible through more efficient energy generation and distribution systems that allow for slightly reduced thermal quality of the building envelope while still meeting the NZEB requirements. All NZEB solution sets were assessed regarding investment cost savings, energy performance and applicability in multi-family houses. A life cycle assessment of different building levels and NZEBs using the solution sets provides a longer term perspective. An additional assessment took into account the changes of parameters such as primary energy factors, technology efficiencies, technology and energy costs by 2030 in order to evaluate which solution sets are future proof. Communication to stakeholders and dissemination of the project results includes events and discussions with the national housing associations.

The project consortium was comprised of leading national research organisations in the field of high performance buildings and innovative housing organisations in 4 countries.
By the end of the project period (30/11/19) all planned deliverables of CoNZEBs are available:
⌂ First periodic report
⌂ Second periodic report (at hand)
⌂ D1.1: 1st progress report (no template received, instead we sent the minutes of the project meeting shortly before the report deadline)
⌂ D1.2: 2nd progress report (no template received, instead we sent the minutes of the project meeting shortly before the report deadline)
⌂ D2.1: Report: Overview of cost baselines for three building Levels
⌂ D2.2: Report: Comparison of costs for new multi-family houses, NZEBs and beyond
⌂ D3.1: Report: Assessment and exemplary solutions for cost reduction in the design and construction process
⌂ D4.1: Report: Common report on interviews with end‐users in NZEBs
⌂ D4.2: Brochure: Guide for end-users in NZEBs
⌂ D5.1: Report: Collection of solution sets for cost-effective NZEBs
⌂ D6.1: Report: Solution sets for NZEB multi-family houses and beyond for 2030
⌂ D7.1: Report: Report on the life-cycle assessment of regular new multi-family houses, regular NZEBs and NZEBs using the solution sets detected in the project
⌂ D8.1: Report: Documentation of the mational events to communicate and discuss project results with national housing companies in each participating Country
⌂ D8.2: Report: Documentation of the contributions to newsletters of the national or regional housing organisations
⌂ D8.3: Website: CoNZEBs project website (www.conzebs.eu)
⌂ D8.4: Report: Documentation of the open source papers on project results
⌂ D8.5: Report: Documentation of the presentations of project results at conferences
⌂ D8.6: Report: Documentation of the submission of contributions on project results to EU BUILD UP
⌂ D8.7: Report: Documentation of the articles in technical journals
⌂ D8.8: Report: Documentation of the use of social media to disseminate the project results
⌂ D8.9: Report: Documentation of the establishment of and communication with the project advisory boards
As with most coordination and support actions the impact of the project can’t be as easily measured as with demonstration projects, for which energy savings can be directly monitored and costs summed up. CoNZEBs has contributed to the increase of the number of NZEBs built before the deadline included in the EPBD, because it has identified cost-saving NZEB solutions if compared with the traditional approaches in the countries. Also in the upcoming years, NZEBs, from 2021 onwards the minimum energy performance level for new buildings, can be built at lower Costs. It has to be mentioned that all participating housing organisations build according to the NZEB level or better.

A calculation of the impact factors for investment triggered, primary energy savings triggered, renewable energy production triggered and investment costs saved is included in the second periodic project report.It assesses the impact within the project duration as follows:
- Primary energy savings triggered by the project in the whole EU: 40.058 GWh/yr
- Renewable energy production triggered by the project in the whole EU: 26.705 GWh/yr
- Prepared ground for investment in the whole EU: 15.2 m€
- Investment costs saved due to the application of the solution sets: 249.2 m€
- Policies and strategies created/adapted to include sustainable energy issues at all governance levels: 7 citations / statements by governance bodies
Screenshot of the project website www.conzebs.eu
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