What a BuildTog is
BuildTog 1st generation
BuildTog (Building Together) is a European Passive House project initiated by four partners who are engaged in sustainable construction: The European housing companies network EURHONET, the French architect Nicolas Michelin (A/NM/A), the German energy consultancy LUWOGE consult* and the worldwide leading chemical company BASF.
The target of BuildTog is to develop a generation of Passive Houses that are in the same time energy and economy efficient and also architectural ambitious. In this sense it is a very practice oriented research project. BuildTog houses are constructed in Passive House standard. They are very efficient and fulfill the EU energy saving targets which will influence the standard of all new buildings in future.
BuildTog Passive House projects are respecting a standardized planning methodology developed by LUWOGE consult during the course of the project to control the detailed requirements concerning energy related specifications and construction costs from beginning on. The first generation (2009-2015) followed consequently the Common Design developed by the French Architect Nicolas Michelin (A/NM/A), which he adapted together with the local planners to each site (Local Adaption).
To ensure the energy performance and the planning process LUWOGE consult attended all projects up to the certification. A/NM/A checked the design in several planning phases and saved the quality of architecture. BASF took care for having available their proved system solutions in all participating countries. The housing companies continuously controlled planning, construction and use of their BuildTog´s (monitoring) to optimize the processes. To initiate a smooth know-how transfer and to reach the European energy targets all results will be published on www.BuildTog.eu.
Background
The European Union intensifies her energy saving targets in construction sector year by year. As from 2020 the CO2 emissions of residential buildings have to be reduced up to nearly zero. Even if the housing companies organized in EURHONET were already engaged in development of sustainable housing concepts they didn´t feel well prepared for the future EU requests.
That´s why they decided to set up a project to gain experience together in construction of energy efficient apartments and to share their knowledge. Currently EURHONET consists of more than 30 housing companies from 5 European countries (Sweden, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy). Together they manage about 700.000 dwellings and construct more than 15.000 new each year.
Project partners
EURHONET arranges frequent workshops to optimize the work flow of their member companies in different topics relating housing industry. In the context of their Energy Savings Topic Group the BuildTog project was developed to find a common process for planning and construction of sustainable housing. BASF was a strategic partner of EURHONET´s Energy Savings Topic Group. As leading producer of raw material, system solutions and end products for the construction industry the company wanted to contribute energy efficient construction and to participate in the development of new innovative solutions.
LUWOGE consult, the former (2006-2017) energy consultancy of BASF´s own housing company BASF Wohnen + Bauen, was intensively engaged in activities to increase the energy efficiency in refurbishment and new construction since years. In collaboration with international partners know-transfer programs were generated to multiply sustainable building concepts in a large scale.
A/NM/A, the office for architecture and urban design of Nicolas Michelin, based in Paris, was already working together with some EURHONET members in the realization of French “Eco Quarters”. Within the scope of their building concepts the planners try especially to integrate the local situation into their architectural design and to develop concepts for natural ventilation.
Building together
Exchanging intensively their experience in reaching the same targets in construction projects on different European sites the participants wanted to study, how it is possible to devolve their high expectations to the energy performance of residential buildings economical efficient, without accepting deductions in building design. By the repeated use of a together developed methodology it is simple to demonstrate, which influence on the building construction is taken by change of framework requirements. That way the participants are sensitized for details and understand how to contribute the emergence of specific local features for their BuildTog housing. In each country up to three projects were planned to be realized to point out regional characteristics.
All participants meet three times a year at the different locations. They report about the progress in their projects and deepen their knowledge in energy efficient construction in lectures and common workshops. They become acquainted with the sites, problems and solutions of their fellows and can inspire each other in optimizing their buildings.
Common design
