Baesweiler School: Passive House in Practice

Credit to: http://www.az-web.de/

Baesweiler:  This school is still powerfully built. The administration wing has been completely renovated, the work on section III and IV relate to the Education Centre and the new cafeteria nearing completion.
Is still work to be done on scientific tract. Last is then restored to the gym. The school is currently being renovated to Baesweiler Passive House – a nationwide, unique and yet so highly regarded and award-winning project.

By ideal insulation and absolute density of energy demand by about 90 percent of the school is reduced. Headmaster William Merscher praises the extraordinary ‘vision’ that the authorities in the city Baesweiler – had proved in the mammoth project – both the council and the administration of Mayor Willi link at the top. “They should have done something at the school anyway. Maintaining the school here has used a great chance. “The administration has proven very great skill is to apply for funding. “It must be as school only once and then want to also be able to make their own contribution,” it turns out Mersch.

Around 10 million euros to fund the rehabilitation of the building complex. Only 7.2 million of them are applied for the energy efficiency. The building measures to improve energy efficiency are promoted to two-thirds funding from the Economic Stimulus Package I of the federal government.

During the renovation of the school is operating on full. Only the stage 13 are held in the former school Setterich Lessing. “The noise is often a great burden,” the Acting Deputy Headmistress Birgit says of the Ber-Ghen. But that is in such a complex remodeling to stop. Real situations can arise, however in terms of available rooms. Particularly the conversion of scientific tract, the subject teacher prior problems. “Chemistry teaching must take place in the chemistry lab,” clarifies school Mersch. Therefore, the wing will be renovated into four sections, so getting three-quarters of the tract available. Including the safe packaging of the scientific collections is enormous effort. But: “It’s really not a shortcoming. We get “stressed a lot of support from the overlooking Berghen also receive active support from the city.

So far the works are “very much on schedule,” says Mersch. By the end of the first half of next school year, therefore, all spaces to be usable again. Until then, it will also work to be completed on the exterior skin. And the gym will be in the time of the Easter holidays to refurbished for the summer holidays 2012th

To what extent the passive house concept ultimately works, must wait until then. First you have the heating and ventilation system running one years, so reliable data regarding the energy values. In addition, confirmed William Mersch, “that it is also about improving the indoor air.” At a value of more than 1000 ppm (in this unit, the carbon dioxide load specified) you speak of bad air. “We hope that the air quality significantly with the windows closed is below the limit. That is the litmus test for the plant. ”

Geothermal energy use.

Is then heated with geothermal energy. This should be done on the lawn between the gymnasium and administrative offices earth drilling. If the work is completed, should this area with a climbing tower more attractive.

Energy costs are expected to fall by 90 percent

Due to the passive house standard is intended to reduce the energy consumption of the high school by 90 percent. So far, energy costs around 180,000 to 200,000 euros per annum, which the city pays Baesweiler.

Contributes to the reduction of a ventilation system that provides means of heat recovery for minimum energy use. 85 percent of the heat generated by the students about the building is to be recovered by the technique. The rest of the required heating energy is largely covered by geothermal energy.

In Germany there are around 40 Passive House schools, but there is not a refurbished building on this scale, the passive-house standards for new buildings equivalent – it is the school unique. When renovating an old building, the insulation is ideal to realize much more complicated than for a new building.