ODDER MUNICIPALITY, DENMARK

Odder is located in the middle of the countryside of East Jutland with woods, hills, fields and one of the best beaches in Denmark.

Some Key Figures

• Area in km2: 225
• Number of inhabitants: 21,191 – approx. half of the inhabitants (10,786) live in the City of Odder.
• Number of dwellings: 9,097
• Number of holiday cottages: 2,256
• Number of workplaces: 8,061
• Unemployment rate: 5,6%

Local Green City Building Strategy

The local strategy development from Odder Municipality has been to develop Swan Label criteria for municipal institutions and build a new municipal institution according to these measures. Also, Odder Municipality has a strategy towards private building sector. It is the aim to establish an area with new energy efficient single-family houses. Focus is on achieving better building economy for better quality buildings in relation to energy and environmental efficiency.

Urban Case Study Area

The city area of Odder with 10.800 inhabitants was selected for the case study. And the Green City Building project has been developed in relation to two pilot projects. One is the building of a new kindergarten – and the other is establishing the new urban area for single- family houses.

Energy and Environmental Screening

The largest economic barrier is that environmental initiatives require an investment, which it takes several years to recover. This creates a conflict, between short-term and long-term economic interests. In such a situation, especially first time buyers will optimize for the short-term economic solution, rather than a long-term investment. Therefore it is important to clarify the advantages of building environmentally friendly.

Green City Building Project Results

A comprehensive screening report was made including data collection for energy supply systems and a good description of thought of alternative strategies developed in Odder Municipality.

For the selected pilot projects of new kindergarten and a new urban area for single-family houses project development was delayed because of firstly too short planning period for the first thought of institution and next after a temporary decline in the demand of new single-family houses, which made it difficult to set up the more strictly environmental demands to house buyers.

ALTERNATIVE STRATEGY DRAFTS

Alternative strategy drafts were focusing on two different systems – one a Green Points system based on further developed previous versions in Denmark – and one a further developed version of the “Swan Labeling” systems in Denmark, which until now has only been used for single-family houses. Local workshop was carried out with presentation and discussion of the two mentioned strategy systems – and general energy efficiency promotion – for a group of selected key persons from most parts of building sector.

Developed strategy for institutions define adapted Swan Label criteria to be appropriate for a tendering process. And developed strategy for new urban area with single-family houses define economic feasible main principles for low-energy standard combined with possible combination to “intelligent district heating solution”.

Design Work and Testing

Design work and testing of developed strategies showed good possibilities for energy optimization and relatively short pay-back time for the extra costs to achieve ecobuilding quality. For the kindergarten some 5% extra costs will be paid back over 6-9 years because of 3-5% lower running costs. Project tendering – probably in 2009 – will be on the new low energy criteria as alternative to a tendering project based on the traditional way of building. Then it will be City Council to decide on possible choosing low energy quality depending on offered price, maintenance costs etc. as usual.

And for the new urban area with single-family houses some similar economic benefits can be expected by using intelligent district heating solution in cooperation with energy supplier offering units with heat recovery ventilation and solar heating for domestic hot water included. It will now due to new regulation from July 2007 be possible for City Council to decide a low energy class 2 or 1 (25% or 50% lower energy consumption than new building energy regulation) to be obligatory for the builders in a specific area.

LOCAL GREEN CITY ACTION PLAN FOR THE NEW URBAN AREA SUMMARIZE HOW TO PROCEED:

1. The main structure for a large area in the western part of Odder has to be prepared by the technical administration, which means a rough plan for a large area also considering relationship to neighboring areas.
2. Political decision on the main structure for the area. Here the possibility for sustainable building is discussed but not finally decided upon.
3. Purchase of land. Odder Municipality bought the area early 2008.
4. Designation of a sub-area for single-family housing based on Swan Label.
5. Local planning document for public hearing and approval in City Council.
6. Form of tender is clarified including possible alternative for Swan Label housing and possible alternative for combining with intelligent district heating solution in cooperation with energy supplier.
7. Building project for site preparation must be approved by the technical administration. Building is commenced with a support function of technical assistance from the municipality to the builders.
8. Monitoring – evaluation – reporting – disseminating results.

Green Build Recommendations for Salzburg Local Authority

• There should be made general recommendations and guidelines, which the local decisions-makers can rely on. There are a lot of myths that creates shivering in the decisions.
• There should be activities concerning both new building, and all the old buildings. Right now, the main activities are concerning new buildings. Further on, this activity should be enforced.
• There should be clear good examples and general guidelines of the economic and qualitative gains of low energy building.

For More Information You May Contact

Ms. Majken Petersen, Odder Municipality, Phone: +45 87803470,
E-mail: majken.petersen@odder.dk
Mr. Peder Vejsig Pedersen, Cenergia Energy Consultants, Phone: +45 44660099,
E-mail: pvp@cenergia.dk