Technical innovations and new energy solutions have been a common thread during the development of Augustenborg. It started with a coal-fired heating plant and has progressed to the cutting-edge Greenhouse project. The list of energy innovations that have been tested and implemented in Augustenborg could be very long, see page 255.
Looking back, many of these efforts appear neither particularly exciting nor innovative. But once upon a time they were brand new, and the spirit of experimentation that prevailed in Augustenborg in the early 2000s, allowed new things to be tested. The experiments were often not the first of their kind, but they were early adopters. Even today, municipal housing company MKB uses Augustenborg as a green testbed, somewhere to test new solutions that, if they work, can be expanded to the rest of its property portfolio.
But it started with coal power. When MKB boasted about its new residential area in the publication Vi bygger och bor på Augustenborg (We build and live in Augustenborg), one of the main subjects was the “hypermodern heating station by Särlagatan”. It distributed heat in underground pipes throughout the new district. The plant consumed three tonnes of coal per hour. The popular communal laundry room was connected to the heat plant, see more page 96.
Monika Månsson works as a project manager at the City of Malmö’s Environment Department.
The Eco-city Augustenborg
In the mid-90s, plans started to be drawn up for what would become the Eco-city Augustenborg. The planners wanted to use this environmental re- generation as a goal in its own right, but also as a tool to benefit development of the whole area. This meant environmental targets were themselves high, but planners also saw an opportunity to achieve social and economic benefit from the environmental push. Energy issues were included in several initiatives from the Eco-city’s two applications for LIP funds, see a summary on page 56.
During the first phase, 1998 to 2001, there was for instance an electric-powered local transport, which became known as Gröna Linjen (the Green Line, see page 246). Throughout the period Augustenborg’s electric car pool was also developed on the initiative of local residents.
The application also included resource management targets (for the industrial area, a school and in MKB’s residential buildings). Some examples of measures were energy-efficient light fixtures, the transition to electricity certified by the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, sensor-controlled occupancy lighting, converting ventilation systems, switching to electric cars, and educating tenants on energy saving. The City of Malmö’s final report on
the LIP funds makes clear how hard it was to see if the targets were met, as, even if the resource-saving measures have been successful, activity in the area has increased significantly during the project period.
Targets were both achieved, and not achieved, the auditors concluded.
Another measure in Augustenborg was an attempt to restore several facades and stairwells. As Tomas Tägil said in Architecture in the Augustenborg neighbourhood unit (page 77), MKB diligently used state subsidies to install additional insulation after the oil crisis of 1973–74. Additional insulation and a metal facade were installed on plastered-facade buildings in Augustenborg. But in the late 1990s, the plan was to restore five of the houses, remove the metal facade and replace it with a thin render over 80 millimeters of insulation. This would both improve the architecture and save 9% energy.
MKB now has two solar arrays in Augustenborg. One at Greenhouse and another at the Särla block (pictured).
Image by Scandinavian Green Roof Institute
When insulation and a sheet metal facade was added to the rendered houses in the late 70s, the windows were set deeper than before, changing the appearance.
Image by Marc Malmqvist/City of Malmö
The next application for LIP funds, for 2002 to 2005, put energy even more in focus. One measure aimed to create energy-efficient housing and install individual meters in 1,850 apartments. However, auditors concluded that these were only installed in two buildings (100 apartments) and in MKB’s new local of-fice, which was environmentally adapted. However, the project became a sort of starting point for MKB’s attempts to more efficiently control indoor tempe-ratures. It taught the company that distribution meters did not save additional energy when combined with the strategy that MKB already had in place, which saved as much energy for less effort. MKB instead later introduced indoor temperature sensors throughout its portfolio, contributing to better and more efficient operational optimisation and large annual energy savings. Since then MKB has introduced individual metering and fees for hot water in more than half its homes, which also brings large annual energy reductions. In terms of learning and development, the project sparked important energy investments.
There was also an interest in local production of renewable and recycled energy and solar thermal systems and solar cells. The targets were never really reached: the solar thermal site ended up being only 420 sqm instead of the 1,000 that had been planned, while the solar cells lived up to what had been projected in the application. There was also a proposal from the school child-ren at Augustenborgsskolan. When discussing the development of the Augus-tenborgsparken park, many of the children wanted an ice rink. Today there is therefore underground piping that absorb solar heat during the summer, and in winter remove the heat from the ground. This, combined with a cooling machine, can create an outdoor skating rink. The ice rink became twice the size of what was planned, at 400 sqm.
In this second round, there were also several “soft” efforts to increase resi-dents’ knowledge about and commitment to energy and climate issues. This included information initiatives, low-carbon lifestyle coaching for tenants, and support for local initiatives by associations and companies.
Wind and sun
Around 2008, the City of Malmö was becoming increasingly interested in trial-ling small urban wind turbines, to complement the big ones in the Northern Harbour. Two smaller wind turbines were bought from the same manufacturer to be set up in Sege Park and at the Augustenborgsskolan school. In the spring
of 2009, one of the wind turbines was installed at the school. It was meant not only to produce electricity, but also to serve as a learning aid for the school, allowing students to track how much electricity was being produced on a display. The wind turbine also served as an important visual reminder of how important sustainability was in the Eco-city.
In windy Malmö, there were high hopes that urban wind turbines could be an important part of increasing the proportion of renewables in the city’s energy mix. And it needed to happen rapidly: the City of Malmö’s environmen-tal programme for 2009 to 2020 had ambitious targets. Malmö would become Sweden’s most climate-smart city. By 2020, the City of Malmö itself would be a climate neutral organisation and by 2030, all of Malmö’s energy supply would be 100% renewable.
The urban wind power project therefore carried many hopes and dreams on its shoulders. But it was dealt a killing blow in November 2009 as the wind turbine in Sege Park was installed, and only a few hours later the heavy blades came loose and fell to the ground. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but since Au-gustenborg’s wind turbine was of the same brand, it was immediately stopped for safety reasons. After that, Malmö’s experiments with urban wind turbines were paused and never really took off again.
A real-time display showing solar energy production in Augustenborg. Showing how energy is produced and used is important to knowledge and commitment.
Image by Marc Malmqvist/City of Malmö
Greenhouse
The innovation and sustainable energy focus in Augustenborg, has now been placed on Greenhouse, see more page 84. The district has come full circle:
Greenhouse was built on the site that formerly housed the coal-fired heating plant. MKB wanted to build a house that fosters sustainable living among tenants. The building is a passive house with photovoltaic panels on the roof.
Other examples of energy-aware thinking in Greenhouse include a buil-ding-wide electricity supply contract, renewable district heating and home/
away buttons in apartments, like in hotel rooms.
MKB hopes to test and assess new solutions in Greenhouse and apply those that work to the rest of its property portfolio. An example of this is that MKB began to ask for renewable district heating in all its newly built homes and then gradually introduced it in the existing portfolio, as its supplier’s capa-city increased. MKB only uses renewable district heating since 2020. As the network’s largest buyer, the company has helped increase the rate of change in the entire network. The trial of an electricity contract which encompassed the whole building - which means that MKB supplies its customers with power, including from the solar panels - has been welcome and smart. This solution has been scaled up and metering will in future be applied in all new buildings, with solar panels also being tested in all projects.
One of Malmö’s two urban wind turbines was installed at Augustenborgsskolan, in the heart of the Eco-city.
Image by Kristoffer Hellman/Bilder i Syd
Greenhouse from above, with a clear view of the solar cells and the roof garden.
Foto: Kani Lam/Augustenborgs botaniska takträdgård.
Energy innovations in Augustenborg
Some examples on energy innovations that have been tested and implemented in Augustenborg:
• Individual metering and charging for hot water usage
• Individual temperature sensors
• Tests of various water-saving mixer taps and shower heads
• First MKB-run area which installed LED lighting outdoors
• Occupancy LED lighting in all stairwells and basements
• Low-carbon lifestyle coaching for tenants
• CLICC climate living cities concept (and a focus on the climate impact of custo-mers)
• Photovoltaic arrays
• Urban wind power
• Visualisation
• Renewable district heating contract
• Certified Passive House
Text: Monika Månsson
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