Compare conventional vs. energy optimized settlementsPoint-for-point compare why the energy-optimized settlement is far cheaper than the conventional approach. Let's start underground with the garage. Makes 32,000 € to 42,000 € per place in middle Europe, but it is common that 2 places have to be for one apartment. Here are the first 64,000 € to 84,000 € for the apartment. At the energy-optimized settlement, there are garages and parking places below the central photovoltaic structure. Garages below 10,000 € per place, the central photovoltaic is like a huge carport. Let's have one garage place and one parking place. What to do with the difference? Let's have 80 kW photovoltaic and 240 kWh batteries! We only finished to compare the underground, and we have already discovered the money for the energy transition. But we are far away from finished. Only mass helps against impact sound. In a multi-story residential building, such a ceiling is 300 to 350 mm thick throughout. One square meter weighs 500 kg to 600 kg. But that is not one square meter of living space, because in buildings of this type, only 70% of the total area is living space. So that's 700 kg to 850 kg just for the ceiling for one square meter of living space. At the GEMINI house, the floor separating the living area from the drawer system below is less than 5% of this weight. How do you stop noise over the shortest distance? Sound insulation is a decisive factor for residential satisfaction. Again, this can only be achieved on short distances with mass, a lot of mass. Because the neighbor's stereo system can be louder than the traffic noise outside, the partition walls between apartments are also heavier than the exterior walls. The partition walls between apartments weigh 300 kg to 550 kg per m², while the exterior walls weigh only 180 kg to 350 kg per m² of wall space. We use some optimizations for acoustic insulation between rooms inside the GEMINI house, but in a single-family house, no strong acoustic separation is required. The outside wall is less than 30 kg/m². 
A Boeing 747 carrying a space shuttle makes 322 tons of takeoff weight. Or the weight of 5 Abrams M1 main battle tanks. An 100 m² apartment with 2 places in the underground garage can also be up to 322 tons of construction material.
This is an enormous material battle to make it reasonably bearable for people to live together in a very small area.
Can we continue to afford this type of newly built housing, or must it be considered a luxury for private buyers?
Do we want an energy transition? Do we want climate protection? Then such material battles must be called into question. |
