Living ecologically – also in apartment buildings
Sustainable energy solutions such as heat pumps and solar power are also increasingly in demand in apartment buildings. In the Feld Eins development in Emmen, this need is easily met: the energy system is completely outsourced to EKZ.
Dazzled by the sun, Bernard Illi looks out from under his flat cap over the field width in Emmen: “In 1943, the patron Alfred Friedrich Schindler initiated the Schindler-Dörfli himself.” The social housing project enabled its employees to buy their own home on extremely favorable terms. In the end there were 56 very simple single-family houses. «This place is associated with great tradition and full of history. After all, people lived here together for decades who helped the Swiss elevator company Schindler to achieve a worldwide reputation,” says Illi thoughtfully.
“We wanted to open a new chapter here and revive the innovative and sustainable spirit of yesteryear.”
The Schindler-Dörfli is gone today. It has given way to a modern settlement with 530 apartments. A project that Bernard Illi accompanied for almost 20 years. Illi has great respect for the historic residential area. As early as 1995, when he was CFO of Schindler Management, it became apparent that restructuring would no longer be worthwhile and that a new concept would have to be developed. Since then, Bernard Illi, who managed the project from the start and also after his retirement in 2009 as a delegate of the Alfred Schindler Fund, has experienced many a political tug of war: “We wanted to open a new chapter here and at the same time revive the innovative and sustainable spirit of that time to let.”
Energy contracting – a carefree package for real estate
This idea is reflected in the energy system that EKZ built in one of the superstructures for 73 condominiums. A holistic, renewable energy concept in the contracting model. This means that the general contractor GENU Partner AG completely outsources the complex issues relating to energy supply. EKZ takes on the financing, design, construction and subsequent operation of the facility – a carefree package for real estate. “Especially in economically uncertain times, when the demands seem to be increasing every day, the support of a reliable energy partner relieves the burden enormously,” explains project manager Philippe Sonderegger.
Renewable energy also in the tenancy
Because buyers and tenants in housing estates are also increasingly demanding the use of renewable energy technologies. However, the use of such energy systems is not a trivial matter, it requires a professional conception. David Bühler develops such energy concepts at EKZ: “In Emmen, they wanted a future-oriented overall concept for heating, domestic hot water, cooling, photovoltaic systems and e-mobility that is cleverly coordinated and enables simple billing.”
In order to be able to implement such a system, extensive clarifications are required. Test drilling was therefore carried out in Emmen to clarify the availability of groundwater. This is used today to heat the superstructure using heat pumps and to cool it passively in summer.
Cleverly powered
A holistic energy system for 73 apartments:
Heat pumps fed by groundwater
four roofs with photovoltaic systems
Charging system connection for electromobility
passive cooling via the groundwater in summer
System optimized for self-consumption
a contact point at EKZ during operation