Supply and renewable energy

The Danish Building and Property Agency will take advantage of the collective energy supply optimally and ensure the use of renewable energy, where it is profitable. The Danish Building and Property Agency prioritises:

• Mapping of opportunities in order to optimise the supply of energy
• Steam at the University of Copenhagen

Example of savings through restructuring the heating supply

On the islet of Slotsholmen in Copenhagen, the Danish Building and Property Agency has in cooperation with HOFOR (former Copenhagen Energy) established 30 new, decentralised hot-water systems in place of the common old steam-heating exchange. The most important source of energy savings is new pipelines, which have removed the loss of heat in the several kilometres of heating pipes between the buildings. The new heat supply results in a total savings of 2 million kWh annually. This is equivalent to a saving of DKK 1 million annually and a reduction of the total energy consumption by 10%. In addition, great savings on servicing of the system will be achieved.

Examples of the use of renewable energy

The Danish Building and Property Agency has fitted a solar heating system on the roof at Vester Voldgade 123 in the centre of Copenhagen as well as storage of solar heat under the building and performed energy optimisation of the heating system. Sunshades and mechanical ventilation with recycling and reduced operating time plus ground wells for cool the air have been used in the building.

A large solar cell system will satisfy the electricity needs of the Police Station in Vejle as part of the future energy optimisation project at the station.

There are on-going projects setting up solar cells at a number of universities, such as the University of Southern Denmark, the University of Copenhagen and the IT University of Copenhagen.

The Danish Building and Property Agency has lots of experience in using renewable energy as a supplement in universities. In order to meet the requirements for the Danish Building and Property Agency's low energy classes, the use of solar cells for example is necessary. This is the case with several buildings at the University of Southern Denmark campus in Odense and at the University of Copenhagen's Faculty of Science and expansion of Panum.

Renewable energy should be integrated into the design of the building from the start. Several of the agency's new buildings, the expansion of Panum at the University of Copenhagen for example, have shown that adding elements far into the design process is disproportionately expensive. The Danish Building and Property Agency will ensure that considerations on the use of renewable energy are thought in from the beginning of all new buildings. However, fulfilment of the energy framework must always be done first by optimising the passive elements, that is the physical placement and design of the building, and not optimising the active elements such as renewable energy until the final stage.