Energy-efficient construction is a win-win for the homeowner and for society, both from an ecological and a financial perspective. However, only through constant research and development will it be possible to develop sustainably economical technologies that can be used by everyone. For this reason, the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB for short) has launched a funding program for model houses that meet the so-called “Efficiency House Plus Standard”.
The aim of this program is to make efficient use of renewable energy sources such as geothermal and solar energy using state-of-the-art components, so that buildings not only become self-sufficient, but also generate a “plus” in additional energy, which is primarily to be made available for electromobility.
These model projects are accompanied by various scientific research institutes, which are responsible for evaluating the energy balances, on the basis of which the energy management of the buildings is optimized. In this way, important data is collected for the development of new technologies in order to significantly increase the energy yield of new components. This will also make it more attractive to consider installing them on one’s own home, for example, or even switching to an electronic driving base.
With the Efficiency House Plus app, the BMUB is now expanding its presentation offering and not only providing interested parties with a wealth of information on the model houses, but also making the project a tangible experience. The user receives an overview of all Efficiency House locations and can view detailed information on the individual buildings. This includes photos, descriptions, explanatory videos and numerous information graphics. In addition, the app includes interactive building cross-sections that provide information about the technical concept of each Effizienzhaus.
The highlight of the app is a virtual tour of the information and competence center in Berlin, which was opened by German Chancellor Angela Merkel after a year of planning and construction. After completion, it was initially occupied by two test families for a year each and now serves as a central point of contact to find out about the possibilities of using renewable energies and can also be rented as a conference venue. The virtual tour provides insight into the structure and construction of the building, so that users of the Efficiency House Plus app can get an impression of the impressive building and the components used even without traveling to the site.
We are pleased to have been able to accompany this exciting project as developers of the Efficiency House Plus App, thank ZEBAU GmbH from Hamburg (initiator and responsible partner for the app development) for the pleasant and productive cooperation, and wish the project much success in advancing developments in the renewable energy market.
Further information:
Links to the Efficiency House Plus App:
Written by Thomas Wessling on March 12, 2018