The reasons for the SHE project lie in the challenge to move the present examples of sustainable housing from the “extraordinary” to the “ordinary”, as well as to improve the link between buildings and neighbourhoods. The concern and daily involvement of the social housing organisations in the field of residential buildings has led to the theory that a holistic study and assessment of the building life-cycle, will certainly ease balancing investment costs with economic, environmental as well as social benefits, thus demonstrating the real feasibility of such principles to ensure better living conditions.

Ringgaarden Housing Association, together with Carl Bro, engineers- Aarhus Denmark and The Danish Centre for Urban Ecology runs a project with the aim of creating a social housing estate of 130 sustainable homes of superior architectural quality. 50 of theese houses are part of a European project called SHE: Sustainable Housing in Europe. The projectleader is Federabitazione Europe Confcooperatione - Rome Italy and the project has partners in Italy, France, Portugal Greece and Denmark. The Danish project is supported by the foundation Realdania, given financial support to an international project competition with 8 teams of architects and engineers in order to select the best project to be build in Aarhus Denmark.

The project competition is based on Vitruvius' holistic definition of architectonic quality: 'Firmitas, Utilitas, Venustas' (Strength, Function and Beauty) - the competition programme thus formulates demands for e.g. environmental performance in a number of fields. The evaluation will focus on these demands, and assess both the aesthetic quality and the social, economic and environmental sustainability. Among other things an environmental profile calculation are carried out.

The Danish SHE project aims to achieve the following:

SHE is a bright example of private-public partnership, where social housing associations at local, regional and European level have entered into collaboration with construction firms, scientific institutions and technical organisations to demonstrate the value of sustainable buildings and societies. SHE focus on enhancing the users awareness of energy savings and thus contributes to improoved living conditions by introducing healthy and sustainable surroundings.

The environment and knowledge about future housings in general.

The foundations Realdania supports the Danish project with 3.4 mio dkkr to project development, development of a structural plan for the area, completion of project competition and communication and evaluation of the project.

Supported by the EU through the 5th Framework Programme

The SHE project recieves 3.5 million€ in support from the 5th Framework Programme. Of this amount the housing association Ringgaarden recieves a maximum of 414.313. According to EU regulations 35% of the approved expenses is covered and the housing association therefore has to cover 65% themselves.

Housing Association Ringaarden
Denmark
Palle Jørgensen, tel. 0045 88303050/88303060

01/01/2003

case

Urban Policy

Urban environment