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Alfredo Arthur Ema
Luiz Eduardo Govert Monica
Sustainable Cities
Coendersborg Case Study
2015
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 Introduction and methodology ...................................................................................................... 3
2 Area Analysis ................................................................................................................................. 4
2.1 Topography ............................................................................................................................ 4
2.2 Size of planted areas, built environment ............................................................................. 6
2.3 Building and land use functions ........................................................................................... 8
2.4 Network infrastructure ........................................................................................................... 9
2.4.1 Transport ........................................................................................................................ 9
3 Energy .......................................................................................................................................... 12
3.4 Types of houses .................................................................................................................. 12
3.4.1 Type 1: One story free standing villa/bungalow ........................................................ 13
3.4.2 Type 2: Apartment buildings ....................................................................................... 13
3.4.3 Type 3: 2-3 story terraced house ............................................................................... 14
3.4.4 Type 4: Multi-story split level house ........................................................................... 15
3.5 Opportunities for renewable energy sources .................................................................... 16
3.5.1 Insulation. ..................................................................................................................... 16
3.5.2 Lamps and wiring change. .......................................................................................... 17
3.5.3 Energy production – OPV (organic photovoltaic panels) ......................................... 19
4 Solar Capacity ............................................................................................................................. 21
4.1 Solar Panels ......................................................................................................................... 21
4.2 The capacity ......................................................................................................................... 23
5 Energy footprint ........................................................................................................................... 24
5.1 Return on Investment .......................................................................................................... 26
5.2 Energy Efficiency ................................................................................................................. 27
6 General conclusion and Recommendations ............................................................................. 28
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1 INTRODUCTION AND METHODOLOGY
Nowadays, one of the most important issues in the society and the environment is the
sustainability. It is defined as the capacity of realize all the current needs of human beings without
compromising the environment and the future of the next generations. It is about taking what we
need to live now, without destroying the potential for people in the future to meet their needs.
Consequently, the new urban projects are supposed to be design with a sustainable vision
and a proposal. So, the relationship between the human activities and the environmental impact
of that must be carefully studied and applied, with the proposal of ease and reverse problems as
food scarcity, climate change, water contamination, depletion of minerals, deforestation and many
more.
The Helpman area and the problems that compose this project were introduced for the
groups through and meeting with Grunneger Power Company. The analysis of the current
situation in Groningen and The Netherlands resulted in develop new means to generate energy
in a renewable way, in implant new technologies which do not destroy the planet.
In this project is included all the area analysis, as the entire network infrastructure; the
local community interaction with the environment; new ideas and opportunities of renewable
energy; and calculations of the solar capacity and energy footprints. It also has an objective of
maintain an economic benefit for the population.
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2 AREA ANALYSIS
2.1 TOPOGRAPHY
The analyzed area of Helpman, called Coendersborg, is a large area located in the south of
Groningen. The streets which surround and line the total area are Hereweg, De Savornin
Lohmanlaan, Helperzoom and Goeman Borgesiuslaan. The total area is approximately
330.000,00 m², surrounding all these streets. The Coendersborg is a flat area with about 547
houses and 991 households. The average household has 2.1 people so we assume there are
about 2100 people living in the Coendersborg.
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General data:
Latitude: 53.19459288;
Longitude: 6.58980131
The height of the houses is well distributed, ranging from 10 to 20 meters high in relation
to sea level. The height of the streets varies from the sea level, close to the canal, to approximately
6 meters, close to the Hereweg and De Savornin Lohmanlaan corners.
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2.2 SIZE OF PLANTED AREAS, BUILT ENVIRONMENT
The Coendersborg area is approximately 330.000 m2 large. There is a lot of green space in this
area since most of the houses have their own garden with many types of trees. The green area
covers about 220.000 m2, which is about 67% of the whole area.
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The built environment is about 80.000 m2 and that makes 23% of the Coendersborg. All the
houses were built in the last decade, mostly between 1960 and 1970 as you can see on the image
below.
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2.3 BUILDING AND LAND USE FUNCTIONS
The land use in the Coendersborg area can be divided into two groups:
Residential: Coendersborg stands out for being a residential area, more than 90% of the buildings are residential area, inside this land we can find different types of houses which are mentioned later.
Commercial: Coendersborg is not a commercial area, there are a few commercial shops (only six).
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2.4 NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE
2.4.1 Transport
Private transport
The Coendersborg area is easily reached by car. One of the bigger roads of the city of
Groningen, the Hereweg, is the border on the western part of Coendersborg. The Hereweg is
connected to the N7, the ring road of Groningen. The Hereweg also leads into the city center of
Groningen, which is only a seven-minute drive by car.
Also, the southern border of Coendersborg, the Goeman Borgesiuslaan, connects with the
Van Ketwich Verschuurlaan, which has an onramp onto the A28 to Assen.
By bike, the city center can be reached on the Hereweg street, which will take about ten
minutes. Furthermore, the Helperzoom, the eastern border of the Coendersborg area, is used to
go to the more eastern part of the city center. This takes eight minutes.
Public Transport
Due to its proximity to the Hereweg, where there is a bus stop for lines 50 and 51, people
from Coendersborg can take the bus either to Groningen Central Station or in the direction of
Haren and Assen. Besides there is a bus line (line 8) which goes over the Helperzoom and
Goeman Borgesiuslaan. This connects Coendersborg with the Groningen Central Station in one
direction, and the Martini Hospital in the other direction.
Figure 1: Coendersborg with bus lines
Also, the station Groningen Europapark is close-by, it is only a three-minute bike ride or a
12-minute walk.
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Facilities and access to the center
The location of Coendersborg is about 3 km to the city center of Groningen, but it is
considered a good location to live. The access of the area is great. Getting Hereweg Avenue is
about 13 minutes by bicycle and car to the Grote Markt, as is showed in the image below:
In spite of the city center is not so close, is possible to get all the necessities and facilities
near the area. Around 500m to 1km (depending the location on Coendersborg) is easy to access
a square, which has a supermarket, drugstore, restaurant, commercial activities and gym. On
another side of Coendersborg, is easy to go to Europapark area, which is around 1km to 2km.
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3 ENERGY
The energy consumption in the Coendersborg area is between 2000 kWh/year and 4500
kWh/year depending on the type of the house. The average use of electricity is 7000 kWh/year
per household in the Netherlands. That means some of the households already saving energy.
3.4 TYPES OF HOUSES
In the Coendersborg area there are four different types of houses:
1. One story free standing villa/bungalow
2. Apartment building
3. 2-3 story terraced house
4. Multi-story split level house
Below you can find each type of house specified, accompanied with a picture.
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3.4.1 Type 1: One story free standing villa/bungalow
Characteristics:
Average energy label: C-D
Average floor space: 220 m2 (energielabelatlas, 2016)
Average gas use: 2400 m3 (Onderzoek en Statistiek Groningen, 2014)
Average electricity use: 4500 kWh (Onderzoek en Statistiek Groningen, 2014)
3.4.2 Type 2: Apartment buildings
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Characteristics:
Average energy label: C-D
Average floor space: 95 m2 (energielabelatlas.nl)
Average gas use: 1150 m3 (Onderzoek en Statistiek Groningen, 2014)
Average electricity use: 2000 kWh (Onderzoek en Statistiek Groningen, 2014)
3.4.3 Type 3: 2-3 story terraced house
Characteristics:
Average energy label: D
Average floor space: 150 m2 (energielabelatlas.nl)
Average gas use: 1400 m3 (Onderzoek en Statistiek Groningen, 2014)
Average electricity use: 2900 kWh (Onderzoek en Statistiek Groningen, 2014)
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3.4.4 Type 4: Multi-story split level house
Characteristics:
Average energy label: F-G
Average floor space: 140 m2 (energielabelatlas.nl)
Average gas use: 1000 m3 (approximation)
Average electricity use: 2500 kWh (approximation)
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3.5 OPPORTUNITIES FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
This subchapter will introduce new techniques currently present in the market that can
improve the energy usage of buildings by saving or producing it.
3.5.1 Insulation.
New kinds of insulation can save a lot of energy consumption and by that can save more
money that the installation of energy production cells. In this subsection there will be an analysis
of new material used as insulation that can improve the temperature stability in the house, as well
as being made of recycled materials.
Polystyrene: it doesn't sound like a green material. In fact, it's a form of plastic. Yet,
polystyrene is a fabulous insulator with R-values that range from R-3.8 to R-4.4 per inch
of thickness, and so it's considered green because it helps save so much energy.
Polystyrene insulation comes in rigid foam boards that make it easy to insulate any part
of a building, from the roof to the foundation. Not only will rigid polystyrene provide your
home with good thermal resistance, but it will also add structural integrity to your walls.
But you don't have to go with the rigid foam boards; polystyrene insulation also comes in
spray foam. And even though it's plastic and takes long time to naturally degrade, it can
be recycled.
Wool: when wool fibers are compressed, they form millions of tiny air pockets. These
pockets trap air, which keeps the animals -- and homes -- warm in the winter and cool in
the summer. Plus, wool is very breathable, which means it can absorb moisture from the
air without affecting its capacity to retain heat. Specifically, the outer layer of wool fiber is
resistant to water. However, the fiber's inner layer loves water and can absorb about one-
third of its weight in moisture without ever feeling damp. And when wool becomes moist,
it generates heat, which in turn prevents condensation. The R-value of wool falls between
R-3 and R-4 per inch of thickness
Cotton: cotton insulation is similar to fiberglass insulation in several ways. For one thing,
it can be rolled into batts. Additionally, the R-value of cotton insulation and fiberglass is
the same, roughly R-3.2 to R-3.7 per inch of thickness. However, unlike fiberglass, cotton
insulation does not contain formaldehyde, which scientists have linked to some types of
cancer. Cotton's fibers will not cause any respiratory problems. The material is very good
at absorbing moisture, and when treated with boric acid, is flame retardant. Cotton
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insulation is also insect repellent. However, one of the drawbacks of cotton insulation is
that it costs twice as much as fiberglass
Aerogel: it has an R-value of R-10.3 per inch of thickness. Chemical engineer Samuel
Stephens Kistler first invented aerogel in 1931. Today, scientists make aerogel by
removing the liquid from silica under high pressure and temperature. What's left is a
material that is very light and more than 90 percent air. Aerogel's molecular structure
makes it difficult for heat to pass through. As insulation, aerogel comes in sheets that can
easily be tacked on to the studs in a wall. In fact, one type of aerogel, ThermaBlok, has a
peal and stick backing for easy installation. Aerogel insulation is very expensive, though,
and sells for up to USD$2 a foot.
3.5.2 Lamps and wiring change.
Changing the old lamps and wiring of houses can save a lot of money in bill. In this section
some of this values will be discussed.
Halogen incandescent
Halogen incandescent have a capsule inside that holds gas around a filament to increase
bulb efficiency. They are available in a wide range of shapes and colors, and they can be
used with dimmers. Halogen incandescent bulbs meet the federal minimum energy
efficiency standard, but there are now many more efficient options to meet your lighting
needs.
CFLS
Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are simply curly versions of the long tube fluorescent
lights you may already have in a kitchen or garage. Because they use less electricity than
traditional incandescent, typical CFLs can pay for themselves in less than nine months,
and then start saving you money each month. An ENERGY STAR-qualified CFL uses
about one-fourth the energy and lasts ten times longer than a comparable traditional
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incandescent bulb that puts out the same amount of light. A CFL uses about one-third the
energy of a halogen incandescent.
CFL bulbs are available in a range of light colors, including warm (white to yellow) tones
that were not as available when first introduced. Some are encased in a cover to further
diffuse the light and provide a similar shape to the bulbs you are replacing. If you are
looking for a dimmable bulb, check the package to make sure you purchase a CFL with
that feature.
Fluorescent bulbs contain a small amount of mercury, and they should always be recycled
at the end of their lifespan. Many retailers recycle CFLs for free. See EPA's website for
more information.
LEDS
Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are a type of solid-state lighting -- semiconductors that
convert electricity into light. Although once known mainly for indicator and traffic lights,
LEDs in white light, general illumination applications are one of today's most energy-
efficient and rapidly-developing technologies. ENERGY STAR-qualified LEDs use only
20%–25% of the energy and last up to 25 times longer than the traditional incandescent
bulbs they replace. LEDs use 25%–30% of the energy and last 8 to 25 times longer than
halogen incandescent.
LED bulbs are currently available in many products such as replacements for 40W, 60W,
and 75W traditional incandescent, reflector bulbs often used in recessed fixtures, and
small track lights. While LEDs are more expensive at this early stage, they still save money
because they last a long time and have very low energy use. As with other electronics,
prices are expected to come down as more products enter the market.
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Wiring
Recent studies indicate that changing the old wiring for a new, with more diameter, one can
save a lot of energy consumption in a house. Next an example with values can be seen.
Example. A three-phase circuit feeding a 125 H.P. 460 V motor, operating at 75% load, 250 ft. from the load center, running 8,000 hours per year. Draw is assumed to be 75% of 156 full-load amps (FLA).
3/0 wire 4/0 wire
Conduit Size 2 in. 2 in.
Estimated Loss (at 75% load and 44°C and 40°C, respective conductor temps.)
708 W 554 W
Wire Cost $991 $1232
Conduit Cost $365 $365
Incremental Cost $241
Energy Savings: at 75% load 1,237 kWh/year
Dollar Savings: at $0.07 per kWh Payback $86.59/year 2 years, 9 months
Dollar Savings: at $0.10 per kWh Payback $123.70/year 1 year, 11 months
In this example, the payback is under 3 years, and the savings continue indefinitely into the future.
3.5.3 Energy production – OPV (organic photovoltaic panels)
A method of printing both decorative graphics and functional components onto flexible
organic solar panels is aiming to bring solar energy into the realm of interior design. VTT Technical
Centre of Finland is behind the new process which allows energy to be collected from interior
lighting as well as sunlight to power small devices and sensors.
The process sees organic solar panels mass produced using the roll-to-roll method at a
rate of up to 100 meters of layered film per minute. VTT's Research Team Leader Tapio Ritvonen
says the process uses one rotary screen printing layer and two gravure printing layers on plastic
substrate. Functional layers are printed between plastic foils, with a final step of encapsulation
with barrier films.
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The organic solar panels are just 0.2 mm thick including the electrodes and polymer layers
where the light is collected. They can be placed on interior or exterior surfaces such as windows
and walls, as well as on machines or devices, opening up possibilities for solar panels to be not
only functional but also works of art.
The researchers tested the process by printing leaf-shaped photovoltaic cells, two hundred
of which create one square meter of active solar panel surface. This was shown to generate 3.2
amps of electricity with 10.4 watts of power at Mediterranean latitudes.
Although they are cost-effective to produce, have low material consumption and are
flexible, light and recyclable, organic solar panels have much lower efficiency than conventional,
rigid silicon-based solar panels. To improve efficiency the researchers are also working on roll-
to-roll manufacturing methods for perovskite solar panels with promising results: the first solar
cells manufactured in their laboratory have roughly five times better performance than organic
photovoltaic cells
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4 SOLAR CAPACITY
Calculations on how much energy can be generated in the houses by installing solar panels,
feasibility study.
4.1 SOLAR PANELS
Solar panels are source of energy for generating electricity or heating. The panel is composed of
a photovoltaic system which converts solar energy into direct electricity from sunlight. The process
is both physical and chemical in nature. First, there is a photoelectric effect and then the
electrochemical process with crystallized atoms which are ionized in a series, generating an
electric current.
Because of the growing demand for renewable energy sources, the manufacturing of solar cells
and photovoltaic arrays has been in progress in recent years. Cells need to be protected from the
environment and therefore they are packaged tightly behind a glass sheet. To form the solar panel,
cells are electrically connected together.
The generation of power from solar photovoltaics is a clean sustainable energy technology and
is one of the renewable energy. The photovoltaic systems have been used for fifty years and grid-
connected PV systems have been in use for over twenty years. The mass-production was in the
year 2000 when the German government supported 100,000 roofs program.
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The price of PV has declined steadily and the cost of electricity is competitive with other electricity
sources. Solar PV is now the third most important renewable energy source after hydro and wind
power. More than 100 countries use this source of energy. Germany is the largest producer,
contributing more than 7% of the national electricity demand.
Photovoltaic power capacity is measured as maximum power output in Watts peak. The actual
power output may be standardized or even greater depending on geographical location, time of
day, weather conditions and other factors. The capacity factors are usually under 25% which is
lower than other industrial sources of electricity.
Solar panels must be placed to follow the sun in order to be more efficient. They are often set to
latitude tilt, an angle equal to the latitude, but performance also depends on the season of year.
Efficiency of the photovoltaic cells are measured by calculating how much they convert sunlight
into usable energy for human consumption.
There are several applications of photovoltaic systems. They can be placed on the roof or be
building-integrated. Nowadays, most PV systems are grid-connected but you can also have
stand-alone. However, these are not used that much. Rooftop PV systems on residential buildings
typically feature a capacity of about 5 to 20 kilowatts, while ground-mounted on commercial
buildings can reach 100 kilowatts or more.
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4.2 THE CAPACITY
The panels can be placed only to roofs which meet the requirements. There are several very
suitable roof, then suitable roof for placing the solar panels and some of the roofs cannot have
the panels. However, the number of suitable roofs is rather high and therefore we can place there
panels.
Here is our area with the very suitable/suitable/less suitable roofs.
About 30% of each type of the houses are suitable for having panels on the roof. A few houses
already have solar panels.
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5 ENERGY FOOTPRINT
In this chapter, the energy footprint for each type of house will be calculated.
First, let’s look at how much energy per type of house needs to be generated in total for the
present situation (so without increase in energy efficiency).
This is calculated by the total of households per type of house, multiplied by the energy use per
year (divided by gas and electricity). Below, you can find the calculation.
Gas use
Type of house 1 2 3 4
Gas use (m3) 2400 1150 1400 1000
# of households 60 450 405 76
Total gas use (m3) 144.000 517.500 567.000 76.000
Electricity use
Type of house 1 2 3 4
Electricity use (kWh) 4500 2000 2900 2500
# of households 60 450 405 76 Total electricity use (kWh) 270.000 900.000 1.174.500 190.000
But, if the behavior of the residents can be changed, the energy efficiency can be improved by
approximately 20%.
Type of house 1 2 3 4
Gas use after 20% energy efficiency increase (m3) 115.200 414.000 453.600 60.800
Electricity use after 20% energy efficiency increase (kWh) 216.000 720.000 939.600 152.000
The total electricity required for Coendersborg is 2.027.600 kWh per year.
For the solar panels, the next one are selected as preferred solar panel which can be placed on
the houses in Coendersborg. They are Axitec 260 Wp Poly-cristalline solar panels1, which can
produce 19,9 kWh per month average. For a year, this comes to a total of 239 kWh per m2. The
size of these panels are 1,64 * 0,99 m (w * d), or 1,63 m2. The cost for one solar panel is €351,50,
or €216,06 per m2.
1 https://www.bespaarbazaar.nl/zonnepanelen-pakket-poly-1040wp-p-3055.html
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The total roof area in Coendersborg suitable for solar panels (determined with help of the website
zonatlas.nl) is 39.026 m2, but approximately 30% of this area can be used as they are faced to
the sun, or not taken by windows.
Now, the calculation can be made of how much energy can be generated if solar panels are
placed on all the available roof space.
Possible energy production
per m2 (kWh/m2) 239 239 239 239
Total possible energy
production (kWh) 692.511 1.038.640 972.626 94.387 2.798.164
If there is a comparison made between the possible energy production and what is required, the
conclusion can be made that all the energy can be generated in the Coendersborg area.
So, now the calculation how much solar panels are needed can be made.
Type of house 1 2 3 4 Total
Required energy production (kWh) 216.000 720.000 939.600 152.000 2.027.600
Energy production per m2 (kWh/m2) 239 239 239 239
Required solar panels (m2) 904 3.013 3.931 636
Now the total costs of the solar panels can be calculated. The price of it is €216,06 per m2.
Required solar panels (m2) 904 3.013 3.931 636 Total costs of solar panels (€) 195.265,56 650.885,21 849.405,20 137.409,10 1.832.965,08
So, to make the Coendersborg area energy neutral, there needs to be an investment of €1.8
million. This can be split by all the households, thus all 991 households. This comes to an
investment of around €1850,00- per household.
Type of house 1 2 3 4 Total
Rooftop area (m2) 9.658 14.486 13.565 1.316 39.026 Suitable for solar panels (m2) 2.898 4.346 4.070 395 11.708
Type of house 1 2 3 4 Total
Suitable for solar panels (m2) 2.898 4.346 4.070 395 11.708
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5.1 RETURN ON INVESTMENT
Aforementioned, every type of house has a different usage in energy, split in gas and electricity.
Below the use per type of house can be found, and the total costs every household approximately
spends per year on gas and electricity.
Type of house 1 2 3 4
Gas use (m3) 2400 1150 1400 1000
Gas price (€/m3) € 0,60 € 0,60 € 0,60 € 0,60
Gas total (€) € 1.440,00 € 690,00 € 840,00 € 600,00
Electricity use (kWh) 4500 2000 2900 2500
Electricity price (€/kWh) € 0,23 € 0,23 € 0,23 € 0,23
Electricity total (€) € 1.035,00 € 460,00 € 667,00 € 575,00
Total gas + electricity (€) € 2.475,00 € 1.150,00 € 1.507,00 € 1.175,00
Now the new energy bill, after an increase of 20% energy efficiency per household, can be
calculated. This can be increased by changes in behavior of residents.
Type of house 1 2 3 4
Total gas + electricity after 20% energy efficiency increase (€) € 1.980,00 € 920,00 € 1.205,60 € 940,00
This leads to an amount of money which can be invested in energy neutral possibilities, as the
solar panels are.
Type of house 1 2 3 4
Total gas + electricity (€) € 2.475,00 € 1.150,00 € 1.507,00 € 1.175,00
Total gas + electricity after 20% energy efficiency increase (€) € 1.980,00 € 920,00 € 1.205,60 € 940,00
Yearly possible investment per household (€) € 495,00 € 230,00 € 301,40 € 235,00
Now, the Return on Investment can be calculated. Therefore, the amount of investment per
household needs to be divided by the possible yearly investment sum.
Type of house 1 2 3 4
Investment per household € 1849,61 € 1849,61 € 1849,61 € 1849,61
Yearly possible investment per household (€) € 495,00 € 230,00 € 301,40 € 235,00
Return on Investment (ROI) (yrs.) 3,7 8,0 6,1 7,9
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So the Return on Investment period for a household which lives in a type 1 house (bungalow/villa
of one story), has their investment back in 3,7 years, but for people living in apartment buildings
or split-level multi-story houses, they need almost 8 years to get a return on their investment.
For all the calculations in this chapter, see Appendix I.
5.2 ENERGY EFFICIENCY
We experience and use energy in everyday life since it helps us with work and doing common
things. It is the way, how our cars go, the sound of boiling water for a coffee, the light in the room
when it is dark. We use energy every single day and we need energy all over the world.
One of the main tasks is to improve energy efficiency in our area. Most of the houses are old and
the energy label is very low and therefore the efficiency must be improved a lot. To improve energy
efficiency requires a lot of changes.
On the image below you can see how the energy efficiency can be improved by making several
upgrades in the household. Each upgrade changes the household functionality and the energy
bill in different levels, so it is necessary to make a previous study to choose the option that gets
the best cost/benefit rate. As mentioned in this article the majority of the houses in the
neighborhood are labeled as B and C, so the next upgrades are the costliest, which brings up the
necessity of the study presented in the present article.
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6 GENERAL CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
In this case study, the group tried to find ways how the area can become more sustainable.
The Coendersborg demonstrated to be a suitable area to place solar panels. According to the
calculations, solar panels can improve energy efficiency by 20%. People living in the area have
to take into consideration if this investment is worth it. The group counted with all 991 households
when doing the calculations. However, if some households do not want to invest money in placing
solar panels on their roofs, the numbers change. The savings differs from 230 to 495, depending
on the type of house.
There are other several ways how to save money and how to make energy more efficient.
People can start using LED lights since most people in the houses have a lot of old lights that
demands more energy to work. Another possibility would be to insulate the house if possible or
change the insulation material for new products that can be more efficient. The biggest change,
though, would be by changing old habits that have some kind of energy demand, by doing so a
lot of money can be saved without a previous investment in technology. By starting to save money
in their individual electric bill, the residents can have enough money to invest in solar panels in a
higher scale, that would make the neighborhood energy neutral in a decent period of time.
