Vegetated roofs are indeed doubly beneficial

Augustenborg, it is far from the Western Port. Geographically as well as socially. This disadvantaged neighbourhood is characterized by a high rate of unemployment (above 50) and a population to 65 of immigration, which do not necessarily share the cultural tropism of the Swedish for ecological values. This has not prevented, in 1998, the city of Malmö and Manager housing, MKB society, to make the bet into eco-quartier. Here, not of competition of architecture for new buildings, but the operations of rehabilitation of old buildings and their environment. And to succeed, the absolute need to join the residents in the project, in conjunction closely in working groups, thematic meetings, study tours...

Built between 1948 and 1952, Augustenborg was a neighbourhood pilot of the Swedish policy of post-war housing. But, at the end of the 1960s, housing began to appear too cramped and the original inhabitants were gradually deserted, replaced by immigrant populations. "At this time, it dared not say that it lived here, so the connotation was negative", recalls Trevor Graham, responsible for sustainable development in the city of Malmö, who shepherded the project from its launch. Today, after the injection of some EUR 18 million (3.5 million of the State, $ 0.6 million of Europe, the municipality and MKB society involving 7 million each), the unemployment rate is still high, but the project still had real insertion effect, based on the rate of participation in local consultations.

Energy saving

The most urgent problem was flooding. At each major storm basements, where are located the washing machines, were flooded. The first site was draining surface water, first opportunity also to involve the inhabitants. "We have learned that one of the residents, qualified worker had many ideas on the subject, remembers Trevor Graham." Our engineers have the see and its contribution has been so critical that we hired him as a consultant. "Rain water is now in a network of small canals open, drains then into artificial ponds or temporarily flood areas as the lawns of the nearby park, to reach finally the lines of the city. And the area receives bonus on the aesthetic plan of water parts of plants, which are cleaning up. But plants, there are also on the housing (see below). Vegetated roofs are indeed doubly beneficial. They contribute to the insulation and absorption of moisture. At Augustenborg, they are combined with thermal solar panels to heat water. It is also in a perspective of isolation that work had been made on the facades. They have helped to reduce the energy needs of 34, an additional gain of 20 having been obtained by learning to residents to optimize their consumption.

It is also through pedagogy - sometimes a little coercive - 65 of household waste are recycled, the rest being collected by the city for the production of biogas. Here again, these are people who decided the concrete organization of the collection and sorting.

So far, the Augustenborg was a pilot site, actions not all were successful. Thus, the local system of electric vehicles set up in 2000 was finally abandoned. "We were probably too precursors and the company had equipped us was not strong enough kidneys financially," said Trevor Graham. This does not preclude the district continue to experiment with. The use of the small wind is for example currently tested with as objective the electrical autonomy on the horizon of 2020.