28th Swiss Solar Prize: PlusEnergyBuildings and CO2-free E-Mobility
On October 16, 2018, the Swiss Solar Prize and the Norman Foster Solar Awards were presented. Among the projects awarded in Sursee (LU) is a PlusEnergieBau with a PV output of one megawatt. In addition, PlusEnergieBauten and e-mobility were the topics of the hour.
Why do we need a Swiss Solar Prize? Solar buildings are springing up like mushrooms, and there are also many energy-efficient forms of storage. On the occasion of the 28th Solar Prize Awards, there was an illustrious selection of special solar projects to marvel at. As every year, solar pioneers are also honored.
The event also successfully demonstrates how the enormous energy potential of PlusEnergyBuildings (PEB) can be used to reduce CO2-free electric mobility is achieved. PEBs meet their entire hot water, heating, household, and utility power needs themselves through rooftop PV solar power and/or building facades. In addition, they produce significant solar building electricity surpluses.
The 2018 Norman Foster Solar Awards went to:
114%-PEB Pilatus Aircraft Works Ltd, 6370 Stans
The slightly curved arched roof of the industrial hall of Pilatus Flugzeugwerke AG in Stans/NW is equipped with solar modules on the entire north and south sides. The almost 6,000 m2 large monocrystalline PV plant with an output of 1.05 MW is the largest solar power plant in the canton of Nidwalden. It generates 1.09 GWh/a, easily covers the total energy demand of 966'600 kWh/a and also feeds 125'800 kWh/a CO2-free electricity into the public grid. With this solar power surplus, 90 e-cars or 70 Teslas can each cover 12,000 km of CO2-free travel. Pilatus Aircraft Plants Ltd. is a role model for forward-looking industrial solar architecture and makes an important contribution to the energy transition.
207%-PlusEnergy school building, St. Margarethen
The PlusEnergy school building Kastanienhof in St. Margarethen/TG was completed in April 2017. The bright and modern wooden building houses six classrooms, an office and an auditorium. The 437 m2, 80 kW PV system on the roof produces around 75,900 kWh/a. Thanks to a solar-powered ground-source heat pump for floor heating and domestic hot water, LED lamps and an intelligent lighting control system, the building's own energy requirements amount to a mere 36,700 kWh/a. This results in a self-sufficiency of energy. This results in a self-energy supply of 207%. With the solar power surplus of about 39'200 kWh/a, two neighboring buildings can be supplied or 28 e-mobiles can drive 12'000 km CO2-free per year.
133%-PEB Fitness/Wellness NEST, Dübendorf
PEB residential buildings are state of the art. The fitness and wellness unit NEST in Dübendorf/ZH shows that this goal is also achievable for a commercial wellness facility with high heat demand at a high temperature level. PV systems on the facade and roof produce about 21'800 kWh/a and cover the total energy demand of about 19'100 kWh/a. As one of the world's first solar wellness facilities, it achieves this goal through exemplary insulation with U-values below 0.12 W/m2K, innovative building technology and use of thermal and PV solar energy.
The PlusEnergieBau Solar Award went to:
557%-PlusEnergy Commercial Building, Gams
The energy park in Gams is characterized by a 447 kW monocrystalline PV system perfectly integrated into the roof and facade surfaces. It generates 424,500 kWh/a and covers the total energy demand of 76,300 kWh/a several times over thanks to a self-energy supply of 557%. This office, warehouse and production building is heated with a solar-powered heat pump. The good wall insulation and the modern LED technology minimize the energy consumption. 12 companies use the commercial building with an energy reference area (EBF) of 3,140 m2. The solar electricity serves the self-consumption community to over 90% during the high tariff period! The PlusEnergieBau has an electricity surplus of 348'200 kWh or 457%.
222%-PEB-Simmental Arena, Zweisimmen
The Simmental Arena is a multi-purpose building of the municipality of Zweisimmen with fire station, market hall and event hall with restaurant. This solar arena was put into operation on November 21, 2017 and has a heated energy area (EBF) of 633 m2. It is used in different ways and - depending on the event - only needs to be partially heated. The building is well insulated in the floor area and consumes a total of 81,100 kWh/a. The 180 kW PV system generates 180'400 kWh/a and has a solar power surplus of 99'300 kWh/a. The self-supply of energy is 222%. The south-facing PV system is optimally integrated over the entire surface.
139%-PEB-MFH SonnenparkPLUS, Wetzikon
The new SonnenparkPLUS multifamily building in Wetzikon features exemplary roof and wall insulation. Thanks to the exemplary low U-values of 0.10 W/m2K and the energy-efficient household appliances, the total energy requirement 10% fell below the Minergie-P building standard. The 10 Minergie-P/PEB apartments now require only 49,200 kWh/a at full comfort. The 45 kW roof-mounted PV system generates around 45,400 kWh/a and the 36 kW façade PV system generates just under 23,200 kWh/a; together, this adds up to around 68,600 kWh/a of solar power. Thus, the PlusEnergie-MFH achieves a self-energy supply of 139%. The 63 kWh battery storage ensures that the majority of the solar power produced is used directly in the MFH.
Migros Bank Special Solar Prize for PEB-MFH:
157%-PlusEnergy-MFH Superstructure, Tobel
The PlusEnergy development in the Thurgau municipality of Tobel with three apartment buildings (MFH) and 32 apartments was completed in 2017. The well-insulated Minergie-P apartments require a total of 133,300 kWh/a and generate 209,400 kWh/a. The solar power surplus of 76'000 kWh/a enables each apartment to run a solar-powered electric car, which produces 12'000 km of CO2-free can drive. Unique in Europe are the low rents, which are even a good 20% below the usual rents for comparable apartments in the Wil/SG region. The development deserves the Migros Bank Special Solar Prize for PEB-MFH.
Category New Buildings:
101%-PEB-EFH Lazarus, Le Locle
The EFH Lazarus in Le Locle/NE combines the centuries-old regional tradition of woodchip heating with new solar technology. The building is characterized by exemplary insulation with low U-values of 0.11 W/m2K. Despite very low winter temperatures in Le Locle, the total energy demand is only about 14'800 kWh/a. The 13.65 kW PV roof system produces about 12'600 kWh/a of solar electricity. The solar thermal system on the roof generates about 2'400 kWh/a of thermal energy. The total energy supply is therefore 15'000 kWh/a or 101%.
Solar apartment house, Reichenburg
The two newly built, family-friendly apartment buildings in Reichenburg/SZ cover their total energy demand of 120,000 kWh/a to about 66% with solar energy. The 77 kW PV system extends over the two roofs, the balcony parapets and the noise barrier. The 30 m2 large solar thermal system is used to heat water. Its summer heat surplus is stored in the ground by means of energy piles. Charging stations for e-mobility are available to the tenants. The project impresses with its combination of aesthetically pleasing solar architecture and sustainable energy supply.
Solaris residential building, Zurich Wollishofen
The new Solaris apartment building in Zurich Wollishofen combines modern living with solar architecture in a difficult urban location between a railroad embankment and the busy Seestrasse. A PV system integrated over the entire roof and façade generates 47% of the MFH's total energy demand of 68,000 kWh/a. The monocrystalline solar cells, which are covered by red-brown cast glass and thus have reduced output, produce about 31'800 kWh/a. The remaining 36'200 kWh/a are covered by natural gas.
Category building renovations:
Villa Carlotta, Orselina
At the summer and weekend home Villa Carlotta in Orselina/TI, built in 1939, the oil heating was replaced by a solar-powered ground-source heat pump and the roof was renovated. The entire 350 m2 roof area was equipped with a 51 kW PV system. It produces about 42'300 kWh/a and covers the total energy demand of about 53'500 kWh/a at 87%. The 14 m2 vacuum tube solar thermal system installed in the garden provides 4'300 kWh/a for hot water and heating support. Villa Carlotta demonstrates how modern solar technology can be integrated into a historic building in an architecturally exemplary manner.
Farmhouse Galley, Ecuvillens
The farmhouse in Ecuvillens/FR, dating from 1859, uses terracotta-colored PV modules developed by CSEM Neuchâtel and Issol Switzerland specifically for listed buildings in a pilot project. The 27 kW, 262 m2 PV system on the roof of the building generates 16,500 kWh/a or about 26% of the 62,500 kWh/a energy consumption at a reduced efficiency. This project overcame the major hurdles in the integration of photovoltaic systems in listed buildings.
Vacheron Constantin, Plan-les-Ouates
The commercial building of the Vacheron Constantin watch factory of Richemont International SA in Plan-les-Ouates/GE is aesthetically very appealing. Despite the V-shape of the building, which made it difficult to install a PV system on the 2000 m2 flat roof, it was equipped with a PV system. The 246 kW system produces about 254,600 kWh/a of solar power annually. Of the high total energy demand of the watch factory of approx. 4'157'100 kWh/a, 254'600 kWh/a of solar power represent only 6.1% - nevertheless, solar energy reduces 13.6 t CO2 - at least a start with 1'480 t CO2 emissions of fossil nuclear energy.
EFH basement Ammann
The Keller Ammann single-family house on Dreilindenstrasse in Lucerne, built in 1964 and listed in the cantonal building inventory BILU, was renovated in 2017/2018. The total energy demand of 81,000 kWh/a was reduced to about a quarter or 20,510 kWh/a. The 15.1 kW PV roof system generates 13'800 kWh/a. The 6.9 m2 solar thermal system is used for hot water preparation and heating support. In winter, a gas-fired fuel cell heating system covers the heat supply. The careful integration of the PV roof system is architecturally convincingly solved.
HEV Swiss Special Award:
Row SFH renovation Torres Nova, Zug
Terraced single-family houses, especially if they are subject to preservation orders, pose particular challenges when it comes to renovation. The implementation at the intermediate house Göblistrasse 29b in Zug shows in an exemplary way that energy efficiency and solar energy use do not have to be at the expense of the overall appearance. Thanks to good thermal insulation, a south-facing 5 kW photovoltaic system and a central wood storage stove, the intermediate house now requires less than half as much energy and covers it almost exclusively from renewable resources. It therefore receives the HEV Special Solar Prize 2018.
Renewable Energy Facilities Category:
Birrer Holz AG, Hergiswil bei Willisau
Birrer Holz AG in Hergiswil near Willisau/LU processes exclusively Swiss wood from surrounding and regional forests. The gently sloping, east-west oriented gable roofs and the east-facing monopitch roofs make optimal use of solar energy. With the 1.14 MW PV system, Birrer Holz AG generates a total of 1.1 GWh/a of electricity, almost double its own electricity requirement of 570,000 kWh/a. The 2 MW wood heating system, which functions in an exemplary manner according to the latest state of the art, generates around 5 GWh/a annually. It heats all the sawmill buildings and also supplies the Opfersei district of Hergiswil/LU.
Klein Matterhorn cable car valley station, Zermatt
At 2939 m above sea level, the bottom station of the new 3S cable car to the Klein Matterhorn is located in Zermatt/VS at Trockenen Steg. The valley station with workshop, control room, escalators and lift requires around 350,000 kWh per year. The 136 kW PV façade system of monocrystalline solar cells produces approximately 148'500 kWh/a of solar electricity. The full-surface system, perfectly integrated into the south and west facades, thus covers 42% of the total energy demand. Between the PV modules, 57 glass windows provide daylight and natural lighting for the building.
Solar power instead of grid expansion, Rafz
Annually, Jucker Farm AG in Rafz/ZH produces approx. 170,000 kWh of solar power and can thus do without a reinforced line connection. The 167 kW PV roof system covers 57% of the total own energy demand. A 160 kW battery and, in the future, electric vehicles will store the stochastic solar power peaks. In this way, the asparagus farm is able to cover 57% of its high energy demand of around 300,000 kWh/a for the storage and cooling of the vegetables itself. In addition, the heat generated during cooling is used to heat the residential building and to heat water.
Freeway roofing, Stansstadt
With its surface area of 8,900 m2, the freeway canopy in Stansstad/NW is ideal for solar energy use. Built in 2011 by FEDRO, the structure was structurally designed from the outset for the installation of a PV system. With its 3,115 solar modules, the 841 kW roof system of Solarpark Stansstad AG generates 750,000 kWh of electricity annually. The solar energy is fed into the local power grid and covers around 17% of the electricity needs of the Stansstad population.
Category Personalities:
Dr. Lucien Keller, Solar Pioneer, Lavigny
From the beginning of his professional career, Dr. Lucien Keller has been a pioneer and key player in all areas of rational energy use, especially solar energy. With his active participation in various impulse programs, he contributed to the development and upswing of these technologies and was, among other things, president of the SSES from 1995 to 2005. He carried out several study commissions and published about 70 articles. With his energy planning office, he realized numerous solar projects, some of which were awarded the Swiss Solar Prize. Today, he continues his commitment to energy savings by making his knowledge available to SIG (Services industriels de Genève).
Prof. Peter Steiger, Architect and Professor, Zurich
The architect Peter Steiger - born in Zurich in 1928 - was one of the people responsible for the construction of the first particle accelerator laboratory at CERN when he was young. This construction required a deep material- and energy-technical discussion, which ultimately led to the foundation of the association "PLanung-ENergie-ARchitektur" (PLENAR) in 1973. PLENAR dedicated itself to various topics of energetic-ecological building. From 1987 to 1991, the first prototypical settlement with 66 residential units was realized according to PLENAR principles in Oberwil (BL). In addition to the efficient use of energy, Peter Steiger also addressed the topic of solar construction. With his book: "Bauen mit dem Sonnen-Zeit-Mass" (1987) he succeeded in creating an original work on the use of solar energy.
Assembly team Schmid-Wolfisberg-Müller, Ebikon
When it comes to installing solar systems, hardly anyone can fool the fitters Christian Schmid, Beat Wolfisberg and Stefan Müller from BE Netz AG. With 25, 19 and 15 years working in the solar industry, they bring a combined total of almost 60 years of hard work and experience on solar roofs. Since the early days of solar, they've been getting up on roofs in rain and snow, heat and cold, and installing with conviction and passion. In the process, they have realized more than 700 solar power and solar thermal projects to date, formerly throughout Switzerland and as far south as Germany, and today primarily in German-speaking Switzerland.
Category Institutions:
Community Entlebuch, Entlebuch
The topic of energy has occupied the municipality of Entlebuch for over a hundred years. It realized many pioneer projects according to its motto "We live new energy". As early as 1984 and 1990, two woodchip heating systems were built in the municipality to supply the surrounding residential units and public buildings. In 2005, the first wind power plant in German-speaking Switzerland was built. The community has a well-integrated 113 kW PV system on all three roofs of the high school building and a hydroelectric power plant. Municipal incentive programs for residents support the use of renewable energy, including solar energy. In addition, the municipality informs about renewable energies and their advantages with the unique tourism project "Experience Energy Entlebuch".
Reconnaissance in the Knonau Office, Affoltern a. A.
Founded in 2004 and organized as an association since 2015, the Knonauer Amt location development agency is pursuing the goal of covering 80% of the region's energy needs with renewable energy by 2050 with its priority project "EnergyRegion Knonauer Amt". To this end, it is working together with solar and wood companies that have been active in the Knonauer Amt for years. As a result, the region's total energy consumption decreased and the share of renewable energy increased from 49.3 GWh in 2007 to about 117 GWh in 2017. Solar power production also increased significantly and today covers about 4.9% of the regional electricity demand.
Cooperative SpiezSolar
Already since 1999, the SpiezSolar cooperative has been committed to the use of solar energy. It realized the installation of several photovoltaic systems by means of crowdfunding. Since 2011, the cooperative has been advising interested parties and organizing solar information events. With the "Aktion99", the cooperative strengthened the cooperation with the local trade and promoted the construction of 12 additional PV systems so far. Thanks to the commitment based on voluntary work, more than 280 roofs in the municipality of Spiez are now equipped with PV systems. The solar power production of the municipality is continuously increasing.
