5. HANNOVER,KRONSBERG,GERMANY
The Kronsberg district (Hannover, Germany) presents a
comprehensive example of visionary urban planning
and construction
Kronsberg is a settlement with exceptionally high
ecological standards, buildings offering above-average
quality of accommodation and semi-natural open space
design
The district represents one of the largest and most
advanced settlement programmes of its kind in Europe.
6. COMPACT STRUCTURES
Decreasing density and building height as one
approaches the countryside
The appearance of the district is shaped by its wide-
meshed rectangular grid layout, which creates frames
for very varied block structures.
The built-up, urban quality of the townscape is the result
of design parameters that set the number of storeys,
building heights and building lines along the streets
Along with the demand for compact structures, an
important condition was that all corner plots should be
built on.
7. COMPACT STRUCTURES
At the centre of the district, right next to
Kronsberg tram stop, it is the district square, on
which are grouped:
Krokus arts and community centre
Protestant church centre
A health centre
A shopping centre
Other shops, café and restaurants
8.
9. TRANSPORT
A new direct light rail transit service (Stadtbahn) links the settlement with
the city centre
Three light rail stops are so located that nobody has to walk more than 600
metres to catch a tram
The main motorised traffic flow is channelled along the edge of the
development beside the light rail line to minimise nuisance to residents
Planning of the residential street layout permits no through traffic
Narrow sections on the roads, 30 kph zones, and priority to the right at
junctions, are effective traffic calming measures
Car parking spaces are mainly arranged in small areas, either set into the
hillside or at ground leveL
To reduce the parking space needs in the inner courts, a parking space ratio
of 0.8 per apartment was set at Kronsberg
A cycle-friendly street layout with a designated cycle street running the
length of the district offers, together with a dense network of rural and
urban footpaths, an attractive alternative to private motorised transport.
10.
11. ENERGY
A ‘Low Energy House’ standard was set for the entire Kronsberg
development, meaning that the residential area has successfully
managed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 60% compared to
conventional new construction in Germany. (The theoretical
heating demand of homes on Kronsberg is a maximum 45-
55kWh/m2 per year, the German average is 200kWh/m2 per year.)
The site features a ‘Passive House’ development of 32 terraced
houses requiring almost 90% less heating energy than
conventional terraces (15kWh/m2per year), due to 400mm
insulation, extremely airtight structures, air extraction plants with
heat recovery, triple glazing and solar thermal collectors.
12. The district is served by two
decentralised natural gas
CHP (combined heat and
power) plants, enabling
further carbon reductions.
Two large new wind turbines
at Kronsberg (1.5MW and
1.8MW), together with an
existing 300kW roughly
meet the electricity needs of
residents across the district.
104 social housing apartments are heated from
around 1350m2 of solar collectors, that also feed
into a sunken thermal storage tank, meaning that
solar energy can be used from spring through to
December, covering around 40% of the total
heating needs of the homes.
15. WASTE
Recycling stations for pre-separated waste such as
paper, packaging and organics, are situated through
the neighbourhood and underground glass recycling
bins help minimise the visual impact of such facilities.
Consideration was given to waste minimisation during
the construction of Kronsberg and excavated soil was
re-used in local landscape features to avoid it’s
transportation to land-fill sites - in raising the noise
buffer embankment along the nearby motorway.
18. Method of rainwater
management
used to maintain the natural water resources of the
district.
Rainwater is collected from the entire Kronsberg site
and carefully sent above-ground through various
systems designed to retain the water and allow it to
drain into the ground.
Kronsberg ponds, basins, ditches and channels are at
times designed, sculptural elements and at other more
natural and organic in form.
20. All apartments are equipped with water-saving
taps.
Economy aerator. These reduce water-
consumption greatly, although it is barely
perceptible.
The resident are encouraged to economies on
drinking water
21. Water usage in German
households in litres
per person per day
Water Concept
Kronsberg
Part of the EXPO
project