Improved energy efficiency in social housing and the water supply (EEDUS)
Project description
Title: Energy efficiency for sustainable urban development
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Country: Brazil
Lead executing agency: Brazilian Ministry for Regional Development
Overall term: 2017 to 2021
Context
By 2025, Brazil aims to have reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by up to 37 per cent compared to 2005. In order to achieve this, it plans to use more renewable energies and to improve energy efficiency by 10 per cent.
According to the energy planning authority (Empresa de Pesquisa Energética, EPE), by 2014, 28 per cent of the electricity produced in Brazil was used in residential buildings while around two per cent was used for the drinking water supply.
Based on economic and demographic trends, the National Housing Plan expects that around 1.5 million homes will have to be built annually until 2023. As a result, the public sector is investing heavily in social housing in programmes such as the Minha Casa, Minha Vida (MCMV – My House, My Life) housing subsidy programme.
Housing users’ increasing comfort demands are leading to higher electricity consumption, but the the energy efficiency requirements specified for buildings are low. Despite this the construction industry is showing initial interest in developing innovative solutions.
The supply networks for drinking water in the communities also consume a lot of energy. In general, there is a lack of data and information providing specific facts on how much energy the systems use and consume.
Objective
Energy efficiency in social housing and the water supply has improved.
Approach
The project works in four fields of activity:
- The funding guidelines for social housing are structured in order to provide impetus for improved energy efficiency. Stakeholders draw up recommendations to anchor energy efficiency in the funding guidelines of the MCMV housing subsidy programme. They also support their implementation. Lessons learned from existing pilot measures or studies are processed.
- New or adapted methods, procedures and instruments lay the foundations for ensuring that the MCMV housing subsidy programme’s funding guidelines are structured specifically and implemented effectively. Construction defects are recorded faster and more thoroughly, thus improving the quality of the construction projects. The effectiveness and cost-efficiency of energy efficiency measures are made transparent.
- By strengthening the pool of information and knowledge, the organisations and individuals involved can participate in the processes in the Brazilian cooperation system in an appropriate and professional manner. Discussion and coordination processes thus become more objective and faster. Employees of the organisations apply the knowledge they acquire on energy efficiency in their working environment. This field of activity is implemented mainly by the GOPA Gesellschaft für Organisation, Planung und Ausbildung mbH.
- Energy efficiency is promoted in municipal water supplies. Existing regulations are designed to provide bigger incentives for higher energy efficiency. This requires a comprehensive and reliable pool of data. Effective and efficient evaluation approaches are being developed. Digital methods are used to provide greater reliability. In both regulation and evaluation, employees will be trained using learning networks and appropriate methods will be developed and disseminated. The AKUT Umweltschutz Ingenieure Burkard und Partner GmbH is carrying out the work in this field of activity.