B A C K G R O U N D

The comprehensive environmental destruction that characterises contemporary Poland is the result of a long and systematic mismanagement of natural resources within a number of areas. Besides the antiquated and run-down coal and steel industries, households also have far-reaching negative effects on the environment as a consequence of domestic heating with fossil fuel, inadequate insulation techniques and insufficient or non-existent purification/management of water and waste.

The interest in ecological construction in Poland is great, and the need to quickly produce concrete examples is now of the greatest importance because the housing stock is very old and therefore in need of renewal on a large scale. Indigenous experience is, however, still lacking which is why an increased construction technology co-operation with Poland should focus more on the transfer of construction knowledge that takes into consideration all the relevant environmental aspects.


P R O J E C T    P R O P O S A L

The purpose of the project is to create, through knowledge transfer, technical and organisational conditions for ecological construction, where the buildings' design, production and management is based on a distinct ecological basic view.

The result shall be presented in the form of proposals for construction drawings and site plans, evaluations and explanations of suitable technologies, bases for risk analyses and validations and proposals of participants in a possible construction partnership. The project documentation shall firstly work as a basis for the construction of an ecological residential area for 30-40 households in one of the specially studied Polish towns.

Greenhorn will comprise co-operation with non-profit making organisations, local authorities and households in the towns of Szczecin (Ger. Stettin) in northern Poland and Jelenia Góra (in the Podgorzyn district) in southern Poland. The project's result is taken over by the Polish partner and applied to the town or city where the necessary requirements are considered to be fulfilled.

The idea has met with great interest from local authorities as well as ministers in Poland, including the Environment, Natural Resources and Forestry Protection Ministers, the Construction Minister. Interest has also been shown by the town council, mayor and the municipal engineering department in Szczecin, the town council, the municipal engineering committee and the environmental protection committee in Legnica, the mayor, municipal engineering committee and the environmental protection committee in Walcz and the town council and mayor in Podgorzyn (Jelenia Góra).


T H E    S C O P E    of   T H E    P R O J E C T

Within the framework of the project there are relevant requirements for ecological construction and ecological housing to be identified and analysed. A preliminary introduction of the project's main components would look like this:

1		Political and social requirements
1.1		The attitudes of authorities and politicians to ecological construction
1.2		The pro-ecological climate in society
1.3		Commitment and influence form various interest groups.

2		Financial Requirements
2.1		The financial systems effect on construction in general and the promotion of ecological house building in particular
2.2		Government regulation of ecological construction (laws and building standards).
2.3		Government support for the development of ecological construction (the credit and finance system).

3		Organisational Requirements
3.1		The way from the idea of an eco-village to its realisation - an account of processes, participants and organisational structures from the original initiative, financing and decision to the realisation of an ecological construction project.
3.2		Education and the spreading of information about ecological housing, technical information and building information.
3.3		The management of existing eco-villages (administrative and operational routines).
3.4		Housing in eco-villages and ecological communities.

4		Technical Requirements
4.1		Active (energy-intensive) ecological technology: heating systems, ventilation, water supply, drainage, waste disposal etc.
4.2		Passive ecological technology: construction and planning that promotes energy saving.
4.3		Ecological construction materials: insulation, facade, flooring and roofing materials, construction components, glue, paint etc.
4.4		Three fundamental types of eco-village, their ecological cycle, functions and social patterns.

1		A Compendium, where existing knowledge and experience relevant to ecological construction is shown. The aim is to collect, compare and evaluate experience that is usable and effective for Polish conditions and that is most adaptable for local building traditions and Polish economic requirements

2

Presentation material in the form of a proposal to eco-villages consisting of a site plan, sections and front views to suitable scales, and a detailed technical description. The proposal will be as general as possible by showing alternative solutions to architectural, technical, financial and social problems associated with ecological construction

3		Analysis of the requirements for ecological construction in Poland.
3.1		Financial analysis of the proposed project with regard to current prices on the Polish construction market concerning investment and exploitation costs and various possible financing alternatives
3.2		Technical analysis with reference to the availability and choice of ecological building materials, techniques and solutions with regard to infrastructure requirements and access to competent tradesmen, subcontractors, entrepreneurs, and channels for technical information.
3.3		Legal analysis: comparison of laws and standards for ecological construction in Poland and other countries.
3.4		Social analysis: evaluation of experience from housing in existing eco-villages and opinion polls aimed at the project's potential recipients.

The whole project consisting of a compendium, a conception of an ideal eco-village and analyses and calculations will be presented in the following form:

• Exhibitions, at construction conferences in Poland, of ecological building materials and other ecological components described in the project.
• Presentations at colleges and universities in the form of lectures and publications.
• Exposure in the Polish mass media (trade press, TV etc.).
• Presentation to PZITB Szczecin and Karkonoska Fond Jelenia Góra as a basis for further revision and adaptation of the project.

The programme here outlined will be adapted as required and further developed to correspond with the overall project goal. The programme has been put together in co-operation with the architects Radek Nowakowski and Ewa Holuj.