Case Study: Vauban, Germany - ResourceSmart

Key environmental and social
sustainability features
Energy supply
• A combined heat and power plant that burns wood chips
and gas provides electricity for around two-thirds of Vauban
and is connected to the district’s heating network.
• There are solar hot water or photovoltaic panels on many
buildings. Vauban is estimated to be one of the largest solar
districts in Europe.
Energy efficient design
• Planning provisions in Vauban required developers to
achieve a very high standard of efficiency, going beyond an
already progressive national standard.
• Some developers and individuals building in the precinct
went even further still building to the European standard of
PassivHaus – essentially meaning that almost no energy is
consumed for space heating or cooling.
Sustainable materials
• Some of the construction communities used ecological
materials such as wood, clay and other locally produced
materials.
A sense of community
• Without the presence of cars, streets are used as
playgrounds for children and places for social interaction.
• The creation of communal areas promotes incidental
social interaction.
Transport
• Residents have access to a comprehensive public transport
network.
• For most of the residential area, the development plan
prohibits the building of parking space on private property.
• Cars are only allowed into the residential area for pick-up
and delivery. The speed limit on the district’s main road is
30 km/h and in the residential area is 5 km/h.
• Residents who joined the car-sharing scheme receive a
one-year discount public transport pass.
• Schools, a market, a shopping centre and recreation areas
are within walking and cycling distance.
• Around 64% of all trips in Vauban are made by walking
or cycling, compared to an average of around 15% for
metropolitan Melbourne.
Building models for enabling sustainable precincts
Waste-water treatment
• One pilot project tested an innovative sewage system.
Sewage is transported through vacuum pipes into a
biogas plant and the biogas generated is used for cooking.
Remaining grey water is cleaned in biofilm plants and
returned to the water cycle.
For further information:
For more information about SV’s Sustainable Precincts
program, visit www.resourcesmart.vic.gov.au/precincts
www.vauban.de/info/abstract.html
www.forum-vauban.de/tasks.shtml
Header image © Jacquie Monie, University of Melbourne, VEIL