Quarter 452 with over 100 apartments in Norderstedt set out to be sustainable, energy efficient and permit access for disabled people. These were the ambitious goals that Paloh Architekten from Hamburg and housing association Baugenossenschaft Adlershorst set themselves. The fruit of their labors: Attractive, varied architecture with facades with a smooth rhythm and striking conservatories. Technologically speaking, the project is also a premier: it features the first exclusively solar-powerd lifts in Germany - an innovation by Schindler.
Naturally, the lifts do not convert solar energy directly: The Hybrid Power Manager in the Schindler 3300 Solar Elevator ensures smooth operation even at night, or when it is overcast.
Thanks to efficient storage technology, up to 400 trips are possible without the need for to recharge the batteries. Nor is electricity supplied solely by the photovoltaic system; thanks to kinetic energy the elevator itself recoups energy through a photovoltaic inverter. Conceived for residential buildings and smaller commercial units the 3300 Elevator permits standard 230-volt operation and does not need the 400-volt three phase AC connection commonly used in elevators.
Thanks to the use of renewable energy for heating and electricity, and the solar elevators by Schindler, Quarter 452 achieved an energy efficiency rating of 55. In other words, it uses 45% less energy than a comparable building, based on the standards of the KfW Banking Group. Yet the houses are nevertheless very well appointed, something reflected in such things as the elevators but also in underfloor heating in the apartments. Saving energy and comfort are no longer a contradiction today. (rw)
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Quarter 452 in Norderstedt by Paloh Architekten offers comfortable and energy-saving homes. Photo © Schindler
Conservatories not only make for a higher quality of life, but also cut energy costs. Photo © Schindler
Photovoltaic panels on the roof provide the energy needed for the Schindler 3300 Solar Elevators. Photo © Schindler
Schindler 3300 elevators run on solar electricity thanks to the storage capacity of the Hybrid Power Manager. Photo © Schindler
