Lessons learned from 'Family housing for the future' build as low energy buildings

'Family housing for the future' features houses that complies with the demands outlined in the Danish building regulations for low energy buildings class 1 and 2. All houses have also got the Nordic environmental label 'Swan-label' and do thereby fulfil a number of supplementary environmental criteria. The estate of 'Family housing for the future' comprise 64 one family houses and 12 semidetached apartments. All unique prototypes developed by 24 companies of architects and contractors. 'Family housing for the future' thus demonstrates the decisions of the construction industry when faced with the demands outlined for low energy buildings. The demands for low energy buildings class 2 are expected to be adopted for all buildings in the next revision of the energy saving guidelines in the Danish building regulations. Therefore this housing project will demonstrate a number of challenges and solutions for the next generation of one family houses. Therefore, the primary aim for the project is to document lessons learned to guide future revisions of the building regulations, expected in 2010 and 2015. The experience comprises energy use, thermal envelope, heating and ventilation. Families that are living in the houses will fill in a questionnaire on user habits and indoor climate to supplement the factual data collected. This experience will, during and after the evaluation process, be a subject for discussion among a wider group of housing and construction specialists. The results will likewise influence future revisions of the tool for energy calculations (Be06) as well as the revision of construction guidelines concerning choice of building elements and joints for the thermal envelope