Inhabitable Infrastructures: A scenario towards sustainable energy in Berlin

Abstract

Following the pattern of several megacities and European large cities, Berlin grows and changes at a fast rate. The fast transformations that cities are undergoing can no more be considered only a local phenomenon, since they have global implications: large agglomerations and megacities are drivers of climate change. Nevertheless, the increased tempo of transformations and technological innovation also triggers the city to regenerate its systems, opening a path for the emergence of new sustainable models. If these models succeed, their impact can be bold and effective on the reduction of global CO2 emissions and climate change, aiming to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as affordable and clean energy, industry, innovation and infrastructure and sustainable cities and communities. The fast growth has overloaded Berlin's housing stock. In order for it to keep pace and relieve the real-estate market, the senate released the development plan “Berlin-2030”, which aims to create 200.000 new dwellings on the affordable housing sector by then. Cities consume 80% of the energy produced worldwide and produce approximately 85% of global emissions of greenhouse gases. According to the Energy and Climate Protection Program developed by the Senate, Berlin aims to become climate neutral by 2050. By now the city is far behind in its tempo for achieving its ambitious goals. This paper investigates a scenario for Berlin involving housing co-operatives and stakeholders from the energy sector joining efforts. It explores a system that operates with a building kit for housing developments with optimized elements for energy generation in order to increase production of new socially sustainable affordable housing and a energetic production - consumption simulation. This scenario explores the creation of the housing co-operatives 4.0 and simultaneously the establishment on a long-term basis of an ecologically sustainable virtual-power-plant grid driven by renewable energy sources and a pumped hydroelectric energy storage (PHES) system.