Hannover: KUKA, Kronsberg Environmental Liaison Agency (EXPO 2000)

Abstract:

On the Kronsberg hill, adjacent to the EXPO 2000 site in south-east Hannover, is the Kronsberg demonstration of a new ”sustainable district.” More than 2,500 dwellings have been completed as part of this model project of the EXPO 2000, and eventually about 6,000 housing units are to be constructed for 15,000 people, making up five relatively compact neighborhoods on 140 hectares. The Kronsberg Environmental Liaison Agency (Kronsberg-Kommunikations-Agentur GmbH / KUKA) was created in 1997, about the time construction work began at Kronsberg. KUKA was charged with coordinating and supporting the various Kronsberg projects as well as offering a range of information, communication and training services for all involved or interested in Kronsberg. This is seen to be an outstanding model related to sustainable urban development for the following reasons:

• Organization of a wide range of innovative communications programs related to sustainable development;
• An integrated project planning and development approach;
• Offering a variety of relevant training and qualification initiatives;
• Coordinating monitoring of construction projects.

Concept and aims

As Kronsberg has been developed as an EXPO 2000 initiative, the KUKA Agency has had a special focus on public relations efforts during the EXPO, which was between June and October 2000. KUKA activities reached out to a wide range of target groups, and organized everything from publications to conferences, offered site tours, and coordinated advice, educational, and training programs. Themes dealt with by KUKA have included energy, water, waste, soil, landscape and gardens, agriculture and mobility. Among the kinds of groups addressed by KUKA programs have been urban planners and other experts, architects and craftspeople, and area residents. Some of the primary objectives for KUKA were:

• Communicating Kronsberg experiences to EXPO 2000 visitors;
• Coordinating and monitoring the planning and building of Kronsberg;
• Raising awareness of all involved in the Kronsberg projects, especially the residents;
• Providing relevant training and counseling services to all concerned with Kronsberg.

EXPO 2000 Visitors

Designed to be a lasting manifestation of EXPO 2000, the Kronsberg District was presented to the general EXPO 2000 public through KUKA publications, guided tours and exhibitions. EXPO 2000 resources, including funding and publicity, directly supported a number of projects at Kronsberg, as they were selected to be so-called EXPO decentral "Projects around the world," as scattered exhibitions of the EXPO themes. Many aspects of Kronsberg have also been publicized through the KUKA Internet address, and a Kronsberg newspaper was published.

Kronsberg Residents

All people moving into Kronsberg received a "Kronsberg-Binder" which is a collection of information relevant to the energy and water saving propgrams, as well as other aspects of local sustainability. A number of events have been organized to further inform residents and motivate them to act more sustainably. Information has been offered both through the KUKA at the KroKuS neighborhood center and in the local schools and day care centers. An 'Energy-Counselor' was working through the KUKA to talk with people in their homes or at the schools and other local institutions. A Kronsberg environmental magazine has been published to keep people updated on new projects such as improvements in the public transport system or the introduction of projects such as car-sharing and barter-rings. As Kronsberg's high goals for energy conservation can only be met through a combination of sustainable building technologies and corresponding lifestyles, the new residents have been informed for example about alternative practices for heating and ventilating their dwellings.

Training and Advice for builders and developers

Five different institutions, coordinated by KUKA, offered specific training and advice programs to planers, architects, crafts people and others concerned with the planning and development of Kronsberg. Areas of emphasis have been building the Low Energy Houses and working with ecological building materials and systems. Here it has been necessary to work closely with those involved in construction. Information has been offered for example through 'information-breakfasts,' organized directly at the construction sites, or through excursions or workshops.

Energy Savings Program

Kronsberg is to date the most ambitious development of its kind in Germany concerning energy savings objectives, and KUKA was commissioned by Hannover to oversee the implementation of the energy initiatives in Kronsberg. This involved coordination of the Low Energy House planning and building processes, but also work with Kronsberg residents. All people moving into Kronsberg received money and advice to help them acquire the most energy-efficient lighting and other appliances possible, such as washing machines and refrigerators. To receive the financing, or the energy and water saving devices, residents had to attend a workshop or otherwise become informed.

Implementation

The KUKA Agency has received direction for its work from the City of Hannover and the nonprofit KUKA organization. This nonprofit is made up of a range of institutions involved in the planning and development of Kronsberg. KUKA worked closely with EXPO 2000, especially in the area of public relations.

Financing and resources used

The KUKA Agency has been supported by the City of Hannover along with developers, energy utilities, engineering offices and others connected to Kronsberg. KUKA has also been funded by the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (German federal environmental foundation).

Results and impacts

The KUKA Agency, although successful in setting up an impressive center for information and communication - especially for EXPO 2000 visitors - was not able to instutionalize the center activities. KUKA received funding from about 1995 through the EXPO period in the year 2000, but it does not appear that a long-term, self-supporting center has gotten off the ground. While the KUKA model of an information and communication center accompanying sustainable planning and development processes is a significant one, it still only represents a short-term success. If sustainable development is truly a long-term process of continual learning, adaptation and sharing of experiences, then district centers such as KUKA will have to be sustained themselves.

References

Kronsberg Environmental Liaison Agency (Kronsberg-Kommunikations-Agentur GmbH / KUKA)

www.umwelt-agentur-kuka.de

City of Hannover

www.hannover.de

EXPO 2000 (Hannover World Exposition)

www.expo.hannover.de/english/

Contact:

Cities:

Hannover :

Hannover is the capital of the federal state Land of Lower Saxony. It covers an area of 204 square kilometres. The wider conurbation of Greater Hannover has some 20 municipalities and a total population of 1.1 million. It covers an area of 2,300 square kilometres which is equal to the size of the small German state of the Saarland.

The City of Hannover has a diverse industrial structure which also includes some big companies like Volkswagen, the tyre company Continental, the battery producer Varta, the stationary producers Geha and Pelikan, and the cakes producer Bahlsen. The total conurbation has a total employment of 540,000 and 350,000 workplaces are located in the City of Hannover itself.

Hannover is also well-known as the host of important exhibitions like the world-wide biggest industrial exhibition, the computer fair CeBit, and many other specialised fairs. In the year 2000 the EXPO 2000 took place in the city.

Population:

Project was added at 05.09.2001
Project was changed at 05.09.2001

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