Krefeld, Germany, May 15, 2023. Formerly British military barracks, soon a new district in Krefeld: the Anglicus district on the site of the formerBradbury barracks, where 725 new apartments will be built. Derelict for years, the site is nearly 17 soccer fields in size and includes many landmarked buildings. The Cologne-based project developer Rauchfuss et Socii GmbH intends to renovate this historic stock of buildings with ecological aspects in mind, add new buildings, and develop the site into a green district by 2028. Certification to the standard of the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) is to serve as a seal of quality for sustainability. Drees & Sommer, a Stuttgart-based company specializing in construction and real estate consulting, will support the project developer towards DGNB certification.
Brick buildings covered in dust, overgrown sidewalks and metal fences will soon be a thing of the past on Krefeld's Kempener Allee ‘We will start construction work before year-end. Our goal is to transform the Anglicus district into a vibrant and sustainable urban neighborhood by 2028, where around 2,200 people will live and work. ‘Sustainable urban district certification provides us with excellent guidelines for checking and optimizing our project with regard to specific sustainability criteria.,’ explains Stefan Rauchfuss, founder and CEO of Rauchfuss et Socii GmbH.
Urban Certificates Are in Strong Demand
Sustainability quality seals have long been in demand for more than just individual buildings. Tanja Sprenger, DGNB author and expert for sustainable neighborhood development at Drees & Sommer comments: ‘For years now, we have been seeing increasing demand for this type of certificate, including in the urban district sector. This is mainly because sustainability seals of quality increase the attractiveness and value of a neighborhood, while also making properties more attractive to potential tenants. Regulations such as the EU taxonomy for sustainable investments and climate protection targets at German federal level also increasingly require project developers and investors to ensure that their neighborhood projects are 'proven to be sustainable'. The good thing is that in the end, everyone benefits: the building owner or developer, the local authority, and the future users.‘ This is because urban district certification includes not only ecological and economic aspects, but also socio-cultural criteria. Key questions include: What will local amenities and public transport links in the quarter look like at a later stage? Are there enough green spaces and open areas? Is land being used efficiently and is biodiversity being facilitated? What is the accessibility situation?
Excellent Example for Efficient Use of Space
Drees & Sommer is currently conducting a pre-check on the Anglicus district to establish whether the project meets the mandatory criteria of the German Sustainable Building Council, and what level of certification is feasible: silver, gold or platin. We will then apply for a DGNB pre-certificate. This sets the course in terms of sustainability as early as the planning or construction phase, for all those involved in the construction. After completion of the project, the final certificate will be issued.
725 planned residential units and more than 17,000 square meters of commercial area make the Anglicus district one of the biggest construction projects in the City of Krefeld and its surroundings . Besides residential buildings, there will be senior citizen and nursing homes, a daycare center for children, a supermarket, and space for offices and small businesses. In the first of three construction phases, three landmarked barracks buildings will be renovated starting in the fall of 2023. In parallel with this, the planning of further landmarked building sites and the new building section will be ongoing.
After its completion, Krefeld’s new sustainable and future-proof urban district will be an excellent example for efficient use of space.