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Regenerating Modern Housing in Denmark: Considering
Sustainability and Energy Retrofitting in the Lifecycle of
Social Housing Estates
T. Peters1
1 John H Daniels, Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design, 230 College Street, Toronto,
Canada, terri.peters@daniels.utoronto.ca
Abstract. Danish social housing estates built in the 1960s and1970s are a
significant part of the cultural legacy of the Welfare State. Often the prefabricated,
multi-family ‘etageboliger’ apartments are not considered architecturally valuable or
worthy of preservation, but this paper adds to the emerging sentiment that they are
an important part of the Danish housing heritage. Sustainability was, and is, an
important consideration for these buildings, although the definition and ways of
measuring the term have shifted considerably since they were built. This paper
considers the renovation of these buildings from an architectural and historical
perspective, in particular looking at how sustainability and energy use were
considered throughout the building’s history. This paper summarizes findings from
analysis of a broad examination of twenty such renovations in Denmark, examining
how sustainability was considered in the housing at certain points in time: 1) when
the buildings were originally built in the 1970s; 2) when the buildings were
systematically renovated in the 1990s largely for exterior repairs; 3) during the
current program of National Building Fund supported ‘sustainable renovation’; and
4) relating to the near future, considering the qualitative, socially focused Danish
Architecture Policy (2014) and the quantitative EU European Energy Policy for
2020 and priorities of Energy Strategy 2050. While the current wave of
renovations offers environmental and architectural improvements compared to the
1990s renovations, they do not meet EU 2020 benchmarks, and there is a gap
between the aspirations and abilities of the architects, and their designs for energy
performance compared to their other sustainable ambitions.
1. INTRODUCTION
There is an urgent need to renovate the Modern social housing estates in
Denmark, which amount to more than 600,000 dwellings, to enhance the
quality of the buildings so that they can stay in use, and to improve their
energy performance. Energy retrofitting of Modern housing is taking place
in many countries. This paper focuses on the renovations to prefabricated,
concrete, social housing built on housing estates in the 1960s and 1970s in
Denmark. Two issues specific to the Danish context are: the unique role of
social housing in society, and Denmark’s recent ambitious energy targets
which directly impact these buildings. Relating to the first point, social
housing is Denmark plays an important part of the national identity,
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fundamental to the social democratic Welfare State1. A guiding principle of
the Danish Welfare State is that the public sector (in this case the
municipality) is responsible for housing its citizens, therefore keeping these
buildings in good use is very important2. Relating to the second point, there
are qualitative and quantitative national policies and guidelines on reducing
energy performance and renovation including national targets to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2020 (exceeding the EU target of
20%) and being independent from fossil fuels by 2050.
2. THE HISTORY OF RENOVATIONS TO THESE ESTATES
2.1. The 1970s: Mass Construction
In Denmark between 1966-1975, more housing was built per year than ever
before. An urgent housing shortage inspired government policies and
building industry initiatives to build homes quickly, cheaply, and to house as
many people as possible4. Repetition of construction elements,
monotonous site planning, unadorned building expressions and locating the
buildings on single use sites, were seen as necessary and justified design
decisions5. In many respects these dwellings were very successful. In
Denmark, the housing of this time is considered to be the largest and best
equipped social housing ever built4.
2.2. The late 1970s: Repair-oriented Renovations
The untested construction methods coupled with changing social
aspirations had unpredicted negative results. Built in a time of inexpensive
non-renewable energy, without concern for energy efficiency, these
buildings were enormously reliant on fossil fuels. When the oil crises of the
1970s hit, and energy regulations came into effect, the housing proved
expensive to operate, uncomfortable for residents, and in need of urgent
repair. Within a few years of completion, there were serious issues with the
building constructions, and also emerging social problems as many people
opted for single-family homes6 (p.36). In most estates, the concrete needed
repair, the flat roofs needed to be rebuilt and insulated. Many estates had
used poor quality concrete and structural repairs had to be undertaken.
There were issues with thermal bridging, especially in relation to windows
and balconies. Typically, these urgent repairs were hurriedly carried out in
the late 1970s.
2.3. The 1990s: Inexpensive Replacement
The first major wave of renovations to these buildings was in the 1990s and
they were generally rushed, used replacement materials of inferior quality,
and included decorations with unsightly colours not in keeping with the
original scheme7. Many of them also had additions, enclosures, and new
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structures added which were not architecturally designed or considered.
Some reasons could be that architects were missing appropriate
frameworks and metrics. The renovations to prefabricated housing of this
kind were admittedly a new brief. The formula for renovation was focused
on performance, typically enclosing the balconies with glass to improve
thermal performance and adding insulation panels to the façade and
sometimes roof. Windows were replaced, and the appearance of the
estates were impacted by decorative elements added around the building
entries like canopies or walls in an attempt to personalize the buildings and
improve wayfinding. Unfortunately in many cases, garish colours were
added to on certain elements like railings, window frames and columns to
make the buildings seem less monotonous and grey. Generally, there were
few interior renovations, such as modernizing kitchens and bathrooms, or
addition of a mixes of uses to the estates, which in hindsight would have
been really important. In some cases, the expensive and time-consuming
program of renovations made the buildings worse.
2.4. 2008-2013: Socially-Focused Regeneration
The second major wave of renovations to these buildings took place
between about 2008-2013. In 2008 changes to the Social Housing Act gave
residents increased rights to approve or veto spending common money and
2013 concluded a large government allocation for these estates8 (p.45).
These renovations generally took a more holistic approach, focusing on
dwelling exteriors and interiors with new kitchens and bathrooms; improved
courtyards, walkways and public paths to help the estates improve their
image; replacing the facades and roofs; and changing balconies either by
removing the 1990s glass enclosures or replacing and enlarging them.
Unfortunately it was not common to make the interiors wheelchair
accessible, or to add a mix of uses in order to reduce reliance on cars and
add diversity. In twenty renovation examples studied, all aside from one
achieved only minimum building regulations for energy performance, none
sought LEED or similar certification. This is surprising because in these
renovations, in contrast to the 1990s renovations, it was typically well-
established architects with experience in low energy housing appointed for
the renovations. In detailed interviews with certain renovation architects at
JJW, CF Moller, Witraz (now Ramboll), and NOVA5, while all considered
their renovations ‘sustainable’ and socially focused, all of the architects
were frustrated at the gap between their aspirations for low energy
performance and the performance that they managed to achieve in the
buildings for various economic and practical reasons3.
The current program of renovation is funded partly by the tenants through
increased rent, and partly by the National Building Fund,
Landsbyggefonden (LBF), an independent organization that manages joint
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capital and public subsidies for social housing areas9. Estates can apply for
financial support in larger renovations by submitting a masterplan of the
renovation, which shows the physical, social and neighbourhood context.
There is currently very little support for energy upgrading, energy
generation, or any ambitious environmental performance renovations.
Research has found that generally residents focus on the costs of energy
retrofitting and not the savings, and since they must vote to increase their
rent in order to undertake these measures, they largely do not10 (p.255).
3. STRATEGIES OF REUSE: SUSTAINABLE RENOVATION IN
DENMARK
In a study of twenty of these renovations from the last decade, four
renovation strategies were identified to characterize these buildings and
analyse their quality and sustainability: 1) Building Recycling; 2)
Rehabilitation; 3) Energy Renovation; 4) Social Retrofitting3. For example in
Building Recycling, the buildings underwent a major renovation, improving
the energy performance through new façades, roofs and windows; the
building’s appearance is impacted; new or enhanced uses are created; and
the common areas and social environments are enhanced.
Figure 1. Building Recycling. Renovation Architects Nova5, Canal Quarter Apartments,
Albertslund Syd, Denmark, 2014 © Photo Credit Terri Peters Building Recycling is a
5
Building Recycling is a strategy of radical changes, as an alternative to
demolition, and suitable when preservation is not a priority. This approach
involves partial demolition, rebuilding, and additions. Examples include the
Canal Quarter apartments in Albertslund Syd built in 1968 and renovated
by Nova5 in 2009 (figure 1).
Figure 2. Rehabilitation. Renovation Architects Witraz, Vandkunsten and Wissenberg.
Gyldenrisparken, Copenhagen, Denmark, 2014. © Photo Credit Terri Peters
“Rehabilitation” is also a strategy of comprehensive change, but in this case
there is an emphasis on connecting to, or sympathy towards, the original
architecture. In this strategy, the renovations typically use additive
approaches as opposed to the “Building Recycling” approaches of
replacement and removal. Rehabilitation typically involves a series of small
additions, like enlarging balconies or adding terraces or adding
penthouses); combining units to create larger apartments; or enhancing the
façade by adding small scale textural details in keeping with the original
material and expression, sometimes making it even more faithfully
“modern” than the original. The renovation of Gyldenrisparken Estate is an
example of a renovation that can be said to use a “Rehabilitation”
approach. The estate was renovated by Witraz, Vandkunsten and
Wissenberg between 2005-2010 (figure 2).
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Figure 3. Energy Renovation. Renovation Architects CF#Møller,#Block 15 Varbergparken,
Haderslev Denmark, 2014 © Photo Credit Terri Peters
“Energy Renovation” is a renewal that aims above all to improve the
building ́s energy use. This tends to result in a superinsulation or thermal
environmental performance approach that wraps the building in insulation.
This strategy revolves around repair, insulation, and façade replacement
and dramatically changes the appearance due to new façade.
In some cases, it is implied or explicitly stated that these quantitative
improvements will positively impact the qualitative measures of the social
environment around the building. In these cases, it is hoped that the new
performance will both lower energy bills and give the building a better
reputation. After adding a new insulated façade, the replacement is typically
a contrasting material and colour. The point is usually to give it a ‘facelift’,
hence this is often linked to the strategy of “Social Retrofitting”.
Varbergparken Estate, built between 1970-1980 in Haderslev and
renovated by C.F. Møller between 2008-2013 uses this approach (figure 3).
Block 15 was renovated to meet Low-Energy Class 1 construction
standards16
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Figure 4 Social retrofitting. Renovation Architects JJW, Urban U2 Urbanplanen,
Copenhagen, Denmark 2014 © Photo Credit Terri Peters.
“Social Retrofitting” explicitly proposes architectural intervention and
change of expression as a remedy for a poor social environment. These
renovations stretch beyond the typical boundaries of sustainable
transformation, and there are some successful examples such as the
Urban U2 renovation of Hørgården 1 & 2 at Urbanplanen, renovated by
JJW Arkitekter (with Witraz Architects advising the housing association
client) between 2007-2012 (figure 4). The site originally had an
unwelcoming social environment and poor building performance. The
buildings were run down and not well-maintained. The façade renovation
and roof improvements aimed to improve the visual and social
environment, attract new tenants, and improve resident comfort. The
renovation has proven to be a popular and important case study of urban
transformation. Residents were given the opportunity to influence and
customize the individual physical environment in a consultation program
called “Enhance Your Home“. In this program, each resident could choose
balconies or French balconies and have input into the modernisations of
the kitchens and bathrooms. This approach has allowed residents to feel a
greater sense of ownership in the renovation process and product, and has
contributed to the architectural diversity.
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3.5. Future Guidelines
In 2014 a new agreement aimed to double the amount of LBF renovation
funding, mainly to aid in demolitions and social efforts to improve
vulnerable areas, again supporting socially-focused renovations11. Also a
small pool of money was established to improve energy standards in social
housing12. It is too early to report on findings but these initiatives seem too
modest.
In the 2014 Danish Architectural Policy, sustainable building renovation is
specifically addressed: “The existing buildings will be updated both at the
functional level and energy wise, and more than half of all construction
projects will consist of renovation and rebuilding projects”13 (p.36). In more
quantitative terms, three important targets are 1) the European Union’s
‘European Energy Policy for 2020’ which aims for a reduction in
greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20%, an increase in renewable
energy to at least 20% of consumption, and energy savings of 20% or
more14; 2) The Danish Climate Policy Plan which states Denmark will lower
greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2020 compared with 1990 which
exceeds the EU targets15; and ‘Energy Strategy 2050’ which states that
Denmark will use 100% renewable energy by 205015 so all existing
buildings will need to be retrofitted so that they do not need fossil fuels.
This means Danes should expect a third wave of energy focused
renovations in about 2020 to meet 2020 standards, but it will be challenging
enough to meet EU minimum targets, rather than the Danish target of 40%
reduction. It could be that to achieve this performance, the interiors need
modification, so at the same time the dwellings will become accessible to
wheelchairs, in light of the aging population. However, since the interiors
were modernized in the second wave, this will likely be saved until the
fourth wave of renovation, in about 2035. The fourth wave will have the
daunting task of moving from 2020 regulations to generating renewable
energy and becoming independent from fossil fuels.
4. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ARCHITECTURAL RENOVATIONS
TO THESE ESTATES
There are three main recommendations from this research for future
renovations to these buildings. First, it is to consider holistic sustainability
considerations, including but not limited to concerns of energy. Second,
renovations should address architectural qualities as a priority. A definition
of architectural renovation is offered: Architectural renovations must seek
to 1) improve the quality of light, through replacing or enlarging windows or
removing barriers to light entering the apartments such as reopening
balconies which had been enclosed; 2) create new or enhanced spatial
experiences, by adding balconies, renovating kitchens to improve layout or
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creating new entry, lobby or communal spaces; 3) reconsider or improve
connection to the outdoors, through adding balconies, adding new windows
to previously blank gable ends, or improving routes through the site. A
recommendation is that not only can and should architectural parameters
be measured, but that they must form a part of a sustainable calculation.
Third, there must be more investment in these buildings. How a renovation
brief is developed and funded greatly impacts its potentials for a holistic
approach and improved performance. The decisions made about what to
renovate, and why, are tied directly to the social-sustainable potentials.
Strategies that are now thought very difficult, for example adding density,
adding mix of uses or removing buildings (although these are proposed in
the Varbergparken Renovation Masterplan of other buildings in the Estate
2006-2017) will likely become more mainstream.
The problem of energy performance extends beyond building: while it may
be technically possible to renovate these buildings to 2050 standards now,
there are social, political, economic, architectural and cultural issues that
make it a challenge. When transforming these buildings it is necessary to
consider the building in its context, and to consider the next wave of
renovations. Further research is needed into retrofitting renewable energy
sources for these buildings, keeping in mind their distinctive architectural
characteristics and their important role in the housing heritage.
5. ENDNOTES
1 G Esping-Andersen, The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism (Cambridge: Polity
Press, 1990).
2 H Kristensen, 'Social Housing Policy and the Welfare State: A Danish Perspective',
Urban Studies, 39 (2002), 255–63.
3 Terri Peters, 'Architectural Strategies of Transformation to Modern Housing:
Qualitative Parameters for the Analysis of Sustainability in 1960s and 1970s Multi-
Story, Prefabricated Concrete Housing in Denmark' (Aarhus Architecture School,
2015), p. 303.
The twenty renovations studied are (Housing Estate name, location, renovation
architects, year renovated): Vejleåparken, Ishøj. Domus, 2001-2010; Bjergbakken,
Roskilde. Triarc Architects, 2006; Fortunen Øst, Lyngby. Pålsson Architects,
2006; Canal Quarter Housing, Albertslund Syd, Albertslund. NOVA5, 2007-2009;
Skelagergårdene, Aalborg. Kærsgaard & Andersen, 2007-2011; Gyldenrisparken,
Copenhagen. Witraz, Vandkunsten, Wissenberg, 2005-2010; Urban U2,
Urbanplanen, Copenhagen. JJW, 2007-2012; Block 15 Varbergparken, Haderslev.
C.F. Møller, 2007-2013; Høje Kolstrup, Aabenraa. NOVA 5, 2009-2010; Hånbæk,
Frederikshavn. Arkinord, 2009-2010; Lilletoften, Skovelunde. Vilhelm Lauritzen
Architects, 2009-2011; Islandshøjparken, Nivå. JJW Arkitekter, 2011-
2013; Lundoftegade 9-81, Copenhagen. Pålsson Arkiteker, 2012-2014;
Langkærparken, Tilst. NOVA5, 2010-2011; Heimdalsvej, Frederikssund. Mangor &
Nagel, 2009-2012; Løget By, Vejle. Pluskontoret, 2012-in progress; Løvvangen,
Aalborg. Kærsgaard & Andersen 2011- in progress; Rosenhøj, Viby Syd. Arkitema
2014- in progress; Ellebo Room, Ballerup. Adam Khan Architects 2014- in
10
progress; Ladegårdsparken, Holbæk. Rubow. 2013- in progress.
4 K Scanlon, and H Vestergaard, 'Social Housing in Denmark.', in Social Housing in
Europe., ed. by C Whitehead and K Scanlon (London: London School of
Economics, 2007), pp. 77-90.
5 Ingrid Gehl, Bo Miljø (København: Statens Byggeforskningsinstititut 1971).
6 Kim Dirkinck-Holmfeld, Guide to Danish Architecture 2 1960-1995. (Copenhagen:
Arkitektens Forlag, 1995).
7 C Bech-Danielsen, and M Varming, 'Smukkere Renoveringer. Arkitektonisk Kvalitet
Ved Renovering Af Nyere BoligområDer. Sbi-Byplanlægning 75. ', (Hørsholm:
Statens Byggeforskningsinstitut, 1997).
8 Energy and Building The Ministry of Climate, 'Strategy for Energy Renovation of
Buildings: The Route to Energy-Efficient Buildings in Tomorrow’s Denmark',
(Copenhagen, Denmark: Danish Government, 2014).
9 'Landsbyggefonden', https://www.lbf.dk
10 J Johansson, 'Sustainability in Danish Social Housing - the User Focus', in Suburbs
– transformation and development, ed. by Aalborg University Danish Building
Research Institute (Denmark: Danish Building Research Institute, Aalborg
University, 2013), pp. 253-60.
11 Editors, 'Ny Aftale Fordobler Renovering Af Almene Boliger.', Politiken, 28
November 2014 2014.
12 Arkitektforeningen, 'Almene Boliger Skal Være Mere Energirigtige'2013) <http://
arkitektforeningen.dk/artikel/nyheder/almene-boliger-skal-vaere-mere-
energirigtige>.
13 Danish Government, 'Danish Architectural Policy: Putting People First',
(Copenhagen, Denmark.: Danish Architectural Centre, 2014).
14 European Commission Directorate-General for Energy, 'Energy 2020 — a Strategy
for Competitive, Sustainable and Secure Energy', (Luxembourg: Publications
Office of the European Union, 2011, 2011).
15 Energy and Building The Ministry of Climate, 'The Danish Climate Policy Plan:
Towards a Low Carbon Society', (Denmark: Danish Government, 2013).
16 Terri Peters, and Julian Weyer, ‘Architectural Design for Low Energy Housing –
Eperiences from Two Recent Affordable Hosuing Projects in Denmark’ in
Sustainable Cities and Buildings: 7th Passive House Norden Conference in
Copenhagen (Copenhagen Denmark: Passive House Norden, 2015)
6. BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Terri Peters is a Post-Doctoral researcher at the John H. Daniels
Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design at the University of Toronto
in Canada. She is a registered architect in the UK and in May 2015
completed her PhD in Architecture from Aarhus Architecture School in
Denmark. Her PhD analysed architectural approaches to the sustainable
renovation of 1970s Modern housing, examining qualitative social, cultural,
experiential and architectural parameters in addition to quantitative
performance criteria such as LEED and energy use. Her forthcoming book
Computing the Environment: Digital Design Tools for Simulation and
Visualization of Sustainable Architecture’ will be published by John Wiley &
Sons in 2017.
