Augustenborg, Malmö
Sustainable makeover of an urban district
Augustenborg in Malmö is a prime example of how to give an urban district a successful sustainable makeover. This 1950s housing and industrial estate owes its upgrade to recurrent flood damage that convinced planners to create an eco-suburb based on efficient water systems.
Improved water management
Augustenborg is a water and energy planner’s dream. An open surface rainwater runoff system, including canals, ponds and green roofs, has removed the threat of flooding. And housing renovation and improved insulation has cut energy consumption by 35%.
Multi-purpose green roofs
Augustenborg also boasts 9,000 m2 of grass-covered roofs – a figure few other places can match. Green roofs offer multiple advantages. They help to prevent flooding by curbing rainwater run-off and also clean the air, increase biodiversity and provide energy-saving insulation.
Multi-purpose solar energy
Solar power in Augustenborg ranges from flat-plate solar collectors that heat water to photovoltaic cells designed as sunshades for office buildings. Solar panels are expensive and it makes economic sense to use them for multiple purposes.
A new solar power technique is also on show in the shape of a hybrid panel combining power generation and heat supply - a technology developed by the Faculty of Engineering at Lund University.
Waste and recycling
Augustenborg recycles 65% of its household and school waste. The eco-suburb was an early starter in separating food waste and using it for compost. Today, the municipality collects food waste for use by energy utility E.ON to produce biogas.