Enlarge image Berlin Green Architects Tour (© Kevin Matthews http://www.ArchitectureWeek.com ) Under the auspices of the Transatlantic Climate Bridge initiative, the German Foreign Office, in collaboration with the U.S. Green Building Council, invited 20 U.S. and Canadian journalists specializing in architecture and environmental issues to participate in an informational tour to Germany focusing on green buildings and architecture.

The visit took place in Frankfurt, Darmstadt, and Berlin from April 11 to 17 and was organized by the Ecologic Institute, a not-for-profit think tank for applied environmental research, policy analysis, and consultancy.
Enlarge image Berlin Green Architecture Tour (© Kevin Matthews http://www.ArchitectureWeek.com )
Over the course of a week, the journalists met with architectural firms active in green design, toured green office buildings and houses, spoke with policymakers in the fields of building and city development, visited a tradeshow featuring the latest in green technology, and visited a German university to learn about its participation in an international residential green design competition.

The main goal of the visit was to provide the participants with insight into the green building and architecture sector in Germany. In particular, the program focused on the German regulatory framework for the construction and retrofitting of buildings, the policies pursued by the German Government to promote energy-efficient and ecologically sustainable buildings, the advancements of German architects and engineers, the LEED and DGNB (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen, German Sustainable Building Council) green building programs, and practical examples of energy-efficient and ecologically sustainable private, commercial, and public buildings.
Enlarge image Berlin Green Architecture Tour (© Kevin Matthews http://www.ArchitectureWeek.com )
The schedule included a visit to the Märkisches Viertel, a neighborhood in Berlin, and the Reichstag, Germany's parliamentary building. Part of the Märkisches Viertel district, located in the north of Berlin, recently underwent a complete environmental renovation. The participants were given a presentation on the technical and economic aspects of the renovation, followed by a tour of several buildings recently completed or still under construction. At the Reichstag, the participants were given a guided tour of Sir Norman Foster's famous dome on the roof of the building, which highlighted its environmentally friendly features, as well as those of the building as a whole.
Enlarge image Berlin Green Architects Tour (© Kevin Matthews http://www.ArchitectureWeek.com )
Insights into Real-Life “Passive Houses”

The group also visited a “passive-house-certified” elementary school in Frankfurt-Riedberg. Built in 2004, the building has a capacity of 400 students and 100 preschoolers and includes a gymnasium. It features highly-efficient insulation which allows the heat generated by the students to warm the classrooms. When necessary, additional heating is provided through a state-of-the-art wood-pellet heater. The school was constructed with a standard budget and does not require any change in the habits of its users.

A Tour to the SurPLUShome

Enlarge image Berlin Green Building Tour (© Kevin Matthews http://www.ArchitectureWeek.com ) To learn about the efforts undertaken by academic institutions, the journalists visited the “SurPLUShome” developed by the architectural department of the Technical University of Darmstadt. This house produces more energy than its users need, enabling the surplus energy to be channeled back to the grid. It won the Solar Decathlon 2007 in Washington, DC.