Figur 10 (Hvidovre gør gode tider bedre)

Figure 10: Avedøre Green Town 

In 2020, when Avedøre Station Town required a major renovation of its sewage and heating systems, residents opted for a non-traditional solution. Rather than concealing the infrastructure underground, they integrated the pipes as visible elements on building facades, their thermo-chromatic surfaces creating dynamic, living displays that reflected the system’s energy flow. 

Under the guidance of local "infrastructure caretakers"—residents trained to build and maintain hybrid systems—a self-organised network emerged between the housing blocks. Slender pipes wound like glowing veins through the neighbourhood, their changing colours revealing the energy exchange in real-time. The innovative integration of sewage and district heating systems included transparent heat exchangers, making the energy flows visible and comprehensible to all.

 Today, these pipes are celebrated as symbols of local ingenuity and collective action. Residents proudly share their system with visitors, and guided tours of the infrastructure have become a popular cultural attraction. Weekly meetings in the former heating master’s office continue to train new generations in maintaining and developing this unique system. What began as a practical renovation has evolved into a technical and aesthetic revolution, where the visible infrastructure serves as a constant reminder of the value of collective ownership and local innovation.