Green SandboxBuilder - Regulatory sandboxes in the field of sustainable construction and renovation

In the "Green SandboxBuilder" project, for the first time in Austria, the need for regulatory sandboxes for ecologically sustainable and climate-effective projects in the building sector had been systematically explored. The implementation of regulatory sandboxes in the Austrian construction sector can contribute to decisively accelerating the introduction of technological, procedural and social innovations and thus to achieving the sustainability goals.

KELVIN - Reducing the urban heat island effect via improving the reflective properties of buildings and urban areas

The aim of this project was to estimate the potential to reduce urban heat islands via low-tech measures such as the variation of the surface albedo, using the City of Vienna as an example. The project has also assessed the energy savings and greenhouse gas emission reductions due to the decreased energy demand for cooling as a result of such measures.

Using buildings as energy storage - Monitoring project: Detached house H and detached house F Energy source wind power – Energy source solar power

Monitoring and comparison of performance of thermally activated building components in two similarly built, inhabited detached houses with different energy sources (wind and solar power). The functionality of energy supply through wind power or solar energy will be investigated as well as the verification of the practicability of self-regulating system control due to building temperature behaviour. The results provide an insight into the calculation assumptions, system control and feasibility of the smart grid technology.

LOW TECH innovation-lab - real laboratory for the transformation to climate and resource-saving energy regions with innovative LOW TECH solutions

LOW TECH innovation-lab aims to set up an innovation laboratory in which innovative model solutions are developed, tested and widely rolled out in cooperation with suitable pilot regions on the basis of an optimized approach with regard to the use of technology on the one hand and the potential of the circular economy, local environmental resources and social innovations on the other.

Plus-Energy-Campus - Energy-flexible Positive Energy District with "Living Lab"

The project explored paths to a sustainable, future-proof Positive Energy-District (PED) in the area surrounding the location of the University of Applied Sciences Vienna (FH-Technikum Wien). The feasibility of a new university building as a Plus-Energy teaching building had been examined in detail to prepare its implementation. Central innovation contents are the energetic flexibilization of the new building and the quarter as well as the conception of the Plus-Energy building as a "Living Lab".

Tulln Climate Neutral City 2040 (Tulln2040)

The core of the project is the development of a systemic strategy at a city-wide level that shows how the city of Tulln will achieve climate neutrality by 2040.

Circular Twin - A Digital Ecosystem for the Generation and Evaluation of Circular Digital Twins

By 2030, more than the equivalent of two Earths will be needed to meet the demand for natural resources, therefore a transition to circular systems is essential, especially in the construction industry. The digital "Circular Twin" ecosystem enables the early implementation of circular economy goals as well as end-to-end digitalization in construction utilizing Digital Twins, Generative Design Algorithms and Virtual Reality.

AR-HES-B – Energy storage, production and recovery of valuable substances in wastewater treatment plants

AR-HES-B develops technologically based concepts of municipal wastewater treatment plants in order to convert them from energy consumers into a hybrid energy provider, energy storage and a provider of resources. The concept enables wastewater plants to turn into an important platform in the regional energy and mass transfer.

Analysis of the high-quality wooden facade in extreme climates

The project "Alpine base Schiestlhaus on the Hochschwab, which was opened in 2005, represents a lighthouse project for the "House of the Future" programme as the 1st shelter in zero-energy house quality. After more than 15 years in operation, however, damages came to light. Within the framework of this project, analysis activities were carried out on the cause of damage as well as the development of new facade structures.

INFINITE: INnovative FINancing models for sustaInable urban energy sysTEms

The goal of the INFINITE-project is to lay the foundations for a more wide-spread implementation of urban energy supply systems across buildings, using renewable energy sources produced in local supply units. At the same time the projects supports to reduce the demand for fossil fuels and higher-level energy infrastructure.

Villab – Exploration of a Villach innovation laboratory for the cooperative development of sustainable neighbourhoods

The "Villab - Probe" project serves to check the feasibility of an urban innovation laboratory to accelerate the transformation of Villach districts towards climate neutrality. Assuming positive feasibility, the cooperation with relevant stakeholders will be deepened and a business plan drawn up for a future innovation laboratory.

International Sustainable Energy Conference – ISEC 2022

5. – 7. April 2022
Congress Graz, Austria and Online

ISEC 2022 is a forum for research, business and energy policy. The conference focuses on Renewable Heating and Cooling in Integrated Urban and Industrial Energy Systems.

SPACE4free - Retrofitting souterrain areas in 19th century townhouses to apartments with high quality of life and low energy consumption

Planning of durable and damage-free apartments with high quality of life and low energy consumption in moisture exposed souterrain areas of 19th century townhouses. Using innovative ventilation control systems comfortable room climate will be created. Additionally the tolerance of different types of use is ensured. A planning tool enables the scaling of the findings and thus the applicability to various planning situations.

DiCYCLE - Reconsidering digital deconstruction, reuse and recycle processes using BIM and Blockchain

DiCYCLE aims at identifying, analysing and mapping current End-of-Life processes in the building industry, as well as optimizing those for digitalization, using BIM, Blockchain and Smart Contracts. The goal is to enable sustainable digital planning, construction and deconstruction workflows for reuse and recycling of building materials and components along the life cycle.

Energy2POG - Hybrid Energy Cluster Pogusch - Renewable energies and cost-efficient operation

The aim of the project was the design, optimisation and demonstration of a hybrid energy supply system as well as optimised material flows for a restaurant and hotel business in an exposed location. The concept allows the integration of material flows into the heat and energy supply system.

urban pv+geotherm - Innovative concepts for the supply of large volume buildings/ quarters with PV and geothermal energy

The use of renewable energies in inner city locations is mostly linked to higher costs andconsidered as problematic. The aim of this project was to optimize (cost and energy) heating (and where required, cooling) using geothermic and photovoltaic for an urban, densely-built development area. With the project´s findings it will be easier to ecologically and economically plan the use of renewable energies especially in urban areas.

OptiMAS - Optimization of building energy efficiency through model-based energy flow analysis with non-invasive sensors

Using a model-based energy flow analysis supported by non-invasive sensor technologies OptiMAS investigated how to monitor, analyze and optimize existing buildings independent of the installed HVAC systems and automation components. With the OptiMAS approach the optimization potential of individual buildings up to entire areas can be detected, located and tapped by adjustment of system parameters to ensure highest energy and resource efficiency.

DigitalFindetStadt - Platform for digital innovations in the building sector

"Digital Findet Stadt" strengthens the digital innovation power of the Austrian building sector and thus contributes to a significant increase in resource, energy and cost efficiency.

Photonic Cooling – Efficient cooling of buildings through the use of photonic

Within the scope of the project a photonic cooling approach was investigated and evaluated in terms of feasibility and cost efficiency for building applications. In particular cost-efficient photonic surfaces and concepts were investigated which need to have a high reflectivity in of the incident solar radiation (>97%) and a high emission coefficient within the spectral range of 8 – 13 micrometer in order to enable the emission of heat into the sky.

ISEC 2024 - International Sustainable Energy Conference

10. – 11. April 2024
Messecongress Graz, Austria

The focus of ISEC 2024 will be on how we can achieve energy sovereignty within a time horizon dictated by climate change and defined by politics.