Ventilation and heating in passive houses: Comparison of variants in terms of thermal comfort and sustainability

This projects aims at systematic resarch on thermal comfort and the sustainability of heating passive houses with and without air heating. The results of the comprehensive investigation of different variants will provide valuable information for building developers, planners and for funding decisions.

Thermocollect - Solar active facade system, using direct solar radiation for temperature conditioning of buildings

The new Thermocollect Energy-Facade System allows to utilize the solar radiation that hits the facade on a on-demand-basis. The system works with a mechanically active mechanism which selectively gathers the solar radiation and additionally can be used as a cooling and heating system according to the local requirements.

Potential and concepts for waste water heat recovery in combination with solar collectors and heat pumps (WRGpot)

The objective of the project is to find possibilities for the reduction of heat demand for hot water preparation of low energy and passive house buildings, in order to advance a further step into the direction of plus-energy buildings.

SaLüH! Renovation of multi-family houses with small apartments, low-cost technical solutions for ventilation, heating and hot water

New innovative concepts for heating and ventilation were investigated. Very compact heat pumps are developed in such a way that it will be possible to integrate these units into the window parapet or into a prefabricated timber façade.

Investigation into control systems for low emission, high efficiency biomass furnaces for heating residential and office buildings.

Through optimising the control systems of biomass heating systems, energy wastage and pollutant emissions can be reduced considerably. The goal of the project is first to analyse the possible savings that can be made in these areas, using the heat demand scenarios of different "Buildings of Tomorrow". The results of this analysis will lead to the development of an optimised control system which will be tested on a biomass heating system.

Development of affordable building equipment and services for future "Energy Plus houses" (Plus-Hybrid)

"Plus-Hybrid" integrates knowledge and experience from current activities and complement them by adopting a holistic approach, considering the intelligent interconnection of components as well as managing the planned efforts and human resources in time. The goal of this project was to develop affordable building equipment and services for future "Energy Plus houses".

IEA SHC, Task Solar Thermal Plants with Advance Thermal Storage Technologies for Low Energy Buildings

Participation in TASK 32 "Storage concepts for solar buildings". Subtask leader of the subtask for heat storage based on phase change materials

COP5+ - Further development of a heat- and cooling system with seasonal heat storage at the example of Central Europe´s biggest geothermal depth drilling field

The aim was to increase the overall energy efficiency of Plus-Energy-Houses by making the heat excess of summer available for use in winter. This was carried out by improvements of the technology seasonal heat storage to an intelligent overall system. The biggest geothermal depth drilling field in Central Europe has been established.

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.

Connection of innovative strategies and technologies to a holistic, resources-friendly plus energy building (FUTUREbase)

On the basis of a construction project in Giefinggasse 4 in Vienna the combination of new, innovative strategies and technologies to an integrated, resources conserving plus energy building with high signaling and multiplication effect had been tested for feasibility. A regional, energetical bond between the buildings TECHbase, ENERGYbase and the Klima-Windkanal had been developed.

Participation in TASK 25 of the Implementing Agreements on Solar Heating and Cooling of the International Energy Agency (IEA)

Participation in TASK 25 "Solar Assited Air Conditioning of Buildings". Description and Analys of the state of the art, development of a simulation tool, build up and measurement of demonstration plants.

Solarenergie Urban - Analysis and evaluation of the economic, energetic and architectural quality of urban solar energy buildings

This project developed energetic and economic optimised planning criteria for multi storey residential buildings for the integration of renewable energy systems in the building shell. The field of new construction and refurbishment had been investigated.

Gründerzeit with future - demonstration project 3: KA 7 Kaiserstraße - Innovative renovation of a listed Gründerzeit building

A demonstration of how innovative measures, with highly efficient and contemporary standards and taking into consideration comfort and energy consumption, can be applied to a heritage listed building.

Results of the latest research about thermal use of solar energy in multi-storey housing, prepared for builders and planners

The relevant Know-How in the fields of "sustainable building and energy supply" will be gathered. The information will be transferred to the relevant target groups (building promoters, architects, planners, customers). This will be done during workshops, planning assistance and a catalogue of quality criteria. The focus lies on solar thermal systems for multiple-family houses.

Sunny research! Sustainable building design with high energy performance for a modern commercial building

Commercial buildings of basic to medium standard are hardly ever designed by a high quality of innovative building services engineering. In the project Sunny research! a sustainable building design with high energy performance was developed. The aim was to adapt the aspects of Renewable Energy, thermal comfort and wellness in work.

Evaluation of solar-thermal energy stores using a uniform and marketable system of characteristic numbers

Comparison of solar-thermal energy stores A clear and uniform system of characteristic numbers enables a cost-saving comparison of the efficiency of solar-thermal energy stores of different technologies for the first time and gives important impulses for the market.

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.

SolarCooling Monitor - Evaluation of energy efficiency and operation modes of solar cooling systems for air-conditioning in buildings in Austria

Evaluation of ten newly installed solarthermal cooling systems in Austria as well as a large-scale plant in Lisbon to identify the plant’s performance using a monitoring analysis and comparing simulation.

Energy relevant and ecological monitoring studies of demonstration buildings, which were built in the framework of the program "Haus der Zukunft".

Energy relevant and ecological monitoring studies of demonstration buildings, which were built in the framework of the program "Haus der Zukunft". The user acceptance should also be levied and displayed

Model Predictive Control of Thermally Active Building Systems and Monitoring of two Test-Boxes

A robust, predictive controller which utilises weather forecast data to control thermally active building systems had been designed, researched and assessed in terms of energy efficiency and comfort compared to standard controllers, especially for cooling purposes. Simulations and real measurements using two "Test-Boxes" with thermally active building systems which are constructed and built for this purpose were used to analyse energy efficiency and comfort. Low complexity and transparency of methods and solutions should allow for transferability of all results to guarantee maximum usability for similar applications.