Building of Tomorrow for the construction industry

Dissemination of results of the research initiative "Building of tomorrow" for two specific target groups - master builder and installer - implementation in further vocational training concepts

IEA SHC Task 56: Building Integrated Solar Envelope Systems for HVAC and Lighting

IEA SHC Task 56 focused on the critical analysis, simulation, laboratory testing and onsite monitoring of envelope systems entailing elements that use and/or control incident solar energy. The central task was the integration of HVAC and lighting systems into a building’s Solar Envelope solution through a systemic approach.

OttoWagner-ArealPlus - Feasibility study for a certified plus-energy-district-renovation of the listed Otto-Wagner-Area

Development of an innovative concept for the transformation of the Viennese Otto-Wagner-Area into a plus-energy-quartier while meeting requirements of cultural heritage management. The historic architectural jewel covers an area of ​​around 50 hectares, consists of 70 buildings and a gross floor area of ​​around 200,000 m². The solution meets highest energy efficiency standards and comfort requirements.

Success strategies for product service systems (PSS)

Development of success oriented planning strategy for Austrian PSS providers based upon an analysis of best practice examples and international systematic PSS development approaches.

FEELings - User Feedback for Energy Efficiency in Buildings

User behavior is a key factor for the energy consumption and the actual energetic performance of a building. A new type of user feedback system will be investigated in this research project. Users provide feedback on the sensed room quality. The data obtained by the feedback system are used to optimize settings of building services in order to improve the energy efficiency and the comfort in the building. A basic proof of concept of this system will be undertaken by means of two use cases.

International Passive House Summer School for Students (PH-SS)

Summer school / workshop for design, construction and calculation of buildings in the passive house standard for students from Austrian and European universities.

Innovation and Sustainability in the Construction and Housing Sector

Concepts for enhancing in-house innovation in construction; development of performance and benchmarking indicators in the housing sector. Economic proposals to improve legal and structural business environment and to increase sustainable and energy efficient construction and renovation activities.

OPEN HEAT GRID - Open Heat Grids in urban hybrid systems

The primary research topic of OPEN HEAT GRID was to investigate the possibilities of enforcing the feed-in of industrial waste heat into existing district heating networks. The project results show that excess heat is not for free: despite minimal variable costs, the investment costs need to satisfy usual payback periods. The analysis shows that there is no need for a regulation in the sense of a feed-in obligation or market liberalization. However, from an economic point of view, information asymmetries exist, which may lead to irrational decisions.

solSPONGEhigh - High solar fraction by thermally activated components in an urban environment

Within this project the intensive use of thermally activated building elements (TABs) as an additional thermal storage in different buildings, with solar technologies (thermal, PV) preferred for energy supply, was investigated. The aim was to activate and use the thermal storage potential that is immanent in the building elements and thereby achieve solar coverage of the building's heat demand of nearly 100 %.

Contracting as a instrument for renovation

Development of contracting models for comprehensive renovation service packages.

RCC – Reduced Carbon Concrete: Implementation of CO2-redudes concrete in construction sites

The objectives of the present project "RCC - Reduced Carbon Concrete" were to test the current knowledge about the temperature-dependent curing processes of performance concretes by concrete work on large components on the construction site, under summer and winter conditions, and in precast production. The results will be incorporated into construction practice and standardization work.

IEA ES Task 43: Storage for renewables and flexibility through standardized use of building mass

Thermal building mass activation uses building masses to condition interior spaces, but can also function as energy storage through targeted overheating/undercooling. This storage potential can be used for local and grid-connected renewable thermal and electrical energy (Power2Heat). The project develops new content on the construction, control and business models of such storages and disseminates it as guidelines, data and on the basis of best-practice objects that have been implemented.

IEA AFC Annex 35: Fuel cells for portable applications (Working period 2017 - 2019)

The aim of Annex 35 is the information exchange on the status and new developments of portable fuel cell systems and comprises the development and manufacture of membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) all the way through to system components such as electronic converters or gas supply units. In addition the setup and configuration of hybridized systems and the key topics of secure operation, codes and standards are of interest.

IEA HPT Annex 51: Acoustic Signatures of Heat Pumps

The aim of the project was to increase the acceptance of heat pumps by reducing their noise emissions and vibrations and to reduce market barriers. Using innovative measurement and data analysis methods, influencing factors on the acoustic emissions of heat pump systems and the impact of acoustic protection measures were investigated. The results were prepared in the form of guidelines and recommendations for action.

Energy center for the production of heat, power, substitute natural gas and liquid biofuels

The project deals with the production of synthesis gas from biological fuels and biological residues using steam blown gasification. This synthesis gas will be used for polygeneration especially for heat, power, gaseous (substitute natural gas, SNG) and/or liquid fuel production.

PowerShade - Development of electricity-generating shading solutions for energy-flexible buildings in urban space

The main goal of the cooperative R&D project "PowerShade" was the development of low-cost and universally usable electricity-generating shading solutions for energy-flexible buildings in urban space.

Optimization of methane production - the Methane Energy Value Model

The biogas production from energy crops will be analyzed and optimized. Energy crops are grown in an environmentally friendly and sustainable crop rotation system. The project provides a secure basis of data for the biogas production and utilisation. Farmers will invest more into the biogas technology.

Innovative system for decentralized CHP on basis of biomass gasification with process optimized production of a low-tar producer gas

Tar loads in the producer gas of CHP-plants based on biomass gasification are reduced by primary measures (staged gasification), whereby the possibilities for application are increased.

ecoRegeneration: Development of a "Merit-Order" in order to assess regeneration heat for geothermal probes within urban residential neighbourhoods

In urban residential areas there are not enough active-cooled usages, to use the waste heat of the cooling process as required regeneration heat for geothermal probes; free cooling of the apartments is not sufficient. The project is developing various options (waste heat from commercial uses in the ground floor zones of residential buildings, by using waste heat of data centres, additional installation of heat generation systems for regeneration) within the urban settlement area, business models and is calculating life-cycle-costs of all solutions. The result should be a kind of "merit order" for regeneration heat.

Low Tech - High Effect! An overview of sustainable low-tech buildings: realized best practice examples, innovative approaches, principles and systematic solutions

In this study approaches of low-tech buildings were examined and particularly innovative and representative concepts were documented in detail. The aim was to elaborate the current state of the art and the existing know how and knowledge on the basis of realized examples as well as to show potential for further development.