Gründerzeit with future - demonstration project 1: David´s Corner

This project is a sub project of the flagship project "Gründerzeit with future: Innovative Modernisation of Wilhelminian style "Gründerzeit" Buildings"

David’s Corner is a demonstration project carried out within the framework of the guidance research project “Gründerzeit mit Zukunft” aimed at improving the current refurbishment standards and energy efficiency of buildings constructed during the period of rapid industrial expansion (period buildings). The project demonstrates a novel integrated approach to improving the energy efficiency of such buildings by incorporating an innovative technical concept during the refurbishment of an ensemble of three neighbouring period buildings in a non-lucrative location (total cost of refurbishment approx. 5m Euros). By utilising an innovative system consisting of retrofitting a central ventilation system with heat recovery in combination with a centralized heat supply that integrates renewable energy sources, the heating demand of the ensemble is reduced by a factor of 5, from 120 to 24 kWh/m²a.

The main aim of this project is the development of a future-oriented integrated solution for the refurbishment of period buildings that is economically viable under the given municipal funding conditions for the refurbishment of residential buildings. In addition to this, the energy savings promised by the demonstrated approach may contribute considerably towards climate protection and the conservation of natural resources, especially when their potential multiplication is considered. Another aspect of this project is combining the achievement of the previously stated aims with a refurbishment solution that takes into consideration the character and special requirements of buildings from this period. In addition, the project aims provide solutions concerning the legal aspects involved with the use of modern building technology and the transferability of maintenance costs for such equipment to tenants. The technical solutions applied in this project are developed mainly from the findings of a feasibility study carried out in the sub project SP 2- fundamentals and feasibility studies as part of the previously mentioned guidance project.

The main innovative aspects of the project are the first ever implementation of the previously described technical solution for reducing the energy demand in a period building, as well as the reinterpretation of the building facades including the incorporation of greenery to improve the microclimate in the immediate vicinity of living spaces.

The integrated planning approach and accompanying monitoring of relevant parameters suggested in this project will help facilitate the certification of the ensemble according to TQ (total quality) standards. The project findings will be summarized and - complemented by the team’s prior experiences in this field - compiled in a comprehensive manual for the integrated refurbishment of period buildings. This will provide a direct input for at least 6 further refurbishment projects of Dr. Dirnbacher property management, starting in 2011. The applicability of the project results extends beyond the Austrian period building stock and bears a great potential for international multiplication and consulting exports (relevant countries include the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Germany, Romania, Serbia and the western Ukraine).

Project management

Mag. Doris Wirth
BLUEWATERS Environmental Consultants

Project or cooperation partners

• Dr. Peter Dirnbacher Immobilientreuhandkanzlei
• DI Goran Papo, IMOPLAN Ziviltechniker GmbH

BLUEWATERS Projektentwicklung und Technisches Büro für Umwelttechnik
Mag. Doris Wirth
Fuhrmannsgasse 17, 1080 Wien, Österreich
Tel.: +43 1 876 31 90
Fax: +43 1 876 31 90 90
Web: www.bluewaters.at