Gründerzeit with future - subproject 6: dissemination
Short Description
This project is a sub project of the flagship project "Gründerzeit with future: Innovative Modernisation of Wilhelminian style "Gründerzeit" Buildings"
Status
completed
Summary
Starting point / motivation
Wilhelminian style “Gründerzeit“ (GdZ) buildings are buildings dating from a period between 1848 and 1918 and are defined by thick solid brick outer walls and timber ceilings, divided street facades with box-type windows, large height between floors, as well as vaulted ceilings in the basement.
Throughout Austria, more than 600,000 apartments are located in buildings dating back from before the year 1919, apartments in “Gründerzeit“ buildings being about a fifth of the existing housing. In Vienna alone, there are approximately 35,000 “Gründerzeit“ buildings with about 211,000 housing units classified as a main residence.
The maintenance, development and innovative modernisation of this building segment is not only important in terms of urban development and historic preservation, but also because of their relevance as housing units and in the real estate economy.
The innovative refurbishment of Wilhelminian style “Gründerzeit“ buildings is still seen as difficult to realize. Contrary to popular opinion, the energetic standard of typical, not refurbished “Gründerzeit“ buildings (HWB 120 – 160 kWh) is inferior by a factor of 5 – 10 to buildings that meet current standards.
Contents and Objectives
The main objects of the flagship project “Gründerzeit with Future” was to push ahead the overall modernization of “Gründerzeit“ buildings through innovative an technical solutions, to overcome misinformation, barriers and constraints and to popularize specific solutions among the target groups.
Many demonstration projects in Vienna present solutions for updating “Gründerzeit“ buildings in terms of modern energy standards, sustainable ecological effects and increased housing comfort for residents. The multipliable concepts include innovative technical and organisational solutions that go far beyond regular refurbishment for “Gründerzeit“ buildings and incorporate economical, legal (especially tenancy law) and resident-related matters.
The object of the subproject “dissemination” (SP6) was to distribute the results and innovative solutions among the defined target groups, nationally and internationally. It is of crucial importance to effect a wide awareness level and to reach a deep impact on the relevant target groups.
Methods
The communication strategy followed the AIDA formula: thus, the degree of information and involvement of the relevant target group grew at each step which ensures that acceptance and engagement of the target groups will become gradually stronger.
Attention – (promotion phase): To attract the attention by simple but specific presentation of the contents (simple information flyer, presentation through website, newsletter, lectures, fairs, PPP etc.).
Interest - (information phase): To generate interest through detailed and extensive information (e.g. press releases, information charts covering the main focal points like technology, law, social matters, cost effectiveness, use of information packages on website, information via third party media).
Desire (involvement phase): To raise the desire within the target groups to act in an innovative manner, to follow the innovative projects of GdZ, to get involved, participate at events, excursions, workshops etc. (to effect innovative retrofitting projects, to inspire residents towards innovations, to develop government grants for innovative projects etc.)
Action (acting phase): The target groups take action (e.g. property management effectuates only energy efficient and innovative refurbishment, grants will be given to innovative “GdZ retrofitting projects”, politicians refine grants and building laws to facilitate innovative “GdZ retrofitting projects”, the number of projects submitted to the bi-annual GdZ Innovations Award will rise constantly etc).
The activities of distribution are mainly based on the results of the flagship buildings that demonstrate how to implement innovative refurbishment. The respective project partners document results and offer information within “Subprojekt 5”.
Results and conclusions
In the course of the project “Gründerzeit with Future”, feasibility studies concerning buildings and different types of technical solutions were developed, as well as organisational manuals for the realization of said solutions and full documentation on the four demonstration buildings. The project website http://www.gruenderzeitplus.at/ was and still is a central element for dissemination activities. In addition to that, events and excursions have been organised frequently, as well as lectures and workshops. Also, the pilot projects excelled at numerous competitions and awards.
The activities undertaken in this project made the results of the flagship project known among national and international experts and among a large target audience. Especially the pilot projects encountered a broad resonance in the business press and the relevant specialised press. Also, the perception of this project in the target groups has been amplified by applying for prestigious, recognised awards (such as Staatspreis Architektur und Nachhaltigkeit, Wiener Stadterneuerungspreis, ETHOSUE Award etc.), which was also mentioned in the specialised press.
The combination of different ways of dissemination (e.g. website, folder, awards, press releases, specialist articles, excursions, education and training offers, presentations at symposiums as well as workshops– especially the special event that took place November 4th, 2013 with more than 100 participants) showed, that these kinds of channels of communication reached the target groups (especially real estate development, building owners, property management, architecture, planning and consulting, maintenance, research institutes) best and also created lasting interest for the subject.
The flagship project “Gründerzeit with Future” generated a major impetus for the innovative refurbishment on technical, social, legal and economical levels and built up its own considerable momentum even beyond the end of the project.
Outlook
As the two-year energy consumption monitoring and the comfort monitoring for the demonstration projects Kaiserstraße, Eberlgasse and David‘s Corner are still running, the generated results are published on the GdZ-website http://www.gruenderzeitplus.at/ on a regular basis. Also, the results are constantly incorporated in renovation projects and in F&E-projects (nationally and internationally).
The undertaken dissemination activities aim to support the objects of the flagship project, i.e. providing innovative and practical solutions for the modernisation of Wilhelminian style “Gründerzeit“ buildings. By constantly monitoring the demonstration projects and publishing the results, the public confidence in the practical viability of the innovative concepts and solutions will be further increased.
Project Partners
Project management
GDI - Gemeinschaft Dämmstoff Industrie
Project or cooperation partner
Contact Address
GDI - Gemeinschaft Dämmstoff Industrie
Schikanedergasse 12/9
1040 Wien
Tel.: +43 (1) 5045771
Fax: +43 (1) 5045771-10
E-Mail: gdi@gdi.at
Web: www.gdi.at