Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) represent an innovative approach to urban development and contribute significantly to climate-neutral cities. The underlying principle of a PED is to create an urban area that, on an annual balance, generates more energy than it consumes while maintaining flexibility to respond to fluctuations in the energy system.

The European Commission pursued the objective of having 100 PEDs under development across Europe by 2025. The realisation of PEDs required substantial improvements in energy efficiency, the intelligent utilisation and cascading of local energy flows, and the deployment of low-carbon energy generation technologies to cover the remaining energy demand. Rather than focusing solely on annual net energy surpluses, PEDs sought to minimise the impact on energy grids. This necessitated measures such as load management, increased on-site energy consumption, and the use of short- and long-term energy storage systems as well as flexibility options.

A multisectoral approach was essential for the successful implementation of PEDs. In addition to innovative building technologies, new definitions and key concepts, planning and assessment methods, digital tools, ex-ante impact assessments, and ex-post monitoring strategies were required. Moreover, new organisational and business models, as well as practice-oriented guidelines, were needed to support implementation.

IEA Annex 83 addressed these needs by aiming to systematically collect, structure, synthesise, and prepare international knowledge and experience on PEDs in a form suitable for practical application. The contracted research service enabled leading Austrian research institutions to play an active role in shaping this international process.

To meet the complex requirements, a clear methodological foundation was developed, consolidating existing approaches and translating them into practical guidance. The development of the PED Guidelines followed a structured methodological approach in which existing guidelines were systematically analysed and supplemented with expert knowledge. Consultations with specialists and municipal practitioners enabled the identification of key gaps, particularly in spatial planning, governance, and systemic interdependencies.

The Austrian contribution also focused on economic assessment approaches, including cost-optimality, life-cycle costs, flexibility options, and business models. The findings demonstrated that PEDs can be economically viable under appropriate framework conditions, provided that technical, organisational, and economic aspects are considered in an integrated manner.

A key outcome of Austria's involvement in IEA EBC Annex 83 was the development and pilot testing of the klimaaktiv standard "Climate-Neutral Positive Energy Districts". This standard represented the first nationally anchored, quantitative declaration system for PEDs at the international level. It enabled verifiable assessment of climate neutrality based on context-sensitive CO₂ and primary energy budgets and established direct links to existing national building standards and European policy frameworks.

Annex 83 - Publications

Australia, Austria, China, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Finland (lead), Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom

Project leader

Shokufeh ZAMINI
AIT - Austrian Institute of Technology
Giefinggasse 4, 1210 Vienna
Shokufeh.Zamini@ait.ac.at

Project partners

Anna Kozlowska
AIT - Austrian Institute of Technology
Giefinggasse 4, 1210 Wien
E-Mail: anna.kozlowska@ait.ac.at

Andreas Tuerk
Joanneum Research
E-Mail: Andreas.Tuerk@joanneum.at

Clemens Mayer
Joanneum Research
E-Mail: clemens.mayer@joanneum.at

Michael Gumhalter
AEE - Institut für Nachhaltige Technologien
E-Mail: m.gumhalter@aee.at

Fabian Ochs
UIBK - Universität Innsbruck
E-Mail: Fabian.Ochs@uibk.ac.at