Publications

Testing and optimising post and beam straw bale constructions Testing the thermal insulation (specific heat conductance) and fire resistance of a construction (combustibility grading period), optimisation of building junction elements, development of a mobile testing lab for efficient and effective quality management

Membership of the International Energy Agency (IEA) obligates Austria to report on an annual basis all publicly financed energy research and development projects. This survey fulfils not only international requirements but also shows the importance of energy research in Austria and helps to set and test policy goals as well as to recognize respective trends at an early stage. English

Production of a 45 minutes film about living in the future.

Factor 10 refurbishment of the General Secondary School II and Polytechnic School of Schwanenstadt (Upper Austria) with prefabricated wooden façade elements and with a comfort ventilation system.

Post War Modernist Buildings Under Monument Protection. A Comparative Analysis of Energy Efficient Renewal Case study: Open Air School Franklinstrasse, Wien 21

Support for the erection of the demonstrative housing project consisting of 7 houses (5 Low energy houses, 1 passive house and 1 "next to passive house")

Within the framework of this project system-, structural- as well as building physical basis theories should be elaborated, which will serve as a basis for constructional and aesthetically attractive solutions for the production of facade integrated solar collectors without thermal separation. The recyclability of the materials used and resource efficiency play a central role when it comes to the development of constructional solutions.

Documentation, comparison and optimisation of solar combisystems for domestic hot water preparation and space heating in the framework of an IEA research project

This study analyses endeavours of several European cities of becoming Smart Cities. The Kyoto Protocol from 2002 as well as the participation in different energy initiatives play a crucial role. The comparison of the results from the different cities shows that Austria has to become more ambitioned and thorough in the realm of its Smart City strategies. The study delivers valuable contributions, examples and motivations.

Optimisation of weatherproof-performance (UV-protection and water-tightness) of binderfree cellulose compounds (incl. life cycle optimisation)

Holistic sanitation concepts for three selected army barracks belonging to the Austrian armed forces to achieve the standard of a low-energy house. An increase in energy efficiency and corresponding models for implementation agreed with large-volume buildings with due consideration to the special conditions prevalent within the Austrian armed forces.

Use of vacuum insulation paneels in the building construction

Listening to the inhabitants of innovative buildings and using their satisfactory and unsatisfactory experiences as the basis for drawing up practice based criteria and recommendations for a quality, user-orientated building policy. The target groups are funding bodies, building contractors and town planners.

The project „Linking Low Carbon Technologies with Low Carbon Society“ was conducted on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology. In the course of the project a number of recent empirical studies on rebound effects were analysed. Based on this comprehensive analysis an overview of strategies for rebound management was compiled and policy recommendations for the technology sector were developed.

The Roadmap links with the energy research strategy of the Austrian Council for Research. It was developped together with national stakeholders from industry to deduct recommendations for policy makers. It includes clear suggestions for research topics until 2020 and provides an outlook on the contribution of biomass to the heating sector of a decarbonised energy system in 2050.

Major goals of this study were determination of the number of jobs provided in the thermal solar energy sector, the added economic value created in this sector and the predicted effects of achieving the goals, in order to better evaluate the economic significance of the use of thermal solar energy.

Potential of future development for industrially produced residential dwellings Enquiry on international tendencies in automated manufacturing and assessment of viable strategies for their implementation into the Austrian building sector

Modernization of a multistorey block of flats with 50 units (built in 1957/58). Renovation up to passive house standard.

Demonstration project for sustainable construction of a working and living environment

Log-fired furnace with low energy performance, optimised to be used in passive house constructions. The desired energy output, ranging from 1 kW to a max-peak of 3 kW, is achieved by an "energy storing unit" (energy-storage material covered by an insulation layer) in combination with valves to control the energy release.