Energy-Efficient Municipal Building

The passive housing style is finding its way to municipal buildings, meeting the need for economically, ecologically and socially compatible energy supply.

As a high-quality passive house has just a tenth to a twentieth of an average building’s requirement for space heating, in addition to massive energy savings, low operating costs, considerable comfort, climate compatibility and the chance to use renewable energy are just a few of the many advantages of an energy-optimised structure. Designed by the Kaltenegger architectural firm in Passail, the community centre in Thannhausen by Weiz demonstrates just how much you can profit from it. The centre is comprised of several buildings built with the highest degree of efficiency from the foundation to the roof. Highly insulated building components combined with a ventilation system with regenerative heat recovery unit reduce heating costs and guarantee optimal air quality.

The residual heat supply is covered by the adjacent wood chip heating system. The passive-quality kindergarten has an active night ventilation and cooling system for periods of hot weather. A separate ventilator brings cool air into the building in the early morning hours using a twostage air renewal system. The ground heat exchanger can therefore regenerate during the night for the next day. All the buildings have bare interior walls made of solid wood panels or cement. In addition to the static function, the latter support a balanced room climate due to their thermal mass. Where possible, the window openings face southward, thereby making optimal use of passive solar energy gains. On the outside as inside the centre is built for the most part in a CO2-neutral woodframe architecture, which features acoustic as well as climate-related advantages for the room and provides a light, friendly atmosphere.

The programme klima:aktiv haus has made it its objective to increase the percentage of energy-friendly and ecologically compatible new buildings in the residential sector. Recently the Styrian energy association LandesEnergieVerein Steiermark has been a regional partner of klima:aktiv haus. Through the programme companies in the residential and construction business get the chance to document their commitment to sustainable building and to have their newly constructed buildings certified. Further information at: http://www.lev.at/projekte/rue/bau_projekte.asp#4

source: ECO WORLD MAGAZINE, issue November 2008, page 10