Building and Innovation

Innovations that have been launched on a large scale are prerequisites for sustainable development.

Essential and forward-looking developments have been achieved in the building sector over the last years. On one hand they boost energy efficiency (passive house technology) of buildings, and on the other hand they improve the ecological sustainability of buildings. Improvements in the following sectors are responsible for a wave of innovations in the building sector:

• building materials
• construction
• building envelope
• project handling
• construction sites’ logistics
• buildings’ operations
• buildings’ life-cycle analysis.

OGUT significantly works on sustainable development in the area of building & innovation. Also beyond the building sector OGUT is highly concerned with optimising resource intensive production processes, sustainable product design and the (cascadic) use of renewable raw materials.

Emphases in the area building & innovation:

• High-quality programme management of research and innovation programmes such as „factory of tomorrow“ of bmvit (Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology), „building of tomorrow“ of bmvit and „klima:aktiv building“ of the life ministry.
• Networking of Austrian players – internationally and within Austria;
• Realisation of research and consultancy projects;
• Change of framework conditions and sensitization of stakeholders for innovations in the mentioned subjects.

Current projects

BUILDING-UP

Is an EU-project, dedicated to support coordination activities within the NMP thematic area within the seventh framework programme. It aims to develop a multi-stakeholder, cross-sectorial, collaborative long-term research & innovation Road Map to overcome technological and non-technological barriers towards more energy-efficient buildings & districts.

Solid Sustainability

Creation of the fundamentals for further technological development of the products and services of the building materials and ceramic industry and the overall construction industry through development of a comprehensive tool for sustainability-assessment of buildings based on the Total Quality Building method (TQB) enhanced by life cycle costs, service life, ecological impact of construction logistics and integration of social and economical aspects.

Establishment of a Co-operation Network of Passive House Promoters (PASS-NET)

Establishment of a Co-operation Network of Passive House Promoters (Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden and the U.K.). The central targets of this project are to provide measures to raise awareness among relevant stakeholder groups (public authorities, construction industry and end consumers), professional training programmes as well as a European wide passive house database promoting best practice objects.
Supported by the EU-Programme IEE – Intelligent Energy-Europe.

Strategic Networking of RDI Programmes in Construction and Operation of Buildings (EracoBuild)

Aims at strengthening and enlarging the strategic networking of RDI programmes in the field of “construction and operation of buildings” initiated in the previous ERABUILD coordination action.

Study group „Haus der Zukunft“ (“Building of Tomorrow”)

Establishing the direction of the program, active dissemination of findings (know-how), support for project promoters (content, networking), providing information for potential applicants.
For more details see http://www.hausderzukunft.at/english.htm

klima:aktiv haus

By 2009 20 % of accomodation in Austria ought to be up to the klima:aktiv haus standard (as part of the Austrian Ministry of the Environment’s "klima:aktiv“initiative).
For more details see www.haus.klimaaktiv.at (only in German)

Sustainable district "Aspern"

Within the next 20 years the ‘Flugfeld Aspern’ in the 22^nd Viennese District aims at providing a high-quality urban area with working and living facilities up to 20.000 inhabitants and 25.000 employees.

"Factory of Tomorrow"

Monitoring and networking for projectants, assistance for content-matters within the programme-line, transfer of research findings and PR.

IEA Expert Group on R&D Priority Setting and Evaluation

Expert group headed by Dr. Herbert Greisberger within the Committee on Energy Research and Technology (CERT) in the International Energy Agency (IEA). Membership is drawn from 13 OECD states; the group is concerned with the long-term orientation of energy research towards the requirements of a sustainable energy system. (Details only in German)

ERABUILD

Linking together national programs in the field of sustainable building at the European level and identifying opportunities to couple research activities between national research programs.
For more details see www.ERABUILD.net

Austrian Construction Technology Platform (ACTP)

Boosting and coordinating Austrian research within the construction industry. OGUT is in charge of the subject area “Quality of life” within ACTP. (Details only in German)

More completed projects

Österreichische Gesellschaft
für Umwelt und Technik
Hollandstraße 10/46
A-1020 Wien
Tel +43.1.315 63 93
Fax +43.1.315 63 93-22
E-Mail office@oegut.at

Further Information