Vienna presents energy efficient construction

ʻPassive House for allʼ is the theme for the 21st International Passive House Conference in Vienna. It’s all about energy  efficient construction now and in the future. The comprehensive conference programme will be rounded off with numerous workshops, a builder’s forum and excursions via bus and underground.

The Passive House Conference with the accompanying exhibition takes place on 28 and 29 April 2017 at the Messe Wien Congress Center.

"At this Conference it will be apparent that a lot has happened since the very first Passive House building was built 25 years ago. Today there are Passive House buildings all over the world in completely different shapes and sizes and for a great variety of uses, as single family homes or multi-unit buildings, for students, families, or senior citizens. There are Passive House buildings in the form of kindergartens, schools and offices. Vienna has several especially good examples“, explains Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Feist, Director of the Passive House Institute. With its two offices in Darmstadt and Innsbruck, the Passive House Institute is hosting the International Passive House Conference.

Vienna sets the standard
The Austrian capital has focused on energy efficient construction for many years. In 2013, Vienna inaugurated the world's first high-rise Passive House building at the time with the 20-storey RHW.2 tower. The first Passive House housing development with 800 residential units known as Eurogate is also located in Vienna. Many Passive House city districts and housing complexes have been developed since then. The city also has experience with retrofitting existing buildings to the Passive House Standard. In the neighbouring region of Lower Austria, public buildings have been constructed as Passive House buildings since 2008, including a Judiciary Centre. Universities and other educational buildings are committed to training for energy efficient construction.

Temporary housing in PopUp dorms
So-called PopUp dorms have recently been built in Seestadt Aspern in Vienna. It is possible to set up and dismantle these attractive Passive House wooden boxes in a flexible way on the city's building plots, which will only be developed after five years at the earliest. Until then, students can be accommodated here - environmentally friendly and economical. “The Passive House concept is a sustainable and cost-optimal solution for the Nearly Zero Energy Building. Because it functions everywhere, it is an opportunity to implement climate protection objectives with a high level of living comfort at the same time”, says Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Feist.

Session about high-rise buildings to the Passive House Standard
Over a hundred speakers from around 50 countries will be giving lectures on the two days of the  Conference. In a total of 16 working groups, they will be focusing on topics relating to energy efficient construction, such as high-rise buildings to the Passive House Standard, Passive House and renewable energy, Passive House in various  climate zones, and retrofits to the Passive House Standard. A big Passive House party will take place on Friday evening in the Natural History Museum in Vienna.

Passive House Exhibition
Leading suppliers of Passive House components will be represented at the accompanying Passive House exhibition during the two days of the Conference. They will present their components for new constructions and retrofits, including windows and doors, thermal insulation and ventilation systems with heat recovery.

Forum for private building owners
The exhibition at the 21st International Passive House Conference is also intended for private building owners. They and their families can obtain information relating to energy-efficient construction at the buildings owners' forum on Saturday, which everyone can access without charge. In addition to Passive House experts, private building owners will also be available to answer any questions.

Basic and advanced workshops for all levels
A total of nine workshops will take place from Monday till Thursday (24 to 27 April 2017) prior to the Conference. Topics include energy efficient hot water systems, cooling and dehumidification, as well as commissioning and optimised operation. In addition, courses dealing with the Passive House planning tools PHPP and designPH are also on offer.

Excursions via bus and metro
Following the Conference on Sunday 30 April 2017, conference visitors can choose to take part in one of six bus excursions to interesting Passive House projects. One tour to Passive House residential buildings and student hostels will be undertaken via the underground; this will also include a visit to the PopUp dorms in Seestadt Aspern in Vienna. Conference sessions will take place in German and English. Simultaneous translation into English will be provided for all German language sessions. The early booking discount is valid until 20 February 2017. Further information can be found at www.passivehouse-conference.org