[Passive House buildings] Aiming high
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Communication - International Passive House Association
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Last modified by the author on 04/04/2017 - 18:27
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Darmstadt, Germany/Innsbruck, Austria. When it was inaugurated four years ago, the Raiffeisen Tower in Vienna was the first high-rise building in the world built to the Passive House Standard. Four years later, great progress has been made.
This summer, in New York, around 350 students will move into a 26-storey dormitory, being built to the Passive House Standard. The structure of the 88 metre tall Passive House building "Bolueta" in Bilbao, Spain, will be completed within a few weeks. The architects of both these buildings will attend the 21st International Passive House Conference in April in Vienna to report on their exciting projects.
"Passive House for all" is the key theme of the International Passive House Conference taking place on 28 and 29 April 2017 in Vienna. Much has happened since the world's first Passive House was built in Darmstadt, Germany in the early nineties. Because Passive House buildings are suitable for all climate zones, architects and building owners all over the world are now deciding in favour of this extremely energy efficient building standard.
Sustainable and cost-effective solution
"Passive House is a sustainable and cost-effective solution for the 'Nearly Zero Energy Building' and other national and regional requirements. Because it works everywhere, it offers the chance to achieve climate protection objectives with a high level of living comfort and significantly low costs at the same time", explains Professor Dr. Wolfgang Feist, Director of the Passive House Institute.
High-rise buildings for the first time
The visitors of the International Passive House Conference, which will be held in the Messe Wien Congress Center this year, are accordingly international. The Passive House Institute with its two head offices in Darmstadt and Innsbruck is organising this annual conference and the accompanying tradeshow. For the first time, one out of the 16 total sessions will explicitly deal with the topic of high-rise Passive House buildings.
New York offers energy efficiency for students The Passive House consultant Lois Arena and architect Deborah Moelis from New York as well as architect Germán Velázquez from Spain will give talks on their respective construction projects during the session on high-rise buildings on the Saturday. Students will be moving into the 26-storey Cornell Tech building in New York in the summer of this year. They can look forward to energy efficient and affordable accommodation, with a view of the Manhattan skyline as an extra bonus.
The same building from another perspective: The 350 residents of Cornell Tech in New York can enjoy the view of the Manhattan skyline from the building with 26 floors and a height of 86 metres
© Mustafa Onder
© Mustafa Onder
Passive House apartments in Bilbao
The "Bolueta" high-rise building in Bilbao has also been designed as a residential building. 108 apartments in the tower will be sold, while 63 apartments in the directly connected tenstorey adjacent building will be rented out in the context of social housing. The Vienna University of Technology will also report on its high-rise building on the Getreidemarkt campus which it has modernised to the Passive House Standard. "In densely populated regions, highrise buildings are an important solution for providing housing space. As proved by the examples here, the Passive House Standard represents a very attractive option", says Professor Dr. Wolfgang Feist.
Big Passive House party 
Other sessions during the Conference will deal with current topics relating to energy efficient construction, including Passive House and renewable energy, retrofits to the Passive House Standard, and Passive House buildings in different climate zones. Speakers from China, Mexico and Northern Europe will speak about their projects. During the two days, a total of one hundred speakers from over 50 countries will give presentations. A big Passive House party will be held on Friday evening in the Museum of Natural History in Vienna.
World's first Passive House hospital
The central focus of the pioneering construction project in 1991 in Darmstadt was on the successful implementation of this innovative and energy efficient building standard. Twentysix years later it has become clear that the design of buildings has also moved into focus. Today, there are many varieties of Passive House buildings with attractive designs and for completely different uses. In addition to residential buildings for families, students or senior citizens, there are also kindergartens, schools, and office buildings built as Passive House buildings, as well as sports halls and swimming pools. The world's first Passive House hospital is currently being built in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Yet another Passive House high-rise which the conference will focus on: "Bolueta" in Bilbao, Spain.
© G. Velázquez/VArquitectos
© G. Velázquez/VArquitectos
Trade exhibition for Passive House components
At the two-day specialist exhibition accompanying the International Passive House Conference, leading suppliers of Passive House components will display components for new constructions and retrofits, including windows and doors, insulation, and ventilation systems with heat recovery.
Free forum for building owners
The trade exhibition is also meant for private building owners. They will be able to obtain information about energy efficient construction at the building owners' forum on the Saturday, free-of-charge. Passive House experts and private building owners will provide information.
PHPP also for retrofits
Prior to the conference, from Monday until Friday a total of nine workshops will be taking place. Topics include energy efficient hot water systems, cooling and dehumidification, initial operation and operation optimisation. Additionally, courses will be offered for the planning tools designPH and PHPP, as well as PHPP for retrofits.
Trailblazers: Vienna and Lower Austria
With Vienna, the Passive House Institute has chosen a city which is regarded as a pioneer of the Passive House construction method. For years the Austrian capital has placed an emphasis on this energy efficient building standard, both for new constructions and for retrofits. In the neighbouring state of Lower Austria, public buildings have been built to the Passive House Standard since 2008. The Judiciary Centre here also includes a jail built to the Passive House Standard.
See for yourself in one of seven excursions
Many of these impressive construction projects can be viewed by visitors of the International Passive House Conference. A total of seven excursions by bus and underground will take place following the Conference on Sunday, 30 April 2017. The Conference will be held in German and English. Simultaneous translation into English will be available for all Germanlanguage lectures. IG Passivhaus and iPHA members will receive a 10 percent discount on the Conference fee. Further information can be found at www.passivehouse-conference.org
Passive House for all!
21st International Passive House Conference
28 | 29 April 2017 in Vienna | Austria
Messe Wien Congress Center, Messeplatz 1, 1021 Vienna
21st International Passive House Conference
28 | 29 April 2017 in Vienna | Austria
Messe Wien Congress Center, Messeplatz 1, 1021 Vienna
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