4. Buildings & energy

4.9 “Queen Gudrun II”

Partners: Schöberl & Pöll GmbH, eFriends Energy GmbH, GrünStattGrau, Trimmel Wall Architekten ZT GmbH, GEBE-STREBEL GmbH

The project developed a holistic, implementation-oriented action plan for the block rehabilitation zone Gudrunstrasse II, with a special focus on thermal refurbishment, the decarbonisation of energy supply and the greening of buildings. Due to the social structure of the rehabilitation zone, the conflicting goal of planning actually implementable refurbishment measures on the one hand and ensuring highly affordable rents on the other hand was taken into account. The project was developed as a participatory planning process.

Objectives:

  1. Implementation-oriented action plan

  2. Rehabilitation, energy supply, greening

  3. Pilot project for a PV energy community

  4. Demonstration of greening measures and greywater utilisation system

  5. Realisation of a demonstration building

Outcomes

One key challenge lies in hooking up with local stakeholders in the project area, attracting their interest and motivating them to engage in long-term commitment and co-operation. Attaining this goal in areas with very heterogeneous structures poses a particular challenge. Thus, while it proved impossible to implement a real-life demonstration building in the block rehabilitation zone Gudrunstrasse II (since the owner of the respective property, who had first agreed to participate, later proved unwilling to commit), a demonstration refurbishment project comprising all planned innovations (greywater plant, greening, PV plant with energy community, comprehensive thermal refurbishment with attic storey conversion) was, indeed, realised in Kauergasse 2 in the 15th municipal district. The refurbishment work was concluded in late 2023. The greywater plant installed in the building is based on a system developed by the GEBE-STREBEL company and represents a pioneering innovation that, so far, has been but rarely implemented. The system purifies domestic greywater and uses it for energy generation (water heating and cooling); the purified wastewater can then serve to irrigate the plants used for greening the building and possibly also to water roadside trees.