Serial renovation of a school building

Topping-out ceremony at a regional vocational school in Knittelfeld (Photo: AEE INTEC / Cornelia Ninaus)

The topping-out ceremony at a regional vocational school in Knittelfeld, owned by the Landesimmobilien-Gesellschaft Steiermark (LIG, Styrian State Property Company), marked decisive progress in one of Austria’s currently most innovative refurbishment projects. The school is the first of three pilot buildings whose shells are being modernised both structurally and technically as part of the large-scale research project RENVELOPE using an innovative renovation process. The RENVELOPE team, consisting of 17 partners, is led by the Styrian research organisation AEE – Institute for Sustainable Technologies. The project is being financed by the Climate and Energy Fund as part of the Flagship Region Energy (Green Energy Lab) programme. Extensive refurbishment work is currently being carried out on the pilot building in Knittelfeld. The aim is to transform a typical school building from the 1980s into a modern, energy-efficient and sustainable showcase project within a short space of time.

Serial renovation: The key to efficiency

At the heart of the new process is “serial renovation” – a method in which prefabricated, modular construction elements are used for the energy-efficient modernisation of building envelopes. These components are manufactured in the factory and assembled on site, which saves time and money while improving quality. In addition, the building technology is integrated into the envelope. In the case of LBS Knittelfeld, this includes an innovative classroom ventilation system and a large-scale photovoltaic system.

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Ambitious goals of the project

The large-scale research project “RENVELOPE” has set itself the goal of providing impetus for Austrian and European refurbishment practice. It is based in particular on the following key elements:

• Minimally invasive construction processes: standardisation and consistent prefabrication allow the building envelope to be refurbished in just a few weeks – while the building remains in continuous use
• Synergetic utilisation of the building envelope: the fusion of construction and building services functions enables cost efficiency and ensures that the property retains its value
• Enormous reduction of the ecological footprint: high thermal insulation standards, locally generated renewable energy and the use of recyclable materials minimise CO₂ emissions

“Serial refurbishment is an important instrument for injecting dynamism into the historically low refurbishment rates in Austria,” says Christian Fink, Managing Director of AEE – Institute for Sustainable Technologies. “I am delighted that we at AEE INTEC are able to lead an interdisciplinary project team that has developed the concept and technology for integrated modular construction in prefabrication and implemented it impressively in the pilot building of the regional vocational school in Knittelfeld. The next pilot buildings, one multi-storey residential building each in Graz and Vienna, are about to be realised.”

Martin Pölzl, Managing Director of LIG, also emphasizes the importance of the project: “This renovation means a modern, sustainable learning environment for the 1,300 pupils at the regional vocational school in Knittelfeld. At the same time, as a Landesimmobilien-Gesellschaft, we are sending a strong signal for climate protection, energy efficiency and the sustainable use of resources.”

Model for the future

The results of the serial renovation achieved so far are promising. The knowledge gained should be transferred to other renovation projects in order to promote sustainable construction methods and transform the construction industry in the long term.