Infrastructure
In times of rising energy costs, many try to reduce consumption. Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft (BIG) is currently focusing on schools. Photovoltaic cells and renewable heating systems will be installed there.
HLW 19 in Straßergasse in Vienna-Döbling is a pilot project. The building, which dates back to the 1960s, shows its age. Thermal regeneration was carried out in the 1990s, but oil heating with two boilers has survived all renovations to date. Kettle was received some time ago. When it became clear at the beginning of the year that the second player would not play either, a replacement was sought.
How should the school of tomorrow be built?
Heat pumps and pellet stove for warmth
As the owner, BIG planned an energy-saving solution. Heat pumps, pellet boilers and heat storage are now combined with a photovoltaic system producing 180 kW. The heat generation systems are partly powered by local electricity from the photovoltaic system. In the future, these technologies will be implemented in a similar fashion in all appropriate new construction and renovation measures.
“As a result, we achieve 95 percent CO2 savings compared to the old oil heating system,” says Edith Kleisel Tauschner, responsible for schools at BIG. The shift to carbon dioxide-free systems is already well advanced, says Klesl-Tauchner in Vienna, because many buildings are connected to district heating. Although this is not fossil fuel-free in production, this should happen by 2040.
No money for other purchases
Shifting has a positive side effect on HLW in Döbling. The school’s energy requirements are high. A lot of energy is consumed in training kitchens in particular. Principal Eric Rieberger said the current high energy costs have made other purchases at the school difficult. For 2022 I can say quite frankly that the budget I have here at home is exhausted for oil and electricity. I ran out of money to buy all the school supplies and I hope we can buy new computers in 2023.”
But heat isn’t the only major issue in regeneration. Due to climate change, the demand for cooling also increases in the summer months. “We have a research project working on this topic,” says Klesl-Tauchner. The question is what are logical ventilation systems and how can they be installed in existing schools. An important point is the power requirements. Therefore, the number of PV systems in schools should increase steadily.
