OttoWagner-ArealPlus - Feasibility study on certified Plus-Energy-Quarter-Retrofit of heritage Otto-Wagner-Area

The planned settlement of the Central European University (CEU), located at the unique Art Nouveau jewel of the Otto-Wagner-Areal, offers a unique opportunity to preserve this cultural heritage in its entirety, set a future-fit standard for the coming hundred years, as well as increase its user comfort and value.

The entire Otto-Wagner-Areal (OWA) accounts for a floor area of around 50 hectares and consists of 69 pavilions of various sizes, most of them built in the year 1907, comprising a total gross floor area (GFA) of approximately 201,050 m², as well as the church, Kirche am Steinhof. According to the current planning state, 17 pavilions with around 47,000 m² GFA will be used by the CEU. The remaining pavilions are to be utilized for a wide range of uses, amongst which are student residences, assisted living facility, Rehabilitation facilities, theater and art, Therapeutic Horseback Riding, gardening, kindergarten, cafes, cafeteria and restaurants, FutureEnergyLab, administration, etc., while preserving the cultural heritage.

The current outdated energy supply system, with its own boiler house and poorly insulated 140°C steam heating network, covers the entire area (previous energy consumption at full operation [final energy demand on average 311 kWh/m²a according to EAW MA39]) final energy consumption 34,360 MWh/a for steam heat and 8,670 MWh/a for electricity [Source: KAV Billing 2017]). The exploratory project is committed to seize the opportunity of the settlement of the CEU on the site, and analyze the feasibility of "Historic Plus-Energy-Quarter in certified EnerPHit-Plus-standard for the entire monumental protected Otto-Wagner-Areal".

For this purpose, initially, consumption has to be reduced by 85 to 90% to almost 4,000 MWh/a, taking into account the protection of historical monuments. Furthermore, the remaining demand should be supplied, as much as possible, using environmentally friendly renewable energy sources located at the OWA site.

The result of the exploratory project aims to assist sound decision-making and act as a basis for the following explicit, under time-pressured, call for tenders, determining the future project developer for the project implementation, as well as represent a clear guideline to establish an economic implementation of the "Historic Plus-Energy-Quarter in certified EnerPHit-Plus-standard for the entire monumental protected Otto-Wagner-Areal". Due to its unique Art Nouveau jewel, this project would have worldwide great publicity, and because of the pioneering holistic renovation of a historic district into a future-proof plus-energy district of historic Magnitude.

Project partners

• Schöberl & Pöll GmbH
• Central European University (CEU)
• TU Wien – Institut für Architektur und Entwerfen
• LANG consulting
• OeAD student housing