24.04.2019

Sustainable Buildings for an Effective Climate Policy

WIFO Economist Angela Köppl Gave Presentation at the Sto Climate Forum
With the Sto Climate Forum on 4 April 2019 in Linz, where Angela Köppl gave a presentation, the Austrian subsidiary of the German Sto Group is launching a series of events on climate change. Angela Köppl emphasised the outstanding role of buildings in an effective climate policy, as energy for space heating and cooling accounts for more than a quarter of total energy demand in Austria.

In addition to the role of thermally efficient building envelopes, however, buildings are of further importance if their potential for integration into the energy system is seen. "Pure energy consumers can become energy providers and buildings operate as energy storage", explains Angela Köppl. This means that buildings also provide energy, e.g. with photovoltaics or heat pumps, and can contribute to load shifts in the electricity and heating networks through the use of storage facilities. If buildings are not regarded as individual objects, but rather as linked buildings at the district level, waste heat from one building can be used in a neighbouring building, for example.

In addition to Köppl, ORF meteorologist Marcus Wadsak and Universum documentary filmmaker Josef Friedhuber spoke about climate change. Claudia Pritz and Ewald Rauter from Sto presented a wide range of structural measures "that offer protection against extreme weather situations and guarantee longevity".