Research Projects
There are 14 results.
Urban Sky - Satellite-based planning and analysis applications for climate-neutral and resilient cities
The project investigates how satellite data can support cities and municipalities (e.g. urban development, spatial energy planning, mobility transition). Based on demand and potential analyses, service concepts will be derived that integrate existing data and tools with satellite applications. The results will be presented in a study and a Space4Cities implementation roadmap.
InSite - Monitoring and evaluation of innovative demonstration buildings
In the "Stadt der Zukunft" and "Smart City Initiative" programmes, a large number of demonstration projects have been implemented in recent years. To be able to evaluate the developed innovations in a uniform and comparable form and to make the knowledge gained accessible to implementers, InSite subjects 10 selected objects from these programmes to energy and ecological monitoring as well as sociological surveys over a period of 24 months. The interpreted results are publicly available as a published study and as an interactive online platform.
AI4FM - Artificial Intelligence for Facility Management
AI-based anomaly and fault detection in buildings. Digital twins of buildings with simulation models for testing and optimizing rule-based fault detection methods. Mining of the recorded time-series data from existing Building Management Systems to train Machine Learning models for fault detection.
NEXUS - AI for Next Generation Smart Buildings
he NEXUS project develops a novel AI-based framework for scalable fault detection and predictive maintenance of HVAC systems in buildings. NEXUS enables early fault detection without the need for large labeled datasets. The project aims to significantly reduce energy consumption, extend system lifetimes, and contribute to the decarbonization of the building sector.
Re-Use: Holzhaus (Re-Use – Timberhouse) - Scenarios of conduction for Repair, Refurbish & Repurpose of prefabricated timber houses
The Re-Use: Holzhaus project deals with the recyclability of prefabricated wooden components, which are generally used for single-family homes and small apartment buildings and have both a long tradition and a diverse manufacturing structure in Austria. The project aims to take significant steps along the entire value chain to make components from the past more attractive as secondary raw materials and to prepare future prefabricated houses for this purpose in the best possible way.
FW-Netz Traiskirchen - Feasibility study on decarbonizing the district heating network in Traiskirchen by using the sewage treatment plant as a heat source
The exploratory project is examining the technical, economic, and ecological feasibility of community-wide decarbonization of the district heating network in Traiskirchen. The focus is on merging the existing sub-networks and utilizing wastewater heat from the sewage treatment plant using a large heat pump. The results will form a basis for strategic decision-making and serve as a model for other small and medium-sized towns.
RIGOR - Towards reproducible, transparent, and valid AI methods for buildings and cities
The RIGOR project investigates the actual added value and scientific reliability of AI-based methods in the context of buildings, districts, and cities. It focuses on reproducibility, transparency, and the objective comparison of modern AI approaches with simple, robust baseline models. The goal is to establish an evidence-based foundation for the responsible use of artificial intelligence in energy- and safety-critical applications in the built environment.
Transform:Leoben2040 - Preparation of a demonstration project for the climate-neutral development of the Fichtlplatz–Kärntnerstraße district
The exploratory project Transform:LEoben2040 develops a transferable transformation concept for the municipal residential district Fichtlplatz–Kärntnerstraße in Leoben. By developing an integrated district energy system as well as new financing and operational models, the project aims to identify climate-neutral and economically viable solutions for transforming existing urban neighborhoods. The results will provide the basis for a subsequent demonstration phase and serve as a transferable model for other pioneer small cities.
LenA circular houses - Demonstration of the circular architecture design process for circular andreuse building based on the lighthouse project LenA
The LENA project demonstrates in practice how resource-efficient use of materials can be achieved in architecture. LENA documents circular design methods and shows why planning begins at the end-of-life phase. By using digital methods and technologies to recover existing building elements and manufacture new ones with a focus on reuse, it determines what savings in gray energy and CO₂ can be achieved in the manufacture of re:use products and detachable/demountable/replaceable connections for our built structures, urban and residential areas.
DEKARBOdezentral - Cost-effective Implementation of Decentralised Decarbonisation in Residential Buildings
The project explores cost-effective, decentralised heat pump solutions as an alternative to gas-fired floor combi boilers in existing flats. By utilising existing infrastructures such as chimney shafts, minimally invasive decarbonisation is enabled without comprehensive building refurbishment.
ReNew Lindenplatz - Resolving key transformation conflicts for a climate-resilient redevelopment of the Lindenplatz district in Kapfenberg
The exploratory project ReNew Lindenplatz develops a transferable planning approach for climate-neutral and climate-resilient small and medium-sized cities, using the historic old-town district around Lindenplatz and Hauptplatz in Kapfenberg as a case study. Through interdisciplinary analyses, participatory processes and scenario-based development of alternatives, an integrated transformation concept for the district will be developed. The results will form the basis for a subsequent demonstration project and provide transferable solution approaches for other small Austrian pioneer cities.
CoSpatial Heat - Joint spatial coordination of heat supply in Gleisdorf
CoSpatial Heat is developing an integrated, geodata-based heating and gas supply planning concept for the Gleisdorf region. By jointly considering space heating, process heat, and gas infrastructure, future supply, expansion, and decommissioning areas are identified. The systemic integration of GIS analyses, consumption data, energy audits, and stakeholder knowledge generates robust decision-making foundations for municipalities, industry, and network operators.
NeoEAI4Control - Neuro-Symbolic Edge AI for Efficient and Robust Control in Energy Management
Increasing energy efficiency in buildings is a key goal of the energy transition, which, together with increasing digitalization, is leading to new requirements for intelligent control and regulation. Traditional control methods are reaching their limits. As part of the project, we propose the use of edge AI with specialized neuromorphic chips to enable scalable, decentralized, efficient, and real-time control in buildings.
Earthen building 2.0: Earthen building of the future - The art of craftsmanship based on engineering approaches
The exploratory project investigated the suitability of fiber optic sensors for the long-term monitoring of the deformation behavior of rammed earth wall elements under moisture and temperature fluctuations (shrinkage) as well as loads (creep). The experimental findings will be integrated into a finite element model to simulate failure behavior under load.