HeinrichBiCool - Climate-positive cooling and biodiversity through intensive greening of buildings
Short Description
Starting point / motivation
Building greening is now considered a key element for climate-friendly and climate change-adapted construction. The new EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), which came into force in 2024, also focuses on greening buildings as a measure to improve the energy efficiency of buildings.
However, there are still many unanswered questions about building greening projects. To date, there have been hardly any comprehensive before/after measurements of realised greening of buildings in use, which means that specific data on temperature reductions, energy savings and comfort gains are rare. There is even less data on the actual effects on local biodiversity, although this effect is frequently cited.
Contents and goals
This is where the HeinrichBiCool demonstration project comes in: The focus lies on an existing building used by the Faculty of Theology at the University of Graz. It heats up considerably from early summer - with noticeably negative effects on the productivity and well-being of employees. A comprehensive greening concept was developed back in 2022 to create a more pleasant microclimate through targeted tree planting and façade greening on three sides of the building.
This "nature-based solution" should make a technical cooling system unnecessary. In addition to the issues of the indoor climate effectiveness of this solution - also in comparison to technical cooling - the research project is additionally investigating the topics of cost- and resource-saving greening constructions, integration of rainwater management and local biodiversity effects.
Methods
In the first step, the current indoor climate problems of the building are analysed in detail using simulations and energy calculations. This allows targeted planning of the greening measures. At the same time, the greening constructions are optimised regarding material and cost efficiency and the planning of accompanying rainwater management and biodiversity measures.
Pre-monitoring in the summer months before the greening is installed and accompanying physical and biodiversity monitoring over more than a year are installed and scientifically analysed. Intensive dialogue with the users also makes it possible to record their personal satisfaction with the measures.
Expected results
By directly comparing the measurements before and after greening, new, well-founded insights into the multiple effects of building greening measures are to be gained. A measurable reduction in summer heat stress, a reduction in energy consumption and a promotion of biodiversity are expected.
The project provides practical findings for the large-scale use of building greening as a climate-positive alternative to technical cooling systems and allows the optimisation of simulations and validation of laboratory-scale tests.
Project Partners
Project management
University of Graz - Directorate for Resources and Planning
Project or cooperation partners
- AEE – Institute for Sustainable Technologies
- Studio Boden Landschaftsarchitektur
- Technisches Büro Siegfried Stark
- Ökoteam – Institut für Tierökologie und Naturraumplanung OG
Contact Address
University of Graz
Directorate for Resources and Planning
Universitätsplatz 3, EG
A-8010 Graz
Tel.: +43 (316) 380-1886
Mobil: +43 (664) 303 75 40
E-mail: direktor.ressourcen@uni-graz.at
Web: uni-graz.at