Starting point / motivation

The goal is, on the one hand, to reduce construction times and costs through a high degree of prefabrication and to simplify quality assurance. This enables the relocation of many work steps from the construction site to the factory, which is particularly advantageous for the renovation of occupied buildings. On the other hand, it facilitates easy dismantling and separate materials. Window pre-wall installation minimizes thermal bridges and increases energy efficiency, but is often not implemented due to higher costs and more complex planning.

Contents and goals

QS-winmount offers a solution through modular prefabrication with standardized connections, reducing the susceptibility to errors and construction management effort. At the same time, installation time is shortened, facilitating renovation during occupied buildings and minimizing disruption to residents.

Another focus is on climate resilience measures. Rising temperatures and more frequent heat waves make sun protection and ventilation systems indispensable. QS-winmount minimizes solar gain through external sun protection and regulates room temperature through summer night ventilation and heat recovery.

Methods

The project will be implemented in several phases:

Following planning and simulation, prototypes will be developed, tested in an outdoor test bench, and evaluated in real-life renovation and construction projects. Construction times, material costs, and quality assurance measures will be analyzed in comparison to traditional construction methods. The results are intended to demonstrate the advantages of prefabrication in terms of costs, efficiency, sustainability, and scalability.

Expected results

QS-winmount addresses all three pillars of sustainability:

Energy-efficient renovation extends the service life of existing buildings, avoids new construction, and reduces resource consumption. Thermal bridge-free installation, sun protection, and ventilation contribute to achieving climate goals. Removability and pure recyclability improve material efficiency. Cost-effective, high-quality housing solutions improve quality of life and protect against displacement.

The upgrading of existing inner-city buildings provides disadvantaged groups with access to well-connected housing. Standardized, prefabricated solutions reduce planning effort, assembly times, and the risk of errors, thus lowering overall costs.

QS-winmount offers an innovative solution for the climate-neutral city of the future. It combines the advantages of serial renovation with modular flexibility and addresses the requirements for climate-resilient existing buildings in urban regions.

Project management

University Innsbruck

Project or cooperation partners

• HELLA Sonnen- und Wetterschutztechnik GmbH
• NEUE HEIMAT TIROL Gemeinnützige WohnungsGmbH

Assoz. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rainer Pfluger
Innrain 52
A-6020 Innsbruck
Tel.: +43 (512) 507-63602
E-mail: rainer.pfluger@uibk.ac.at