Building science with a human face: Reflections on the Austrian School of Building Physics

This contribution deals with the essential characteristics of a particular tradition of teaching, practice, and research in the building physics area. We refer here to this tradition as the "Austrian School of Building Physics" (ASBP). The main features of this school are: tight integration with architectural design and construction, multi-scale and integrative approach, environmental orientation, and incorporation of human-ecological reasoning. The contribution is dedicated to Erich Panzhauser, as the distinguishing characteristics and accomplishments of the ASBP can be attributed to his prolific teaching and research tenure at the Vienna University of Technology.