SUSTAINABLE PUBLIC BUILDINGS IN WELS (UPPER AUSTRIA)

The building development in the city of Wels in Upper Austria is on the best way to carry out the project of energy saving = Energy city of Wels begun in 2000. In 2003 the town council in Wels signed the Energy declaration, where it engages to support renewable energy supplies and effective energy use. On the 14.April 2008 in Wels, as in the first town in Austria, the Passive-house Declaration was signed. It prescribes to build and renovate in a sustainable way and to use renewable energy supplies. Concerning new buildings owned or managed by the town, it is ordered to build in passive-house standard. To renovate, it is necessary to use passive-house components, such as thermal insulation, windows and ventilation system with heat recovery. To fill its own task numerous public buildings in passive-house technology were built up until now. There are about 60.000 of inhabitants in the city of Wels and to each of theca falls nearly 1qm of passive-house area. With its 2 declarations the city of Wels leads the way to other Austrian towns.