RTÉ’s 'ABOUT THE HOUSE' FEATURES PASSIVE HOUSES IN AUSTRIA 1. December 2009

Duncan Stewart, one of Ireland’s most popular TV personalities, has just returned from filming passive houses in Austria for the RTÉ series 'About the House'.  The programme will air on Tuesday 1st December at 8.30 pm and feature Solar City in Linz, as well as the 'try before you buy' passive house show-village in Großschönau.

On a sunny day in late September, Duncan Stewart stands on a hill overlooking a lake in Solar City, a purposly built new suburb of Linz. Planned in the nineties and built between 2001 and 2004, Solar City is a model town for sustainable living. “The green space around this town was planted before construction began so that it would be green before the first residents moved in. How is that for forward planning!” says Duncan, visibly impressed.

Accompanied by a three-man film crew, Duncan quickly moves around the town observing, asking questions, analysing and commenting. From the town planner to the café staff, everyone is at ease with his winning manner and genuine interest. In the town centre a generously sized boulevard forms the functional and spatial link between the different parts of the town. Here the tram glides along a grassy path lined with cafes and shops, on its way towards the centre of Linz.

Solar City, Austria: Low energy apartments designed by Norman Foster

Some of the apartment buildings were designed by big-name architectural practices including the Richard Rogers Partnership, recent winner of architecture’s Stirling Prize and Thomas Herzog of Munich. But it was Norman Foster’s low energy apartments built for the “Neue Heimat” housing trust that won the enthusiasm of the TV team for their aesthetic appeal.

The Solar City apartments were financed by 12 non-profit housing trusts, many of which have existed for over 100 years. Their goal is to provide good quality housing for lower income families. To qualify for accommodation in Solar City, the annual income limit per household is €21,600 net. The good news is that you don’t have to move out if your income goes up over time! Rents are around €5.50 per m2, utilities not included. Due to low energy and passive house construction, heating bills are low for the 3,000 residents living in 1,300 apartments and terraced houses. District heating is provided by local CHP plants.

Passive house in Großschönau, north of Linz

Gunther Amesberger, Director of Urban Development for the City of Linz, is proud of Solar City: “Architects and engineers come here from all over the world. Nowadays, one of my main tasks is answering questions”. He goes on to explain to Duncan that in the early stages of construction, the focus was on solar gain and low energy construction using solar collectors and photovoltaic cells, while the more recent buildings are passive houses.

Leaving Solar City, Duncan’s team travels north to the world’s only passive house show village in Großschönau. There, a local company specialises in the sale of passive houses, developed by five different builders. Under the slogan “try before you buy”, prospective house-buyers can spend a weekend or even a holiday in the show house of their choice. Duncan’s favourite is the house made entirely of wood, as it is the most sustainable. Other houses in the village are made from a mix of materials including timber, clay bricks and concrete.

Built along more traditional design lines, the 'Active House' still adheres to sustainable principles

To see Ireland’s most popular eco-architect in action in Austria, don’t miss Duncan Stewart's prime-time show About the House on Tuesday, 1 st December 09 at 8.30 pm.

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