Sustainable roof insulation from Austria

The Austrian inland lake Lake Neusiedl in the Eastern Austrian state of Burgenland is the biggest European supplier of water reed for roofs. Ninety per cent of the reeds harvested there are exported to Northern Germany, the Netherlands and – of course - Denmark, where they are a popular material for the traditional thatched roofs characteristic for these regions. Reeds are – apart from their aesthetic qualities - a popular and sustainable type of insulation. Due to its exceptionally good insulating properties, the material keeps houses warm in the winter and comfortably cool in the summer. The potential of water reed from Austria is not even fully exploited yet – only ten per cent of the re-growing material on Lake Neusiedl is currently harvested.