The socially funded and climate-fit residential complex in Neunkirchen was the first building in Lower Austria to be awarded greenpass Silver
Climate-fit social housing in Lower Austria
A social housing project on Fabriksgasse in Neunkirchen, located in Lower Austria—the country’s largest federal state—has been awarded greenpass Silver as a climate-resilient and future-proof property. The project makes an important contribution to climate change adaptation while ensuring a high level of comfort for its residents.
The modern residential building consists of 28 subsidized rental apartments and 8 owner-occupied apartments on the top floor. It was developed by the non-profit housing company Arthur Krupp Ges.m.b.H. and designed by Kadlec Architektur. grünplan Landschaftsarchitekten, an officially trained and certified greenpass partner, collaborated with GRÜNSTATTGRAU in the early stages to develop the building greening concept.
Silver
Silver
Environmental impact in subsidized housing
Already during the planning phase of the project development, the environmental impact of the construction project was optimized by grünplan Landschaftsarchitekten using the innovative greenpass technology with a digital twin, with the goal of achieving official greenpass Certification.
In a collaborative process, the residential project in Neunkirchen was comprehensively analyzed, optimized, and certified in the following six areas: climate, water, air, biodiversity, energy, and costs. During the planning process, the climate resilience of the property was effectively and significantly improved, with a 15% performance optimization.
With greenpass, we were able to effectively optimize the climate resilience of the property during the planning process. The certificate also confirms the many measures taken for climate protection and climate change adaptation in affordable housing for the residents and neighboring communities
Gewog Arthur Krupp Managing Director MSc Christof Anderle
Lots of green spaces and high quality of stay
The subsidized housing units are equipped with balconies or gardens, which are managed ecologically in the sense of ‘Natur im Garten‘. Spacious, publicly accessible green areas and a large children's playground in the courtyard are available to the residents. A unique feature is a special greening concept, developed in collaboration with the innovation lab GRÜNSTATTGRAU and grünplan Landschaftsarchitekten. Ground-based facade greenery, green roofs combined with photovoltaics, and new trees serve as a natural air conditioning system, providing shading, cooling, and enhancing the quality of stay both in the outdoor spaces and within the building.
First greenpass SILVER in Lower Austria
Like a passport for people, the greenpass serves as an official certification document. The greenpass transparently summarizes the climate resilience and sustainability of properties and their open spaces.
The climate-resilient residential complex in Neunkirchen achieved a certification level of 70% after a successful 15% optimization, earning it the greenpass SILVER Certification.
SILVER
Fabriksgasse 13 Neunkirchen
AT-2022-004 + AT-2024-021
Climate
Water
Air
Biodiversity
Energy
Cost
Sophisticated rainwater management and energy supply
The residential building was constructed using low-energy building methods, and the heating is provided by a central heating system powered by bio-based district heating. The irrigation of the green areas is ensured through a rainwater cistern and drainage systems. Due to the high proportion of permeable surfaces, a large amount of rainwater is retained and stored.
Biodiversity also plays an important role in the project. In addition to six newly planted trees, the total green area amounts to approximately 0.5 hectares of leaf surface. Beyond the effective leaf coverage, the implemented measures promote species diversity by incorporating various vegetation structures, ranging from grass and biodiverse perennials to trees, as well as green roofs and facades. The use of renewable energy through photovoltaics contributes to a positive energy transition.
The project features not only private outdoor spaces but also communal areas and barrier-free accessibility. In terms of mobility, the residential complex benefits from a well-connected cycling and pedestrian network, support for e-mobility, and dedicated bicycle parking spaces.
Sustainability and climate resilience must play a central role in subsidized housing to ensure social equity. With the greenpass Certification, we were able to demonstrate and validate the positive impacts of the extensive green spaces and building greening in this project
grünplan Landschaftsarchitekten Managing Director MSc Werner Sellinger
Conclusion
Climate-fitness and affordability do not have to be mutually exclusive. The greenpass Silver certified project demonstrates that socially funded housing can be realized within affordable housing while incorporating extensive greenery, climate-resilient architecture, and building greening. Additionally, leveraging the many benefits of a digital twin during the planning phase allows for the efficient optimization of performance and climate resilience, ensuring long-term sustainability and investment security.
Gemeinnützige Wohnungsgesellschaft Arthur Krupp
Kadlec Attila
grünplan Landschaftsarchitekten
GrünStattGrau
greenpass
