Zero Carbon Refurbishment

UAS involved: FH Salzburg (Austria)

The refurbishment of a residential complex in the city of Salzburg was an Austrian milestone in social and technological sustainability. The award-winning project “Zero Carbon Refurbishment” (AT), also named “ZeCaRe”, aimed to reduce the carbon footprint of existing housing and making renovation possible without compromising social aspects.

ZeCaRe addressed SDG 10 (Reduced Inequality) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) through the comprehensive renovation and re-densification of multiple residential quarters in the city of Salzburg, which are accompanied by a social-scientific progress to keep the burden on affected inhabitants as low as possible. Also involved was a mobility concept that seeks to increase quality of life for residents who do not own a car and thus work towards sustainable city mobility. Shared electric and cargo bikes were made available to the residents, as well as charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, both in a car-sharing pool and for individual use. Furthermore, the project focused on SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) by seeking to reduce the energy costs of all residents while also decreasing carbon emissions to a minimum. The comprehensive building renovation with sustainable materials was bundled with an innovative energy concept, involving waste water and exhaust air heat pumps coupled with PV, Power-to-Heat and a biomass boiler for peak demand. The project results are essential components of an ongoing urban refurbishment offensive put forward by the city of Salzburg.