A new sign posted near the Austria Passive House Project at Lost Lake provides passers-by with more information on this exciting project. Based on partnership with the Austria Passive House Group, the Province of British Columbia and the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW), the Austria Passive House is bringing to life our shared commitment to developing innovative, sustainable building techniques. Austria House is well underway and on schedule to be completed by late fall.
During the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Austria House will be the headquarters of the ÖOC (Austrian Olympic Committee), and the ORF (Austrian Public Broadcaster), as well as a regular meeting place for the Austrian Olympic athletes and team members during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. It will be a hub of social events, attended by athletes, Austrian Olympic Committee members, business and political dignitaries from around the world, and international media.
On a recent site visit to Whistler, Matthias Bogner, Secretary General, Austrian Olympic Committee was pleased with the progress. “For us at the Austrian Olympic Committee, our involvement with the Passive House shows the importance we give to sustainable Games,” says Bogner. “It illustrates in a concrete way our will to promote green technologies in Austria’s Olympic movement, as well as our pride in supporting the Austrian members of the Austria Passive House Group.”
For some of the Austria delegation this recent visit in early June was their first to Whistler. They were amazed by the venues, mountains and of course the welcoming spirit of Whistler locals. During the Games Austria House will be open to the public and will definitely be a hub of activity where checking out.
WHAT IS A PASSIVE HOUSE
A passive house is a building in which a comfortable interior climate can be maintained without active heating and cooling systems. The house heats and cools itself, therefore the name "passive".
For all its energy requirements (light, cooking etc.) it uses about one 10th of the energy a traditional Canadian house consumes or, has less than half of the energy consumption of a Platinum LEED house. The necessary end energy can easily be provided though renewable energy.
The technology is based on highly sophisticated concepts for air exchange and circulation, thermal insulation, high efficiency windows and wood structure construction.
Passive houses are well-established in Europe with over 17,000 existing passive units, of which 4000 homes and other facilities are in Austria. There are less than a dozen Passive Houses in North America. For more information on Passive House technology please visit www.passiv.de
AUSTRIA HOUSE
So far Austria is the only country that is building a national house in Whistler for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games. No surprise here, as Austria is usually a very big medal winner at winter Olympic Games.
This house will be housing the ÖOC, Austria’s Olympic Committee and the ORF’s (Austrian public broadcaster) studios, from which they will produce and air their daily Olympic programs.
It will also be a hub of social events, attended by athletes, Austrian Olympic Committee members, business and political dignitaries from around the world, and international media.
|