The highest passive house in Europe (2.300m)
Erected on the cellar walls of a decrepit cabin, situated at 2300m altitude with a beautiful view.
An alpine gastronomy base with 140 seats, establishing ties between modern tourism and local, traditional mountain life without derailing into the awkward cliche of being quaint.
Massive cross laminated timber boards with a visible surface are used in the construction of the flat roof, combined with raw, peeled, tree prop shaped log wood. The 6m high glass front on three sides of the building is made of glued laminated timber stands and 3-sheet insulation glass (U=0.66 W/m2K). The northern concrete wall with 30cm of insulation (U=0.13 W/m2K) defines the spatial frame and functions as a heat storing mass.
Despite the extreme climatic circumstances at 2300m above sea level, heating energy requirements could be lowered to 12 kWh/m2 per year, conforming to passive house standards. The employment of a comfort ventilation system with a 75% waste heat recovery rate, a 25 m2 solar panel and seven geothermal probes at up to 120 meter below surface make it feasible to completely abandon the combustion of fossil fuels for space heating purposes.
Principal Dr. Hans Rubatscher: "The employment of high-quality energy technology is the silver bullet for the mountain gastronomy. Our new SunnAlm is a flagship project in terms of cost-effectiveness, energy efficiency and trend-setting architecture. Waste heat recovery and low temperature systems, waterless urinals and ecological materials go hand in hand with geothermal heating and solar panels. We, as a glacier skiing resort, understand this project as a big step in our efforts to protect the climate. This is a goal that we will pursue further and invest in the strengths of this new technology."
Massive oiled oak furniture, black MDF boards, frosted glass and the anthracite-colored carpeted floor dominate the interior. At the valley-facing east side a lower "Zirbenstube" has been inserted into the spacious dining area. On top, a lounge-like gallery is found, the elegant chairs are dressed in traditional leather-trouser leather.
Larch shingles are used to form the exterior shell, referring to the sheathing of Josef Lackner's valley station.
    |
