A little luxury, lots of eco.

There are no mini-bar, which also lacks air conditioning. This hotel offers the Wiener Stadthalle the very latest technology to save energy. The hostel is virtually self-supplied with electricity and Co. Guests must, however, to taking in some rules so that the concept works.

 

The converted hotel Stadthalle infrastructural asceticism will prevail: "It is neither in our hotel spa, sauna yet," said Michaela Reitter, owner and manager of the hostel in Vienna, "and if you are in the waiting rooms with a minibar, you'll probably also disappointed. "

But this reduction is useful: First, the hotel, a few steps from the famous Roland Rainers Stadthalle away, only three stars. And secondly, is located exactly opposite proper stocked grocery store. "No man is three euros for an orange juice, if he drinks the same vis-à-vis for a fraction gets. And if you go into the sauna want, we can go into the town hall. This is genuine."

The real reason for the lack of a minibar in the room, however, lies elsewhere. Refrigerators are incredible power eaters, "said Reitter," they would have thrown the entire energy market. " And that's important, finally, is the Hotel Stadthalle, the next November, with 38 additional rooms will open to the world's first city hotel with a zero energy balance. In other words: The hotel is across the year are expected to produce enough energy for their own consumption needs.

Fighting windmills

The list of technologies is long. Well water is drawn from the depths of the earth encouraged and for temperature control of the premises used. In the summer, the 16 degrees Celsius in specially cold water lines in concrete pumped through the ceiling, while the same installations for heating in winter serve - concrete core activation is called in the jargon. 150 square meters solar panels provide the same time, at least as long as the sun is shining, the bulk of the needed electricity.

For the coverage of the energy peaks in the evening on the roof is the installation of four wind turbines are planned. Still adorns the building, however. Since it is in Austria to date not a single reference project, there are some instances and are overwhelmed with the issue of the commercial permit for the turbines back. "The wind turbines are essential to the project," said Reitter this. "They rotate in fact, even if the solar collectors in the dark no longer functional. I will not give up before we are all convinced of the importance of this measure have convinced."

For most ecological construction projects in Central Europe, only a handful of different energiereduzierender methods. Michaela Reitter, however, a resolute woman with a clear business vision, wanted the building to attack luck strain. "Look, I have a clear idea of this hotel and I would like to express my deepest conviction of ensuring a timely and resource-friendly building on the footing."

Guests must be elucidated

Heinrich Trimmel, architect of the unusual hostel locates in the new zero-energy hotel is a great opportunity: "A hotel like this is an incredibly good propaganda," he explains, "while energetic efforts in a family house for the public almost always hidden and remain undetected, can the aspects of sustainable construction directly communicate here. " The healthy energy balance not only create publicity for the hotel, but ultimately for the design. "Advertising for themselves and for nature. That's two birds with one stone."

The only requirement for the host: he must be ready to play. "If I were in this hotel check-in and in the deepest winter doing a walk, while the locked room window wide open, then that is the organic farm is certainly not beneficial," said Trimmel, "while valuable energy is in the form of heat is lost. Furthermore, it takes quite long, the room back to a comfortable temperature heating. " For this reason, says the architect, it was important to the customers with the main features of the building represent.

"No problem," Reitter contends, "the guests are already booking for the choice of whether they prefer their room in the old building or new development in the wish to have." The old building, which is already three months ago was completed, it is thermally upgraded and low standard as to ask its people but not exceptional living culture. In part, however, new construction - and that every individual is at the latest at check-in attention - apply stricter morals. "There is throughout the house controlled housing ventilation, each room with fresh tempered anspeist. Hours of ventilation is not necessary."

Air conditioning is a taboo

The setting of the room temperature is also restricted. A maximum of four degrees Celsius, or from, the range of heating and cooling. "Enough for a typical Europeans and Americans for a European," says the hotel owner scarce. More flexibility, the system does not give her. Leading environmental awareness even when the lighting in all new development will not only Fadenglühbirne more. The widespread use of light emitting diodes (LED) in the corridors and rooms are a first atmospheric view of the period after the light bulb.

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Much effort for such a small city hotel, one would think. "The first to an example, it is always a high cost in buying take. This is the fate of pioneers," says Gerhard Heiling, for the entire energy plan is responsible. "In truth, however, we make nothing exotic, but simply summarize several proven technologies in a project together. But yes, it's true. In the dense urban area is used up this potpourri of 150 square meters of solar collectors on the facade and wind turbines on the roof so far unique."

The architectural design of the object will remain until the last unaufgeregt. Externally, the new building is in a similar manner Wohnhaus modest back, whistling gaily in the style of contemporary architecture. Inside, however - a standard room is already set - dominated by the classic sophistication expected of a three-star hotels. Nothing more and nothing less. "It is utopian to believe that I am in such a narrow gap site and in such a densely assembled an architectural highlight lane could stand up", says Michaela Reitter stated "I prefer to invest the money in building a future-oriented."

Leading by example

Whether the investment is for the new building a year earlier or later, pay-back is the 45-year-olds - with the words spoken of this city - quite cold. It was by no means its just about the financial profit, it stresses. No, there you go to the thing itself. "Of course it cost time, money and above all, nerve. But someone must indeed make a start on the climatic mismatch, and to lead by example, as always only talk about it."

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Boutique Hotel Stadthalle, Vienna

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The first zero-energy hotel in the world has its price: While in the hotel construction in this category depending on the size of establishments, with around 80,000 euros per room investment costs had to be ready, climb the Cost Center in the hotel at around 90,000 euros per room. That is an increase of over eleven percent. The financial return is assured, however: "As soon as the new Green Electricity Act is decided in Brussels, will be the excess electricity into the public grid," said Reitter. If the EU negotiations, everything goes according to plan, the producers of green electricity for every kilowatt-hour fed will receive 39c. The repurchase of green, however, costs only 11 cents per kilowatt hour.

At the guests' wallets is the zero-energy near the Wiener Stadthalle have no influence. Between 79 and cost 89 euros single, 116 to 126 euros must be for a double room berappen. At night it is then of the sauna and mini dream.