African Design Magazine December 2015 | Page 38

Almost energy-autonomous The photovoltaic modules are part of the overall energy concept of the housing complex. Most of the hot water and heating is produced by a system of solar panels on the roof, a heat pump system and a geothermal reservoir. The photovoltaic elements are also connected directly to the heat pump and significantly increase the overall efficiency of the system. Excess solar energy is supplied and stored into a geothermal brine reservoir during the sunny months. This energy is then released during colder months and latched into the heat pump system and made usable for heating. Only a small proportion of energy is required in the form of electricity for the heat pump and district heating for higher temperatures to support the water heating by external providers. AD PROJECT TEAM Click images to enlarge 38 ARCHITECTS: Architects Collective TEAM: Richard Klinger, David Lieser, Martin Schorn, David Selensky EXECUTIVE ARCHITECT: Architekturbüro Müller & Hohenwarter LOCATION: Klagenfurt, Austria PHOTOGRAPHER: Farshid Nasrabadi africandesignmagazine.com