Blue Building Certification for Campus WU
As a public institution, WU is aware of its responsibility to build in an economic, ecological, and socially sustainable manner, and the most recent distinction awarded to Campus WU confirms WU’s success in this area. All six building complexes of the Vienna University of Economics and Business campus were certified as “Blue Buildings” during the BlueBuilt 2015 event.
As a public institution, WU is aware of its responsibility to build in an economic, ecological, and socially sustainable manner, and the most recent distinction awarded to Campus WU confirms WU’s success in this area. All six building complexes of the Vienna University of Economics and Business campus were certified as “Blue Buildings” during the BlueBuilt 2015 event.
The “Blue Building” concept takes “Green Building” standards to a new level. Unlike Green Buildings, where the emphasis is mainly on energy efficiency, the Blue Building certification focuses on sustainability throughout the entire life cycle of a building. The certification is awarded in gold, silver, and bronze by ÖGNI, the Austrian Sustainable Building Council. ÖGNI evaluates construction projects based on transparent and standardized criteria, including ecological and economic standards, socio-cultural and functional aspects, and technical performance. The conservation of energy and resources is also evaluated. The buildings’ human occupants are the main focus of the Blue Building concept, however: People should feel comfortable living and working in these buildings.
Five Silver, One Gold
Each of the six complexes on campus was evaluated in the categories economic quality (e.g. minimizing life cycle costs, potential for alternative use), ecological quality (greenhouse gas potential, sustainable use of resources, drinking water usage, waste water production, etc.), socio-cultural and functional quality (e.g. winter/summer comfort, acoustic comfort, disabled accessibility), location quality (accessibility by public transportation, hospitality facilities, infrastructure, outdoor spaces), technical quality (fire safety, noise protection, ease of cleaning), and planning process quality (proof of sustainability-related aspects, noise, dust, and waste reduction on the construction site). After a comprehensive review of all categories, all building complexes on campus were granted certification: The Department Building 1 was awarded gold, all other buildings silver. “Blue Building certification is a major distinction, as it is not about maintaining minimum standards but about achieving the best possible standards in planning, construction, and operations,” says ÖGNI Managing Director Philipp Kaufmann. The certificate was presented to Rector Christoph Badelt, who commented, “Our goal in building this campus was always to create a place that was about more than just teaching and research – it should be built sustainably and provide space for social, cultural, and political life. We wanted students and staff to enjoy working and studying here on campus, so we are particularly pleased to have been awarded this Blue Building certification.”
For more information on the buildings on Campus WU, please see: http://www.wu.ac.at/campus/architecture/
Contact:
Press Relations Officer
Tel: + 43-1-31336 ext. 4977
cornelia.moll@wu.ac.at