The International Energy Agency (IEA) directs its R&D activities towards developing and disseminating efficient technologies for generating and using energy. Austrian experts from the areas of research, politics and industry make active use of the relevant network to share knowledge and make their mark internationally. R&D and market-related activities are carried out at project level (in tasks/annexes).

In the field of energy-efficient building Austria is currently one of 25 countries taking part in the IEA program “Energy Conservation in Buildings and Community Systems” (ECBCS), inter alia. As part of this program projects directed towards energy-saving technologies, implementing these in practice and disseminating them. The results provide the basis for formulating international and national directives and standards for energy.

In the project “Prefabricated Systems for Low Energy Renovation of Residential Buildings” (Annex 50, already completed) comprehensive approaches to renovating typical multi-storey accomodation were developed. One of the companies taking part was the component manufacturer gap-solution GmbH, whose prefabricated solar façade system has already been successfully incorporated in various pioneering renovation projects (HdZ demonstration projects at Makartstraße in Linz and at Dieselweg in Graz).

Austria‘s involvement in the ECBCS program (projects in progress):

• Annex 51: Energy-efficient communities
• Annex 52: Towards net zero energy solar buildings
• Annex 53: Total energy use in buildings: Analysis & evaluation methods
• Annex 55: Reliability of energy efficient building renovation – Probability assessment of performance & cost
• Annex 56: Cost-effective energy & CO₂ emissions optimization in building renovation