Experimental building for more sustainability and climate protection in buildings
Salzburg/Kuchl (OTS) – Multifunctional test building, laboratory, research project, workplace. In the presence of LH Wilfried Haslauer and numerous guests of honor from politics and business, the new research building “Twin2Sim “was opened today (20.06.2022) at the Kuchl Campus of the FH Salzburg. “Twin2Sim” combines test rooms, facade test stand, measuring equipment, a manipulation hall and offers 20 high-quality workplaces for the scientists*.
The aim of the research activities in the [Twin²Sim]
(https://www.fh-salzburg.ac.at/twin2sim) is to develop solutions for
building services equipment, components, building envelopes and multifunctional facades, to test them in experiments and to develop them further. Thermal, hygric and flow behavior, daylight quality, deformations of building components, sound insulation and the interaction of the prototypes with the room and the use in the room are investigated – all under real environmental conditions. This makes the investigations more complex but also more realistic. The data obtained in short-term as well as long-term measurements from hundreds of sensors are collected and mapped in a “digital twin”. This enables the development of models and simulation on the “digital twin” – hence the name “Twin²Sim”.
Twin²Sim is one of the largest research projects that the FH Salzburg has implemented in its more than 25 years of existence. With its diverse scientific possibilities, the experimental building not only corresponds to the current state of the art, but is also constructed as an energy-efficient, structural timber building. Together with the team of LP architektur, an architecturally high-quality building made of wood was thus realized – in keeping with the location of Kuchl.
Investment in application-oriented research
Great support came from the state of Salzburg, which co-financed 50% of the project. Governor Wilfried Haslauer:
“The FH Salzburg is an important partner of WISS2025, the science and innovation strategy of the state. Due to the facilities located here, the Kuchl site is a real hotspot for sustainable materials development and thus forms the ideal environment for the new research building. I expect practical work in close cooperation with the local economy at the pulse of time. Combined with the mission to share the know-how gained, this will also sustainably strengthen Salzburg as a business location. The high level of interest from many companies in the region impressively underscores this. In this way, the FH Salzburg is making a significant contribution to the expansion of the Kuchl knowledge campus as a competence and transfer center in the field of bioeconomics, alpine construction and wood, which is being pushed in the current government program of the state of Salzburg.”
FH Managing Director Raimund Ribitsch emphasizes the importance of the investment in the FH research infrastructure: “The total investment volume amounts to 2.2 million euros, financed in equal parts by the State of Salzburg and the FH Salzburg. In addition, we have invested our own funds for equipment, operation and certification. Twin²Sim is thus the largest single investment in research at the FH Salzburg. Our great thanks go to the province of Salzburg for co-financing within the framework of the WISS2025 projects.” In addition, he points out the importance of the research project: “We are proud that research on globally relevant topics such as sustainability, ecology and digitalization is being conducted at the FH Salzburg at the cutting edge. FH Salzburg combines expertise and know-how in all these areas.”
Strengthening the location through research
Hans Scharfetter, Chairman of the FH Supervisory Board, emphasized the importance of FH Salzburg as a reliable and innovative partner at the opening: “Research at FH Salzburg has gained enormous momentum in recent years. Meanwhile, the research volume amounts to about 5 million euros annually. The research volume at the Kuchl location has increased from 750,000 euros to 1.4 million euros in the last 5 years alone, and jobs have been created for 30 new research employees. The Twin²Sim project is another milestone in this development and contributes significantly to strengthening the location.”
The two FH shareholders – the Chamber of Labor and the Chamber of Commerce – also confirm the importance of knowledge generation and know-how transfer. “Housing and climate protection are central topics of the future. It is about well-being and good living – the challenges are great. The University of Applied Sciences is developing with ‘”Twin2Sim” in Kuchl into a research campus of sustainability to better meet these challenges,” explains Cornelia Schmidjell, Director of AK Salzburg. WK Director Manfred Pammer, adds: “The FH location in Kuchl with its focus on wood, biogenic materials and alpine construction is indispensable for Salzburg’s economy and should be further strengthened and expanded. Twin²Sim makes a significant contribution to this.”
Research for more sustainability and climate protection
“With Twin²Sim, we can gain new insights into how building technology, components, space and people interact,” says project manager Michael Grobbauer, explaining the goals of the research project. “We can develop and test new building components. As a ‘small world’, the test building and test stand are representative of the ‘big world’ of built reality and allow solutions to be investigated under real conditions. Together with companies, we can now develop new solutions and products to reduce energy demand, make buildings climate-neutral and comfortable, and improve building performance.”
Knowledge transfer and cooperation
The research building with the planned projects is an incubator for ideas from business and research and a place for cooperation. Interest from companies has been evident even before construction. More than 20 companies have supported the project with contributions in kind. There is great interest in further cooperation with the FH Salzburg in the non-university and university sectors. Cooperation with companies is an important factor in research at the FH Salzburg and a major impetus for the initiation of Twin²Sim.Currently, a calibration phase is taking place at Twin²Sim. First tests will be started in late autumn 2022; a prototype from the Center for Alpine Construction is expected to be assembled on the test stand in November 2022. Full operation will begin in spring 2023.
More about Twin2Sim: [www.fh-salzburg.ac.at/twin2sim]
(http://www.fh-salzburg.ac.at/twin2sim)
Salzburg University of Applied Sciences GmbH
Barbara Zoidl
University Communications & Marketing, Press Officer
0676/847795511
[email protected]
www.fh-salzburg.ac.at
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