Historic Renovation in Van-der-Nüll-Gasse

Specifically, the renovation meets Environmental Objective 4 of the EU Taxonomy, which defines the transition to a circular economy. A key benchmark in this regard is the preservation of at least 50 percent of the existing building fabric. Furthermore, the project management aims to directly reuse or high-quality recycle at least 70 percent of the non-hazardous construction and demolition waste generated. This requirement applies to both the deconstruction phase and the use of materials during construction.

The technical implementation requires a series of specific measures that were anchored early in the planning phase. For instance, existing terrazzo floors are not removed entirely but are inspected, repaired, and preserved in situ. Regarding the masonry, the principle of re-use is followed: bricks from dismantled walls are manually cleaned, sorted, and reinstalled in new wall sections. The project even breaks with conventional routines for dry construction elements: gypsum boards are systematically removed, temporarily stored, and reused in appropriate locations instead of being added to the waste stream. A similarly integrative approach is evident in the handling of the windows. While the frames must be replaced due to energy requirements, the glass panes are processed to produce new insulating glass units, which are then reinstalled in the original, unaltered openings.

The operational success of this pilot project is based on the precise documentation of all components and close coordination between planning, structural engineering, and the executing trades. Despite the higher planning effort and the need for new work routines compared to conventional renovations, project management views this model as the future of the construction industry. Rising disposal costs, increasingly scarce resources, and the regulatory advantages provided by the EU Taxonomy will enhance the economic attractiveness of circular projects in the long term. The project in Favoriten thus demonstrates the necessary realignment in the management of existing resources and makes a decisive contribution to establishing a more sustainable construction industry.