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Building blocks for climate protection

We emphasise sustainable construction and clean energy: on the way to greater sustainability, the province of South Tyrol promotes climate-friendly construction, for example with an extended energy bonus, which is intended to motivate homeowners to renovate buildings to make them more energy-efficient. All over the province, there are builders, craftspeople and projects that are doing everything they can to ensure that our region remains sustainable and liveable

Green buildings

Energy-efficient and resource-conserving design, environmentally friendly implementation: ecological construction and the sustainable renovation of old buildings are key elements on the road to greater sustainability. 5 examples of sustainable buildings in South Tyrol. 

Hochgang Mountain cabin, Parcines

At 1,839 metres above sea level, the operators of the long-established Hochgang Mountain Refuge in the Texel Group built a new refuge in typical timber construction. The challenge: all the building materials had to be flown in by helicopter, as the high-rise building cannot be reached by lorry. In order to save weight and minimise the number of flights, the exterior walls were prefabricated in timber frame construction. 

IDM Süditirol-Alto Adige
Oberholz mountain hut, Obereggen

Local larch and spruce wood and a clear design language characterise the architecturally outstanding Oberholz mountain hut in the Obereggen skiing and hiking area. Guests can reach the popular vantage point, consisting of a restaurant, lounge area and bar, directly by chairlift from Obereggen.  The hut itself is also environmentally friendly. The energy used to heat the hut comes exclusively from geothermal energy. To make the geothermal energy supply possible, they drilled 200 metres into the mountain.

IDM Süditirol-Alto Adige/Alex Filz
Naturalia-Bau, Merano

As the first zero-emission company building in Italy, the headquarters of the South Tyrolean company for natural insulation materials Naturalia-Bau built in 2008 set a milestone in the field of low-energy buildings. The insulation with wood fibre boards provides a natural air, wind and water seal. Clay plaster on the walls in the interior contributes to constant humidity for a healthy indoor climate. A geothermal system ensures a constant temperature of 13 degrees in the building all year round. A photovoltaic system produces 25,000 kWh per year, 6,000 kWh more than required annually.

IDM Süditirol-Alto Adige
Neustift Winery, Vahrn

Sustainability is the guiding principle that guides the work of the Neustift monastery winery in Vahrn, one of the oldest active wineries in the world. The winery was one of the first in South Tyrol to address its ecological footprint back in the 1990s and has been CO₂-neutral since 1992. Out of respect for nature and for future generations, the vineyards are also cultivated sustainably and without the use of herbicides. As part of the South Tyrol Wine Agenda 2030, further steps towards even greater sustainability are planned for the future.

IDM Südtirol Alto Adige/Alex Moling
Haus der Berge, Sesto

The new Haus der Berge visitor centre in Sesto was built using ecologically sound timber construction methods. Unglued solid wood elements give the five-storey building its very own character. On entering, you also get a feeling of original warmth and cosiness – just like in an old parlour. A total of 108 m³ of solid wood wall elements, 72 m³ of solid wood ceiling elements and 38 m³ of glue-free solid wood beams were used to build the centre, which was deliberately sourced from spruce and larch wood from the storm Vaia in 2018.

IDM Südtirol-Alto Adige/Schels Sebastian

Built together

Refurbishment projects that create identity and community

Sustainable building always has people in mind. Sometimes social responsibility needs to be first and foremost For example, in the renovation of the Pichlberg ski hut in the Sarntal Valley, which is now a modern mountain restaurant with generous glass façades, natural building materials, lots of natural stone and local larch wood. Before the refurbishment in 2015, the restaurant was in poor structural and economic condition. In order to save this traditional stop-off point in the Reinswald hiking and skiing area, 13 craft businesses from the "Mir Sarner" initiative joined forces and contributed their services to the renovation. They became suppliers and investors and are still shareholders in the then newly founded Pichlberg GmbH. An act of solidarity that has paid off.

Natural building material

We love wood! As a renewable climate protector in our forests and as an environmentally friendly building material – which is what the domestic raw material is all about.

Our forests not only contribute to a good climate, but with their larch and spruce wood have also provided us with the material for a protective roof over our heads for centuries. Building houses from wood has a long tradition in South Tyrol. As a raw material that grows back, stores carbon and is recyclable, wood is particularly suitable as a sustainable material in the construction sector in view of ongoing climate change. There are around 300 carpentry firms in South Tyrol, almost 100 of which offer the construction of wooden houses, according to Peter Erlacher, a specialist in sustainable building. He says: "We need a return to timber construction and the use of local raw materials. Statistically speaking, a new wooden house grows in South Tyrol's forests every hour. We should utilise this potential.“In 2023, the province of South Tyrol set up a timber construction fund totalling 1.2 million euros for the first time, which is aimed at various property developers. The use of local wood promotes sustainable construction in South Tyrol. 

Historic building culture

The historic buildings in our towns and villages retain the eventful history of our province. Preserving them and renovating them to meet the requirements of sustainable and climate-friendly construction methods also preserves the identity of our region.

 Historic building culture
Sustainable Südtirol

We like it natural

Climate protectors live in our forests.

Houses made from local wood? We built them for centuries.

For the love of climate: building sustainably

Simply great: energy-efficiently renovated mountain huts.

What brings us together: acting sustainably together!

A dream made of wood

It all began with a structural vision – how the former forester Herbert Niederfriniger once thought about his dream house made of wood, invented the patented solid wood wall element and founded his company Holzius, which today creates healthy living spaces with 60 employees. The story of Holzius in the video.  

For the love of nature

The Hotel Pfösl in Deutschnofen immediately catches the eye with its architecturally outstanding façade: made of dark larch, the nature hotel on the edge of the forest blends harmoniously into its surroundings. Host family Zelger is one of South Tyrol's pioneers when it comes to sustainability. In the video, they talk about their nature-centred philosophy

Clean thing

We want to shape climate transition with electricity and heat from renewable energies. Which sustainable energy sources are important in South Tyrol.

Water and sun move us forward. On the way to a climate-friendly future, it is important to consistently increase the proportion of renewable energy. According to the research institute Eurac Research, the share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption in the electricity and heating sectors in South Tyrol was 65.2 per cent in 2021, three times higher than the Italian average. Thanks to a very well-developed infrastructure over the last century, South Tyrol is a leader in hydroelectric power generation in particular. It is the largest renewable energy source in South Tyrol. According to the latest statistics from grid operator Terna, gross electricity generation from hydropower in 2022 totalled 4,228 gigawatt hours, while total electricity consumption in South Tyrol only amounted to 3,144 gigawatt hours. This illustrates the great potential of this energy source. To generate clean heat energy, we also rely on solar energy, which we utilise via solar thermal collectors, heat pumps and district heating systems. Some households also obtain heat from geothermal energy.

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