A new CLT school for Vienna
Environmentally advantaged timber classrooms are less stressful for children
Photo: © Stugeba
44 new primary school classrooms are to be built in Vienna by the end of 2015. The CLT modules for the first school annex, on Karl-Toldt-Weg in Vienna Penzing, were delivered to Vienna on 7th July 2014. The modules were assembled within a very short construction time. "CLT stands for quick and clean construction. The high degree of prefabrication reduces construction time. Dust and noise exposure are reduced and it saves costs", explains Herbert Jöbstl, SVP of Stora Enso Building and Living in Central Europe. At the end of the summer holidays, the new school building should be ready for use so the first Viennese primary school children can take possession of their timber school. As well as creating more space for learning, playing and running riot, the school in Penzing provides another valuable benefit - the healthy climate in timber buildings is proven to have a positive effect on the wellbeing of school children.
Short construction times, high functionality, good ecological balance
The Viennese population continues to grow so the city of Vienna is investing in school annexes with modern classrooms and spacious exercise rooms and side rooms. For this project, short construction times and high functionality are of utmost importance and the ecological balance has to be just right for the environmentally-conscious city of Vienna.
Therefore CLT (Cross Laminated Timber) was chosen. The solid CLT panels are prefabricated in the factory and supplied with precise apertures for building equipment, heaters or windows. Then the 2/4 panels go to the neighbouring factory of Stugeba Mobile Raumsysteme GmbH, where they are assembled into finished room modules and shipped to Vienna using special transport.
The modules are quickly and easily assembled on site, the buildings can be ready for use in record time. "Our room modules are versatile, they can be combined and assembled in next to no time. This is of great importance for commercial buildings such as offices, hospitals or schools" Stugeba MD, Jürgen Sturmer, explains the advantages of the methods which will be used to build three more schools in Vienna.
The environmental advantages of CLT
CLT also provides a good ecological balance because timber is a renewable resource that stores CO2 long-term. The CLT timber from Stora Enso comes from certified sources. Building security is also an important criterion for school buildings and is fully satisfied when building with CLT modules. CLT has excellent fire protection properties and is distinguished by a particularly high resistance to earthquakes.
Studies show: A good indoor climate helps school children de-stress
As well as the technical advantages, timber construction also has a positive effect on the mood and behaviour of school children. A 2009 study by the Human Research Institute shows that school children who are taught in timber buildings experience less stress, have less conflicts and concentrate better. Physically, the relaxing effect of timber also shows in a permanently low heart rate. In the study, children from the same school were compared; half of them were taught in a timber classroom and half in conventional classrooms.
Project data
- Client: City of Vienna
- Project: School annex, primary school, Karl-Toldt-Weg 12, 1140 Vienna
- Architecture: Architect DI Robert Kriebaum, Architecture Office - Maurer und Partner
- CLT producer: Stora Enso Building and Living, A-Bad St. Leonhard
- Installed amount of CLT: 600 m3
- Construction period: 8 weeks
Source: Stora Enso