News
July, 14th 2021, Preregistration "Trial Living"
All those interested in the flats of the LIFE Cycle Habitation have the opportunity to register without obligation. Please use the form 
(Download) and send it duly completed and signed to the following email address: lch@grat.atlch@grat.at
Due to the great interest in the project and the residential units, we ask for your understanding that we are currently unable to make any concrete commitments or provide information to individual applicants. We will inform all registered interested parties in due time about the details of the award and the intended use model.
Preannouncement: Sept. 11th 2021, OPEN HOUSE
This year, on Sept. 11th &12th the event 
OPEN HAUS WIEN will take place again. The organisation OPEN HAUS WIEN gives public access to architectur, normally not open to the public - free of charge & for everyone.
GrAT will take part again this year. On Saturday, Sept. 11th from 10:00 am to 5 pm the buildings of Life Cycle Habitation and the S-House will be open for visitors.
Due to organisational reasons we ask for a short and non-commital notification to contact@grat.at.
June, 25th 2021, EU-Green Week: Pre-Opening "LIFE Cycle Habitation"
On Friday, 25th of June the project team was delighted to welcome the first guests from politics, (building-)industry and research as well as some journalists to visit the nearly completed Life Cycle Habitation buildings. The visitors were guided through the apartements and the community center and were informed about constructive and technical details concerning the wooden buildings and the implemented housing technology by Robert Wimmer (project lead, GrAT), Arch. Georg Scheicher (Design, Planning), Leopold Kasseckert (general contractor DPM Holzdesign GmbH), Michael Berger (building services, Teamgmi) and Andreas Ranftl (site manager for GrAT).
The buildings will be completeted and ready to move in in Autumn/Winter 2021. Around this time an opening event will take place, too.
April 2021, Passathon Trophy 2021
From April 16th until October 16th 2021 the Passathon Trophy will take place again. Download the app, take your bike and visit klimaaktiv buildings, Plus-Energy-Buildings and Passiv-Houses along the PASSATHON routes or make your own route and collect "PASSATHON LEUCHTTÜRME" (lighthouses, flagships), for Climateprotection and living quality. With 24 collected "Leuchttürmen" you can win prices.
LIFE Cycle Habitation and S-House in Böheimkirchen take part in the Trophy again this year. So take your bike, visist us and collect lighthouses.
More information you can find under www.passathon.at
October 2019, Construction starts
The excavators are at the site and we can finally start. The foundations will be ready by the beginning of winter and with the modular prefabrication in the factory of our GC "DPM Holzdesign", winter can also be used well and construction time can be optimized.
As part of the virtual factory, the various trades, from the woodworker to the housing technology (electrician, plumber, etc.) already work together in the planning and execution during the prefabrication of the modules in the factory. This enables work processes to be optimized and costs to be saved.
June 17th - 18th LIFE Platform Meeting, Brussels
On June 17th and 18th, a LIFE Platform Meeting took place in Brussels concerning the construction industry and climate protection. The host was the project team of the LIFE integration project "BE REEL", in which several partners from politics, science, and industry are working on ambitious sub-projects on climate protection.
EU-LIFE projects and projects from other funding instruments of the European Commission met to discuss possibilities of energy savings in the building sector in workshops and lectures. The topics included sustainable heating, cooling, lighting, improved use of renewable raw materials, integration of renewable energies.
Dr. Robert Wimmer represented the GrAT and presented the "Life Cycle Habitation" demonstration project to an interested audience from science, industry, and politics.
PREVIEW June 17th to 18th, LIFE Platform meeting, Brussel
LIFE platform meeting on climate action and the building sector!
This meeting will bring together beneficiaries of the LIFE program and other EU funding mechanisms to exchange good practices around stronger energy performance in new buildings. It will also focus on how the building sector can become resilient to future climatic conditions and extreme weather events.
GrAT will be represented with the LIFE Cycle Habitation project by Dr. Robert Wimmer.
A preview and the agenda you can find here.
June, 4th to 5th 2019, "Future of Building" - Congress, Exhibition, B2B Meetings, Vienna
On 4. - 5. June 2019 "Außenwirtschaft Austria" and its partners invited to the 6th International Construction Congress "Future of Building" in the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber in Vienna.
The event focused on addressing current building trends and international developments in the industry. Over 700 participants from business and research from 50 countries had the opportunity to spend two days in numerous B2B meetings and to inform themselves of the latest products, services, projects and research results at the 60 exhibitor stands.
In cooperation with the Vienna University of Technology, GrAT was able to exhibit the LIFE Cycle Habitation project, on its own stand and present it to the international public.
More information about the event can be found at: buildings2019.b2match.io/home.
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April, 09th and 10th 2019, LIFE - platform in Marchegg Castle / Lower Austria
On 09th and 10th April 2019, the 21st LIFE platform took place in Marchegg Castle in Lower Austria. The conference was organized by the Federal Ministry of Sustainability and Tourism (BMNT), the office of the Lower Austrian government, department RU5 nature conservation, and the viadonau waterway society.
Invited to the network meeting were the participants of all ongoing and planned LIFE projects in Austria. GrAT was represented by Dr. Robert Wimmer. On the two days of the event, there was the opportunity to present updates on the status of the project implementation, to exchange information and communicate with like-minded people.
Representatives of the LIFE-Unit from Brussels, as well as the external team NEEMO Particip from Freiburg, informed the participants first-hand about the current LIFE Call and the new LIFE Call (opened on 04.04.2019). A detailed program with all speakers and presentations you can find here.
On a boat trip on 9th April, the guests were able to get an idea of the extensive and impressive revitalization measures on the March carried out by viadonau waterway society together with the WWF.
March, 20th and 21st 2019, ECO-Innovations from Biomass, Papenburg (G)
The international symposium "Eco-Innovations from Biomass" on March 20th and 21st were dedicated to the bio-based economy and its contribution to climate protection. Around 240 guests and sixty guest speakers from nine different countries participated in this networking event, which was organized by the 3N Competence Center Lower Saxony, Network Renewable Resources and Bioeconomy e.V. for the sixth time.
Dr. DI Robert Wimmer represented the Center for Appropriate Technology (AT) at this international meeting with a talk on Life Cycle Habitation - ecological thermal insulation systems. In his speech, he underlined once again the urgent need for future CO2-neutral and resource-conserving building and refurbishing. On the basis of the planned demonstration building LCH, he showed the numerous possibilities and fields of application for building materials made of renewables and their contribution to climate protection.
A review of the congress, as well as a detailed program with all lectures and speakers, can be downloaded from the homepage of the organizer 3N Competence Center.
The entire LCH-Team wishes a Merry Christmas
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5th December 2018, LIFE Climate Info Day - Zagreb
On Dec. 5th the Opens external link in new windowCroatian Ministry of Environment and Energy organized the conference "LIFE programme – contribution to the implementation of climate change policies", an infoday for the LIFE Climate Action Programme of the European Commission. GrAT - Center for Appropriate Technology was invited by the ministry to present the "LIFE Cycle Habitation Project" at this event and to answer questions of the numerous visitors concerning practical experience in application and management of LIFE Climate Action Projects.
Another interesting Austrian LIFE - Project was presented by Petra Mautner MSc (Opens external link in new windowKlimabündnis Tyrol) called "LIFE ClimAct - Climate Action Campaign for Low-Income Households".
Altogether it was a quite successful day! We are grateful for the invitation to this event and wish all participants a lot of success with their LIFE Climate Action Projects.
15th September 2018, many visitors at the OPEN HOUSE VIENNA days
On Saturday the 15th of September between 10:00 and 17:00 we had an open-door day within the framework event OPEN HOUSE VIENNA.More than 40 visitors have used the opportunity to visit the S-House with its ongoing exhibition and to get information about the latest developments of the EU LIFE "Life Cycle Habitation" project.We thank everyone for the deep interest and are looking forward to seeing you soon again at the BöZAT(Böheimkirchener Zentrum für Angepasste Technologie).Many thanks also to OPEN HOUSE VIENNA for the invitation to join our project. Open House Vienna
15th September 2018, Open House Vienna
In the framework of the Open House Vienna Event, an open-door day will take place in the S-house in Böheimkirchen on Saturday the 15th of September between 10:00 and 17:00.On this day it will be possible to visit the award-winning building as well as to get the latest information about the EU Life Demonstrationproject Life Cycle Habitation. Staff from GrAT will be on-site for questions regarding the S-House and the Life Cycle Habitation Project.Address: 3071 Böheimkirchen, Obere Hauptstrasse 38; access with train: Böheimkirchen train station, 3-minute walk via main parking place on the right.We are looking forward to seeing you there!Information to the Open House Vienna event and the program with other participating buildings at the weekend you can find hereOpen House Vienna
June, 4th 2018: Open Doors Day and Strawbale Laying “LIFE Cycle Habitation”
In the context of the EU Green Week 2018, an open doors day took place at the BÖZAT - Böheimkirchen Center for Adapted Technology and at the S-House. As part of the event, the EU-Life + project "LIFE Cycle Habitation", a CO2-neutral demonstration complex with innovative energy supply, was also presented to the numerous visitors. In a small ceremony, the construction site panel for the project was unveiled and presented by Dr. Robert Wimmer (GrAT), Thomas Mayer (EU monitoring team Neemo) and the major of Böheimkirchen Johann Hell.
For the guests and those interested in the "trial living," there was the opportunity to inform themselves at an own desk and to ask questions to the responsible planning architect Georg Scheicher as well as DI Michal Berger of teamgmi responsible for building services and energy supply.
In the ENZL Corner there was the opportunity for children and adults to try the energy bike and to inform themselves about the ongoing school project "ENZL - Energy to Life" (funded by the Talents Regional Program of the bmvit).
The Böheimkirchner comedian Thomas Flatschacher leaded through the program and the local restaurateur Denis Pop provided for the culinary well-being of the guests with his mobile catering service.
June 4th, 2018: Open Doors Day BÖZAT and Groundbreaking Ceremony LCH
In the course of the EU Green Week 2018 “Green Cities for a Greener Future” an Open Door Day will take place at the Center for Appropriate Technology and the S-House in Böheimkirchen / Lower Austria on June 4th from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. On this day the groundbreaking ceremony for the EU-Life+-Demonstrationproject "Life Cycle Habitation" will be held as well from 2 p.m. until 3 p.m. Food and Drinks will be provided and we look forward to welcoming you at the BÖZAT and the S-House.
The Programm for this Event you can find Initiates file download 
here (in German).
For organizational reasons we ask for preliminary message until 05-30-2018 to sekretariat@grat.at.
Nov. 06th, 2021 "Grüne Wirtschaft NÖ" visiting the S-House in Böheimkirchen
As part of an event at the S-House, members of the Green Economy Lower Austria also visited the Life Cycle Habitation. The visitors were given an exclusive guided tour with our client representative and master wood builder Andreas Ranftl. They showed great interest in the sustainability and circularity of the innovative buildings made of wood and straw as well as the self-sufficiency of the houses with renewable energies.
Sept. 11th, 2021, OPEN HOUSE
Numerous interested persons came to visit the residential buildings of the "Life Cycle Habitation" on Saturday, 11.09.2021. Andreas Ranftl, representative of the building owner, as well as Alma Becic and Christina Böckl from GrAT (project management) welcomed the guests and guided the groups through the buildings and residential units.
Dec. 8th, 2017: Greenskills Sustainability Symposium
On Dec. 8th the Greenskills Sustainability Symposium took place in the Packhaus in Vienna.The agenda included numerous presentations and speeches about sustainable living, self-building, and international do-it-yourself projects. A fair also on the topic of sustainable living and an open space complimented the event. You can find more information about the symposium on the homepage of Opens external link in new greenskills.
GrAT - represented by Erwin Krug - presented at the symposium their projects on the topic of sustainable living and building, especially the EU-Life+-project "Life Cycle Habitation".
Nov. 3rd and 4th, 2017: "1st Austrian Earthbuilding Conference" at the TU Wien
From Nov. 3rd to 4th the "1st Austrian Earthbuilding Conference" with numerous national and international guests took place at the Technical University Vienna. The organization of the event was done by a group of students around Ao.Univ.Prof. Dipl.Ing. Dr.phil. Andrea Rieger-Jandl, DI David Kraler und DI Christoph Lachberger.GrAT was invited to present and share the know-how on the topic of sustainable building with renewable resources and to present the EU-LIFE+-project LCH. The aim of the event was the sharing and exchange of know-how, competencies, and experiences in connection with earth building. Numerous speeches, presentations, and discussions intended to share and discuss actual research and new developments and to learn from one another.More information and details you will find under www.lehmbautagung.at
May, 2nd 2017 "19th LIFE-Platform" in Seekirchen am Wallersee
From 2nd to 3rd of May 2017 the 19th LIFE-Platform took place in Seekirchen am Wallersee (Austria / Salzburg). The conference was hosted by LIFE Project Northern Bald Ibis - Reason for Hope. After the greeting and introduction by Gerhard Schwach (Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management) and Heidi Reiter (Member of State Parliament Salzburg), the participants were informed about different important aspects concerning LIFE+ by the representative for the EU-Commission Dorte-Pardo LOPEZ. Both conference days were used to present different EU-Life-Projects by the participants. The World Café offered space for discussions and suggestions. Two excursions to the Wengermoor (LIFE-NAT project 1998-2004) as well as the LIFE - WALDRAPP project area rounded off the event.
Pictures of the event: www.grosstrappe.at/de/projekte/life-projekt-2016-2023/events/life-projekt-veranstaltungen/759.html.
The program can be found here.
Nov. 11th, 2016 "Passiv House Day" in the S-House
During the Passive House Days 2016, the S-House in 3017 Böheimkirchen (Lower Austria) was open for the public on Friday, 11th Nov. 2016 for everyone interested in strawbale buildings.Numerous visitors took the opportunity to visit the S-House and to get information about the possibilities of a ball-insulated passive house by the experts of the Grat. In the morning there was also a class of the HTL-Mödling, Department of Interior Architecture and Wood Technologies, as part of an excursion.The highlight of this open day was the get-together of straw house owners and potential builders organized by Strohblogger Christian Reisenthaler in the afternoon. With the help of Dr. Robert Wimmer and Erwin Krug (GrAT), the advantages of the building were treated with straw and subsequently discussed with guests. Especially the presentation of the "Life Cycle Habitation" project was very popular with the audience. Personal impressions of Christian Reisenthaler you can read in his Blog. More information concerning the GrAT and the S-House, you can find under www.s-house.at and www.grat.at.
Oct. 5th, 2016 SBE 2016Tallinn und Helsinki Conference
The SBE (Sustainable Built Environment) conference in Tallinn and Helsinki took place from 5 to 7 October 2016. The GrAT was represented by DI Sören Eikemeier with the project "Life Cycle Habitation". Participants from 25 countries exchanged on green building. You can find more information about the contributions and the program under the homepage SBE2016 Tallin
The Grat's contribution was also published in the 9th edition of Energy Procedia.
Sept. 1st, 2016, Shooting for Magazine "heute konkret" in the S-House
Thursday, Sept. 1st, 2016 the ORF-journalist Patricia Aradi visited the S-House in Böheimkirchen (Lower Austria) with her camera crew to shoot a television report for the ORF-Magazine "heute konkret". Dr. Robert Wimmer, CEO of GrAT, talked with her about the benefits of building with straw, the most important qualities of strawbales concerning insulation value, fire protection, etc., as well as about the current project "Life Cycle Habitation" and the objective to make straw bales more attractive for commercial and social housing.
Broadcast: Sept. 15th 2016 on ORF 2 "heute konkret" (Starttime: 06:30 p.m.)
July 10th, 2016 "A totally normal house from straw"
CEO of GrAT and head of project for "Life Cycle Habitation" DI Dr. Robert Wimmer talks with Bernadette Redl from the Austrian newspaper "Der Standard" about the project and building with straw.
Link to the article in German: derstandard.at/2000040659245/Ein-ganz-normales-Haus-aus-Stroh
April 28th, 2016: Symposium 30 Years GrAT at the TUtheSky and in the S-House
The EU Life+ Project "LCH - Life Cycle Habitation" was presented to numerous, prominent guests (researchers, politicians, business representatives) during the Symposium "30 years Appropriate Technology" at the Technical University Vienna. In the evening the guests had the possibility to discuss the symosium in a relaxed atmosphere in the in the S-House in Böheimkirchen.
September 18., 2015: Presentation of the LCH project at 10-Year S-House anniversary event in Böheimkirchen
At the S-House event, officials from the ministry (BMVIT), the local government of Böheimkirchen (including the mayor) as well as stakeholders from home and abroad (The Netherlands, Korea and Japan) were present.
Aug. 2015 European Straw Bale Gathering ESBG2015, Paris
From the 20th to the 25th of August the ESBG 2015 was taking place in the French City of Montargis, Paris. On this 6 day event new projects as well as the latest news about the construction with straw bales were presented by more than 50 participants to big audience. Also the project LIFE Cycle Habitation was creating awareness in the category Straw Goes Urban. For additional information see www.esbg2015.eu
You can download the programme of ESGB 2015 here.
Nov. 2014, Presentation at the LIFE+ Meeting in Bonn
The project was presented at the official Life Kick-off Meeting in Bonn, Germany in November 2014, by Dr. Robert Wimmer.
Sept. 2014, Zero Carbon Building Conference, Birmingham, UK
The project was already successfully presented on a first conference about zero carbon buildings in Birmingham in September 2014 to international experts from around the world. Additional information can be extracted also from www. zerocarbonbuildings.world
You will find the Paper: LIFE Cycle Habitation – Zero Carbon Building Concepts here for download.