Europe’s largest PVT system heats Vienna’s new Sport Arena

The PVT collector market continues to establish itself in Europe. The new Sport Arena in Vienna is home to what is currently the largest PVT system in Europe, with 1,130 collectors from the German supplier Sunmaxx PVT. It surpasses the installation at the Barcelona Swimming Club in Spain, which features 1,041 PVT elements. The photo shows the roof installation during an expert visit organized by Sunmaxx PVT. This flagship project not only signals growing confidence in the technology, but also reflects a broader market momentum.
Photo: Sunmaxx PVT

“The energy supply system of the Vienna Sport Arena is a flagship project and demonstrates what is possible with hybrid modules”, explained Franz Ziering, Senior Sales Director at Sunmaxx PVT, in a press release published to coincide with the opening of the Sport Arena in September. “It ensures a reliable year-round supply of both electricity and heat, offers comparatively low investment costs and requires minimal maintenance.”
The history of this exemplary eco-friendly sports facility began four years ago, when the city of Vienna issued a tender for the construction of a new sports arena. 28 consortia submitted bids, and one prevailed – a team already well known in Austria for its energy-plus buildings: Karl und Bremhorst Architekten ZT together with Future is Now – Kuster Energielösungen.

“My goal was to surpass the Johan Cruijff ArenA in Amsterdam – at the time Europe’s flagship for eco-friendly stadiums – with the overall ecological concept for the Sport Arena in Vienna,” explained Harald Kuster, Managing Director of Future is Now, who has been planning and implementing sustainable energy solutions for large-scale buildings such as hospitals, schools and sports facilities for more than 20 years.

The biggest challenge for the self-sufficient energy concept was the polycarbonate façade of the top floor with its poor thermal insulation properties, but its high architectural value.
Photos: Future is Now

Vienna’s Sport Arena sets new environmental standards for sports facilities in Europe

The three-storey sports center covers 25,890 m² of heated floor space and 120 showers and accommodates 20 different sports disciplines. At the heart of Future is Now’s energy concept are six 90 kW brine/water heat pumps, which draw heat from a PVT system covering the entire roof as well as from 75 boreholes, each 150 m deep, distributed across the site. The heating supply system was designed, planned, and is responsibly operated by the Austrian company Future is Now. Sumaxx PVT supplied the PVT elements and, together with its partners Wagner Solar, Germany, and Fortuna Solar, Austria, built the turnkey PVT system.

Additional key features of the innovative energy supply system include high-quality thermal insulation, activation of concrete ceilings and of the floor slab of the ball sports hall for thermal storage, and heat recovery through the building’s ventilation system.

The building is seeking the Klimaaktiv Gold Standard, a prestigious certification developed by the Austrian Ministry of Energy. It aims to score 948 out of 1000 points, with the majority (550 points) awarded for its ecological energy supply. In the ‘Resources and Circular Economy’ category, the reuse of 80% of the construction waste — including excavated earth and broken concrete — from the former Ferry Dusika Hallenstadion at the same location significantly contributed to the building’s sustainability score.

A key aspect of the Klimaaktiv Gold Standard is that the building generates more energy than it consumes over the course of a year. The 463 kW_p photovoltaic system on the roof produces approximately 439,000 kWh of solar energy annually, while the six heat pumps require around 240,000 kWh of electricity each year. Importantly, the heat pumps are not needed for cooling in the summer, as the building is cooled passively, which contributes positively to the overall electricity balance. Cooling is provided by circulation pumps that deliver chilled brine from the boreholes to the ventilation system.

“A PVT system is ideal for a building with such high heat loads, like this sports facility,” explained Kuster. “Depending on the temperature of the heat from the roof, it can be used to preheat the hot water tanks, warm the brine for the heat pumps, activate the concrete components of the building, or regenerate the boreholes.”

The City of Vienna received 2.8 million EUR in funding for the innovative energy concept. This grant is tied to a one-year monitoring program conducted by the Austrian institute AEE INTEC. Early operational results are promising, said Kuster. His small team was prepared to take sole responsibility for the operation of the energy supply system, because the general constructor, one of Austria’s largest construction companies in Austria, did not feel confident enough to do so.

Key figures related to the energy supply system of the Sport Arena in Vienna
Source: https://www.klimaaktiv.at/sportarena-wien /, Sunmaxx PVT, Future is Now – Kuster Energielösungen

Austria’s first energy-neutral sports hall – a project by the City of Vienna, Austria – contains three independently usable halls, providing an ideal combination of training and event facilities.
Photos: Sunmaxx PVT, City of Vienna

Websites of organisations mentioned in this news article:
Sport Arena in Vienna: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport_Arena_Wien
Future Is Now – Kuster Energielösungen: https://www.futureisnow.eu/
Sunmaxx PVT: https://sunmaxx-pvt.com/
Wagner Solar: https://www.wagner-solar.com/en/
Fortuna Solar: https://www.fortuna-solar.at/
AEE INTEC: https://www.aee-intec.at/en/