Vienna Green Hub
European Patent Office in Vienna
The revitalised headquarters of the European Patent Office in Vienna is one of the most sustainable buildings of its kind. With a BREEAM certification of "Outstanding," it has achieved the highest rating currently awarded in the DACH region.
The office building of the European Patent Office (EPO) in Vienna was to be transformed into a state-of-the-art “Green Hub” that meets the highest standards of sustainability, resource conservation, and energy efficiency. After winning the competition in 2021, we were commissioned with the renovation and refurbishment.
Comprehensive Renovation
Built in 1972, the building had reached the end of its operational life. Instead of opting for demolition, the EPO made a forward-thinking decision to preserve the original reinforced concrete structure and carry out a comprehensive renovation. We completely stripped the existing building down to its structural framework, redesigned the vertical access, and renewed the facade both aesthetically and in terms of energy performance. The building services were also modernized and aligned with the goal of achieving net-zero emissions. A decisive factor in the success of this project was the integral, cloud-based communication of all stakeholders within the BIM model, ensuring seamless coordination from planning through execution to facility management.
Climate-Neutral Building with BREEAM “Outstanding” Certification
The use of circular materials, a highly efficient timber-element facade, ecological rainwater utilization, acoustic climate panels for heating and cooling, and the supply of renewable energy have all contributed to the building’s BREEAM “Outstanding” certification. This represents the highest rating achieved in the DACH region to date. In close collaboration with our sustainability experts from ATP sustain, we not only created the conditions to support the European Green Deal’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 but also helped realize the EPO’s ambitious objective of becoming carbon-neutral by 2030.
Our experts developed the concept of a carbon-neutral, high-quality revitalisation within a BIM-supported working environment. The European Patent Office serves as a ‘best practice’ model for sustainable building transformation.
Horst Reiner, Senior Consultant in Vienna
Architecture
The office building is designed like a pavilion, situated in a unique green setting between the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Belvedere Palace and its park, the Salesian Convent, and the Botanical Garden. It integrates harmoniously into the historical ensemble. The most significant new design element is the atrium, which extends over all floors around a central staircase, creating an open space for communication. The public area remains on the ground floor, while communal facilities such as the cafeteria and multifunctional event spaces have been relocated to the roof.
In designing the office spaces on the upper floors, flexibility, transparency, and openness were key priorities. The rooms can be easily adapted in depth and along every axis to meet the current and future needs of users—without requiring major structural modifications.
