From pure energy efficiency to sustainability
In terms of heating and cooling, the building designed by the architects Poppe*Prehal is self-sufficient – made possible by a huge buffer storage tank and photovoltaic system. On the roof there is a 950 m2 photovoltaic system whose elements provide the building with electricity. The walls and ceilings contain copper pipes which cool the rooms in the summer. Underfloor heating, which also contains copper pipes, is an additional source of heat during the colder months of the year. The project has received ‘Blue Building’ certification from the German Sustainable Building Council. It ensures that sociocultural aspects are given equal consideration in the evaluation alongside ecological and economic factors. Since sustainability began to take on greater significance in the building industry, different standards have emerged in various countries, although efforts are being made to harmonise these.

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Vienna Environment Prize 2013
In the course of the planning work, it emerged that legal provisions required the building to be equipped with a 600 m3 firefighting water tank. What was initially met with displeasure by the building owner was ultimately turned into a practical, ecological concept thanks to an unconventional idea.
The idea was to use the firefighting water tank to set up a heat pump. The technical groundwork was carried out in conjunction with Jürgen Loidl from Burgenland University of Applied Sciences as part of his thesis. Combining an expensive, technical fire protection system with an ecological concept won over the jury of the Vienna Environment Prize 2013 and building owner Paul Blau accepted the award at the end of February.

‘Structural Glazing’ is energy-efficient and aesthetically pleasing
The building, which will house a fully automatic, computer-controlled warehouse, has an office wing with a tinted façade on the side facing the courtyard. The flush-fitting, triple-glazed glass wall satisfies the highest design standards; only a thin silicon joint remains visible between the panes of insulation glass, creating the impression of expansive, full-surface glazing. The dark tint also provides sufficient shade.
‘The construction works are going according to plan and the building should be ready by the end of June,’ report both site managers Daniel Fink and Christian Kufleitner, who really appreciate the constructive working relationship with the owner of the building. The company headquarters of Peter Blau Ges. m.b.H., a traditional family-run business, is due to relocate to its new premises in summer 2013.

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Rivers are Europe’s arteries. Running for thousands of kilometres, they connect not only seas but also nations. There has always been life wherever water has flowed, and rivers and canals have long served people as routes for travel and transport. The Danube is one of Europe’s oldest and most important trade routes. Rafts and boats have plied its waters since ancient times, and goods of all kinds have been shipped up and down the Danube for thousands of years. Important and prospering cities such as Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava and Belgrade have grown up on its banks.

Connecting all of Europe
As far back as 793, Charlemagne made plans to connect Europe’s two main travel routes – the Rhine and the Danube – by means of a navigable canal, but it took almost 1,200 years to realise his dream. The Rhine-Main-Danube Canal, which now connects the North Sea to the Black Sea, was built between 1960 and 1992 and crosses no fewer than thirteen European countries. But it is not just the waterways that have evolved into trans-European means of transport. The clichéd old image of a dilapidated boat chugging upriver, rum old captain at the helm has nothing at all to do with the reality of modern domestic shipping. Technical innovation has changed many things. Take for example the planning and punctuality of transport. ‘Today, thanks to GPS, we always know exactly where all of our goods are at any given time,’ explains Peter Jedlicka, managing director of Multinaut Donaulogistik GmbH, who has been in the business for 20 years. ‘Just-in-time delivery is now the norm and we are just as punctual as truck transport.’

Modern information technology
A system called River Information Services has been developed throughout Europe to increase the safety and efficiency of domestic shipping. Boats are fitted with AIS transponders (AIS = Automatic Identification System), which enable them to be located accurately via GPS at any time. This allows the authorities to manage traffic carefully on rivers and canals, but it also provides crews with important information about their own progress, other boats nearby and other relevant facts, such as water levels. The latest tracking and tracing information enables transport and resources to be planned accurately, and facilitates a flexible response in the event of delays and changes of plan.

Future-proof transport alternative
Domestic navigation is not only safe and reliable, it is also eco-friendly, energy-efficient and cost-effective. It is an attractive alternative form of transport with an enormous capacity to carry volume, and in the future it could help to significantly relieve the burden on road networks. An inland ship that can carry 2,100 tonnes can take the place of 105 trucks, each of which carries 20 tonnes. So there is much reason to look to shipping. The capacity of the waterways is far from exhausted. Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development, in its Maritime Transport Forecast 2025, estimates that transhipments in German seaports alone will rise from 261 million tonnes in the year 2009 to around 759 million tonnes in 2025. The EU has also developed a series of funding programmes aimed at improving the conditions for domestic shipping (NAIADES, MARCO POLO). To ensure that this increase in volume does not impact negatively on the waterways concerned, there are also conservation projects that will prevent contamination by ship waste (such as ‘Waste management for inland Navigation on the Danube’ – WANDA). Peter Jedlicka advocates fully the cross-border work that all of this entails: ‘The Danube region has always been a closely interconnected economic zone. That is what is so good about our business – the collaboration and all the contact we have with people in the neighbouring countries.’

The challenge of hydraulic engineering
Domestic shipping can only develop positively given the appropriate infrastructure. Existing waterways have to be maintained and bottlenecks alleviated. But building in, on and around the water places significant demands on people and machines, and demands a truly professional approach. ‘We almost always work from floating rigs,’ says Jörn Treichel of the ALPINE Hydraulic Construction Team in Stuttgart. ‘We use pontoons, which are floating objects that can be anchored in place and that provide space for our personnel and machines.’ From there, excavation and building work can be done, such as when renovating or rebuilding quay walls, extending harbour entrances and basins, securing embankments, and so on.

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Yet working from the water remains a challenge. Every construction site has its own difficulties. ‘In Hamburg, where we are engaged in building a wall at Petersen Quay, we are in a tidal zone and we have to calculate on that basis. So if the water level rises by three or four meters at high tide, our team has to respond accordingly,’ explains Treichel. ‘Sometimes we can only work at low tide, sometimes only at high tide.’ At the Markbreit Lock on the River Main, a special process was used by which concrete can even be laid beneath the water. ‘Our work there involves securing the bed of the river so that it is not continuously stirred up by boats,’ says Treichel. ‘Only six companies in Germany have a licence to operate that process,’ he adds with a hint of pride. But there is still much to do. It seems that domestic shipping not only has a rich history but also a promising future. Peter Jedlicka looks to it with confidence: ‘The number of boats involved is rising, and because new and different kinds of goods of all sizes need transporting, my work is always exciting.’

Links:

• Alpine Bau Deutschland / Hydraulic Engineering
• MULTINAUT Donaulogistik

Finding the right work-life balance in our hectic and fast-moving times
is no simple undertaking. When all is said and done, career, family and leisure activities all need to be accommodated, with nothing being short-changed. A comfortable lifestyle with too much driving, watching television and working sitting down contribute to the lack of exercise. But how can we integrate sport activities and a balanced diet into everyday life in the long term? The ALPINE Salzburg branch has been offering its employees help and support in the form of the “PRO Fit” programme based on 3 pillars since January 2012. Participants are provided with the opportunity to become more healthy and improve their sense of well-being – and lose a few kilos besides.

Exercise, nutrition and mental fitness
The voluntary participants are provided with advice and support by professionals in the three fields of exercise, nutrition and mental fitness – employees are free to choose their main priority. The sessions offered – including Zumba, Nordic walking, power training, giving up smoking and time management – proved to be very popular with the workforce, with around 100 taking part enthusiastically from the very start. The programme was initiated with a health check and a sports medical examination being performed in collaboration with the University of Salzburg. Values from the medical checks, such as fitness, BMI, cholesterol level, weight, blood sugar level and blood pressure are available collectively. Employee health is no longer a purely private matter, but an important productivity factor. This opinion is also shared by Michael Pichler, who as Head of Human Resources helped to shape the initiative: “More and more is being demanded of companies. It’s all about giving the employees something in return and maintaining their motivation.” Training sessions take place regularly in groups, thereby further boosting team spirit. After all, the participants need to remain “active” for a long time.

Impressive performance whatever the weather
The fact that you need not necessarily be born into the world as an ambitious athlete nor begin with strict training as a child is proven by ALPINE Group Manager Hans Dorner. He was 30 before he discovered the delights of endurance sports, when he began to a ride a bike after work for some exercise. A good decade later, he can produce an impressive list of competitions entered: a total of four triathlons, two marathons and more than 40 mountain bike marathons. Hans Dorner even takes part in the “Mountain-Attack”, a ski-touring race renowned for its severity, which demands the highest levels of toughness from its participants. “For me, sport is the ideal balance to my job”, explains Dorner, for whom precise training plans are unheard of. “I train more before the competitions, but then there are also quieter periods when I do a lot less sport.” Whatever the weather or season, there are always training units to be completed, seeing as the competitions also take place in the freezing cold and sweltering heat. Dorner managed to hold his own in 2012 in the triathlon on the Canary island Lanzarote. “30 degrees Celsius and the wind made the cycling course particularly challenging”, reports the father of two from Styria, who only missed the qualifying time for the Ironman on Hawaii by a few minutes on Lanzarote.

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12,000 metres of ascent and alpine panorama
It’s the same – albeit not quite so extreme, but still more sporty than average – for Kurt Müller from the ALPINE ARGE Accounts department. In his summer holidays, he crossed the Alps from north to south on his mountain bike. The tour led him through breathtaking alpine countryside – starting from the Tegernsee in Bavaria via the luscious green alpine meadows of Tyrol and South Tyrol’s spectacular mountain panorama – to the shores of Lake Garda in Italy. Despite the picturesque scenery, the tour took a lot out of the 18-strong group. Between start and finish lay a strength-sapping 480 kilometres and around 12,000 metres of ascent to be overcome in 6 days. The group had the most demanding stage to negotiate on day two. “The ride to the top of the Patscherkofel – Innsbruck’s local mountain – was the most exhausting part of the tour. Not only was the ascent sweat-inducing, but also the descent demanded strength and concentration. We went for hours downhill along a single trail”, reports Kurt Müller, who enjoyed the tour, in spite of all the hard work. However, the keen cyclist is not only to be found out and about in the Alps on his mountain bike – since the mid-90s, he’s been to New Zealand three times, where he’s covered a distance of between 6,000 and 7,000 kilometres by bicycle.

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Moderately – but regularly
In order to keep mentally and physically fit, however, you don’t need to have any extreme athletic ambitions. Even short – but regular – sports sessions are very good for the health. “PRO Fit”, which has already brought a great deal of motivation and appreciation for a balanced lifestyle, will come to an end in April 2013 with an evaluation and a medical check. The medical values of all the participants should have improved by then. Nevertheless, this does not mean the end of the programme for Wolfgang Spann, the fitness coach engaged for “PRO Fit”. “If the groups remain together beyond the end of this year and sport becomes a natural part of life, then we have really achieved something.”

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Business factor
These are things which industry is coming to terms with. ‘We cooperate closely with ecoplus, which runs workshops about multi-generation living,’ reports Monika Klenovec, architect, university lecturer in Universal Design and Accessible Building, and founding member of an association called ‘design for all’ (www.designforall.at). ALPINE also recognised the market potential of accessibility long ago, especially in hospitals, care homes and schools. ‘A lot of space is given to the subject of accessibility nowadays,’ points out architect Josef Moser, who, together with architectural office Maurer, planned the Mistelbach District Hospital project for ALPINE. ‘Accessibility from the outside was part of the construction work that had to be done. By creating a new main entrance on a level with the approach driveways, and by creating a barrier-free connection between the bus stop and the higher main entrance, we made it easy for people to come in and out without any help.’ The inside area was also structured flush with the existing building. ‘The entire architectural design was based around a multi-sensory principle and incorporates things like colour guidance systems. Accessibility, according to Moser, has been a major architectural consideration for many years, including in countries other than Austria. The latest ALPINE project in Germany includes care homes at Griesheim and Dreieich, a senior citizens’ centre in Ruhpolding, Hofheim Hospital and Landshut Vocational College, as well as a Health Care Centre in Abu Dhabi, UAE. ‘Accessible building is now standard practice in Germany,’ points out construction manager Sebastian Mattheus. In Austria, public sector buildings will be obliged to be accessible by the end of 2015. ‘So far many public buildings have only adapted themselves half-heartedly. There is still much to do if we are to avoid a flood of lawsuits beginning in 2016,’ criticises Maria Rosina Grundner of the Austrian Working Group for Rehabilitation. ‘It is important that we sensitise people thoroughly to the comprehensive issues involved,’ claims Moser, the architect.

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150 cm required
Arguments of cost do not hold water when it comes to accessibility. If incorporated from the start of a project, accessibility barely makes a difference; additional cost ranges from between 0.3 and 3 per cent of the overall construction amount. But what is required is initiative on the part of occupants and officials. Accessible construction still does not constitute part of regular building training. Citizens, therefore, must take responsibility. Every regional capital in Austria already has the necessary advisory centres. A manual entitled Barrier-free building can be used to analyse problem areas in apartments and offices quickly and easily. Renovations are easier to do in older buildings, the reason being that those responsible for building them were not so stingy with space. Clearance is a particularly important factor. ‘The ideal turning circle is 150 cm. This can be checked using an open umbrella, for example. With a mobile chair I can reveal thresholds and unsuitable floor coverings,’ says Klenovec. Design for all is quick to implement. ‘The wellness area in the ground floor of my building was made accessible over the course of a single weekend.’

Accessibility in law
Accessibility has already been largely incorporated into construction legislation. ‘The law entitled ÖNORM B 1600, which has been in force since 1977, sets the precedent for accessible building in Austria,’ explains Grundner. It is revised about every five years, and the latest new edition was promulgated in February 2012. According to Klenovec three other standards are currently under revision, these being: special structures; accessible schools, educational facilities and accompanying institutions; and accessible tourist facilities. She expects the revisions to come into force in the autumn. The release of Directive 4 by the Austrian Institute of Construction Engineering in 2007, and which was updated in 2011, has already gone a long way towards harmonising variations in the various regions of the country. According to the Austrian Working Group on Rehabilitation, the funding situation remains very mixed. ‘It varies from state to state, between new buildings and conversions, privately and publically owned buildings, and types of building use,’ says Klenovec. ‘It is often only possible to apply for a residential building grant if one of your family members is disabled,’ adds Klenovec.

Accessible living
Monika Klenovec is certain about one thing: she would like to spend her retirement in a bungalow with an even floor throughout. ‘All of the things required for living must be on one single level,’ states the passionate traveller. ‘I want to be able to pull my trolley into my house when I come home without having to lift it up.’ The accessibility expert dreams of a luxury bathtub in addition to an accessible shower. Indeed it is in the bathroom where one of the main difficulties of accessible residential building lies. Bathrooms offer too little space to move around in, there is a lack of handles, and washbasins cannot be lowered. ‘Some people simply do not want to face up to the fact of accessibility and do not want to face up to getting old,’ believes Astrid Wessely of the Büro für ganzheitliches Planen, explaining one of the reasons why residential buildings are neglected. Klenovec adds: ‘If we do not plan and build today using the principles of adaptable residential construction, then we will have to come up with a lot more money later in order to build extra care homes and refurbish existing housing stock, a process which is becoming increasingly expensive. Can we really afford that?’

The nuclear disaster at Fukushima in Japan shook the world to the core. To demand the shutting down of nuclear power stations now no longer brands you an outcast or eco-freak. Everyone still feels the shock, yet we continue to need and consume more electricity. For this reason, renewable energies are in vogue.
Renewable energy is energy that comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves and geothermal heat, which are renewable because they are naturally replenished at a constant rate – and it is the last of these that has developed into a crucial factor in the regenerative mix. Cogeneration, which generates both heat and electricity, is the ace in the pack. Biomass enjoys attractive advantages over solar and wind solutions because it can be stored, and can be used to generate electricity as and when required.

Produce or regrow
Biomass describes any organic substance produced by plants, animals or people. Regenerative raw materials, energy-containing plants and organic residue can be used to generate electricity in special power plants. In Austria, wood is popular in the form of offcuts, wood chips and pellets, and generous grants are available for anyone who switches over to biomass heating systems. Such systems are made more attractive still because they produce a pleasant indoor climate, cost little to supply with raw materials, and the heat they generate can be fed into local and long-distance heat networks. Liquid and gaseous substances have also proven good suppliers of energy. Plant oils derived from rapeseed and sunflowers can be used as biodiesel, as can waste fat, while manure, kitchen waste and leftovers from vegetable processing, grass cuttings and vegetation can all be fermented to produce valuable biogas.

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Superlative role model projects
China appears to have read the signs of the times and is leading the way by building a gigantic biomass power station in the province of Guangdong. According to the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, the potential for carbon emission savings in China’s economically strongest region is around 423,523 tonnes. Two steam turbines produce 50 megawatts each. The region is rich in eucalyptus, sisal and mangrove, making it the ideal location for such a monster project. Finland also has big ideas. On the Gulf of Bothnia, around 470 km from Helsinki, lies the town of Pietarsaari (Jakobstad), whose industry consists of luxury-yacht building and forestry. It is therefore hardly surprising that an imposing biomass power plant is now situated next to global paper producer UPM, which uses bark, sawdust, woodchips and peat as fuel. It has been producing 265 MW of electricity since 2002. Generally speaking, however, projects tend to be more modest.

Borohrádek biomass plant
In the Czech Republic, for example, ALPINE-ENERGIE completed a construction project in April that produces five thermal megawatts and one electric megawatt of energy. Modern OCR turbines, storage and loading systems, and building shells have been assembled in Borohrádek to produce clean heat and power. ‘This plant does not produce any flue gas as such, since its working cycle is closed. The source of flue gas is the biomass boiler, which easily fulfils emission requirements,’ explains Pavel Samec, technical director of ALPINE-ENERGIE in the Czech Republic, speaking about the plant’s benefits. After a construction period of 13 months he was especially happy to be able to hand over the plant so smoothly, ready for operation: ‘We managed to fulfil challenging requirements regarding time and the coordination of all materials and wage labour on the one hand, while responding flexibly to the operational demands of the client on the other. ALPINE-ENERGIE was the sole contractor to the client and carried full responsibility for materials, time and the cost of building work. As authors of the project documentation, we were also responsible for the technical concept.’ Borohrádek efficiently generates all the electricity required for its operator’s own needs, and the operator utilises the heat generated and sells excess electricity to the grid, allowing it to optimise its operating costs and achieve a decent return on investment.

Nothing but success?
But not all investments in green power have been so fruitful. In the past, ambitious undertakings have failed over a loss of relations. Some biomass and biogas plants in Austria were planned in the expectation of generous funding, renovation grants, boiler exchange premiums and investment premiums, while neglecting future profitability. The price of raw biomass has risen much more quickly than forecast. Resistance among local residents can also endanger a project if, for example, it looks like it will involve too much transport traffic or too much fine dust in the air. The plants that stand the best chance of financial success will remain those situated near to wood processing industries or in forested areas, and that do not require very long power cables. Given those conditions, the ecological arguments are irrefutable and go hand in hand with green profits.

Links:

• ALPINE-ENERGIE

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Once again we can be grateful to live in Austria. In many other parts of the world you never know quite what is brewing in landfills and seeping unnoticed into the earth, whereas here we enjoy the protection of ÖNORM S 2073, ÖNORM S 2076 and ÖNORM S 2087. Don’t worry, we don’t intend to bore you with dry definitions, except to say that these three standards regulate the production, manufacture and laying of PEHD sheeting, which, in addition to sand, protective fleece, geogrids and the likes, represents an important part of the barrier that lies beneath landfill sites.

Absolute impassability
Clay and bentonite used to be used to line landfills, as did PVC, until it was replaced by PEHD (polyethylene high density) in the early 1980s. Why? Because when it comes to water resistance, this thermoplastic beats mineral-based materials hands down, and while other plastics become brittle over time or contain softeners that dissolve and seep into the ground, PEHD remains implacable. Markus Hager, who works for PEHD manufacturer Agru, well knows the most common adversaries: ‘Oil, cleaning agents, battery fluids, fermented food remnants, mildly concentrated acids. PEHD holds back water seepage too.’ The sheeting is made by extruding melted plastic, often on a large scale. Widths of between five and eight metres, lengths of up to 100 metres, and thicknesses of 0.5 to 3 mm run over rollers, cooling as they go. Textured sheeting has been developed that does not slip when used to line slopes and embankments. PEHD is not just used to seal off landfills but also water basins for ornamental fountains in Dubai and large-scale tunnels at the Niagara Falls in Canada. Trained personnel are essential to the laying process if things are to be done properly from an environmental perspective. The specifications for plastic welding are taught in auxiliary training modules and on the construction sites themselves, since such projects always require creativity and technical expertise. The way the separate sheets are joined together is all-important and it involves lots of heat and lots of ingenuity. The surfaces of the overlapping sheets are heated to around 200 ⁰C using a heated tool welding system, and pressed together without leaving any gaps. The quality of the material and the tightness of the join are monitored using compressed air and documented by external bodies, such as the Austrian Research Institute.

Long-term outlook
PEHD is the material of choice for large-area coverage combined with high strength and resilience. It has only been in practical use for a few decades, but experiments have been conducted that project its longevity into centuries. It does not dissolve, it does not emit any substances, and it can be pulled up to seven times its own length before tearing. These properties have extended its original area of use in landfills to include groundwater protection, collecting pans for agricultural waste, and for laying beneath taxiways at airports, under car parks and around oil tanks. In Austria these sealing sheets are taken up into the mountains to line storage basins for the snow cannons that help save skiers from poor seasonal snowfall. All in all there are few of us who do not benefit from this high-tech material in some way or other.

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Links:

• >> AGRU

Most large-scale construction projects are announced long in advance. But occasionally everything happens quite suddenly – and you find yourself starting without any warning at all. This was the situation in which Alpine and all the other companies involved in the project found themselves in June 2011. They had accepted the challenge of building a roofed stadium with a capacity of 25,000, in Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku, in the shortest space of time. The stadium was to become the venue for the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) 2012, so it had to be finished and handed over ready for use in May 2012. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has been running the Eurovision TV show since 1956. It moves around Europe, the venue each year being the home country of the previous year’s winner. The object of the ESC is to portray Europe’s cultural diversity so that people can witness it in a common television format. As the decades went by, however, dust began to gather on the public-funded pop spectacle and it looked like it would vanish amid a booming TV and media landscape. But now the Contest is all the rage again, including among young people. Germany experienced nothing short of ‘Lena-Mania’ when its entry, Lena Meyer-Landrut, won the contest at the Oslo Indoor Stadium in 2010. She did not manage to defend her title the next year at home, but the gigantic spectacle at Düsseldorf’s ESPRIT-Arena caused a big splash nevertheless.

Superlative TV production
The ESC has been held in a range of different European conference centres, auditoriums and arenas. Capacity has never been a major factor, but rather the venue’s suitability for elaborate TV productions. Now, however, the trend seems to be towards the largest arenas possible. The first football stadium to be used was in 2001, when Copenhagen’s Parken Stadium was given a retractable roof prior to the big event. Ten years later saw what may have been the biggest television production of all time, when the ESC 2011 came to the Rhine, bringing with it television, media and show technology (including a 60 × 18 metre LED wall) and production apparatus the likes of which had rarely been seen anywhere else before. It was in this glamorous setting that Azerbaijan first won the singing contest in May 2011, with its duo Ell & Niki. Considering that their country had to host the contest next, the delegation from the Caspian Sea might well have returned a little intimidated by their weekend at Dusseldorf. Plans were immediately put forward for the big event in Azerbaijan. Aside from the big stadium in Düsseldorf, the Azerbaijanis were able to look around a backup stadium belonging to football club Fortuna Düsseldorf, which has a capacity of 20,000 and was built by modular construction market leader NÜSSLI. NÜSSLI was thereupon appointed general planner for what was initially conceived as a temporary hall in Baku.

At the feet of the flag
The client – the National Azerbaijani Committee for Property Matters – had selected one of the country’s most prominent pieces of land for the purpose: a promontory in the Bay of Baku on the Caspian Sea, where, on a platform, the highest flagpole in the world (162 metres) had already been erected to carry a correspondingly large flag (35 × 70 metres). And it was not long before they decided that such a location deserved a suitably prestigious building – a permanent, multi-purpose sports and events palace accommodating 25,000 people. Because of the dimensions of the gigantic steel puzzle and the extreme time pressure, ALPINE Bau Deutschland AG took over the role of experienced and capable general contractor. In order that the covered stadium should acquire an appropriate flare over and beyond its pure functionality, famous architects gmp were brought on board as basic engineers. They gave the building an unmistakable look – its crystalline structure, bedecked with an LED facade and lighting, which lends the structure an extraordinary visual impact and sets it apart as the jewel of Azerbaijan.

Planned and built simultaneously
One of the keys to successful project management in this instance was to conduct it as building work went on. Another was the design of the building, which the planners divided into three main elements that could be worked on simultaneously there in Baku: first of all, the steel modular stadium, including its complex of terraces and its thermo-facade. Secondly, the separate interior roof, which was placed on stilts in the inside of the building. Thirdly, the outer facade with its membrane enclosure and LED fittings on a steel frame. But that was not all. By the time the deadline came, all of the interior equipment and safety/media installations had to be ready for operation, and all of this involved an immense feat of logistics. The leading parties involved held their first actual discussions in June 2011. The principal agreement was concluded by 2 August and foundation work began immediately. Günter Wieching, technical director at ALPINE and the project manager responsible at Baku, looks back: ‘The client prepared the ground by filling in the promontory, while we worked day and night on the prestructural calculations without even knowing exactly what we were going to build. We then mobilised everything in the direction of Baku and began with the foundation work in the middle of September.’

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Four-dimensional puzzle
From the end of October onwards, the steel construction was computer-modelled in its individual components, mainly in factories in Turkey, and put into production directly from these simulations. By the end of January the majority of the overall structure was standing, the interior roof, which was preassembled on location, also having been erected in two parts in December and January on location. The construction of the interior began in parallel in January. By the end of March the roof and thermo-facade were closed, so that by April a hall was standing, into which TV producers Brainpool were able to install the equipment for the big ESC show. Also in parallel, the company seele installed the membrane and LED facade, finishing on 9 May. The next day the interior architects were able to see their plans realised. The general rehearsal for the ESC 2012 was held on 12 May, followed by the spectacular main events from 22 to 26 May.

Fighting the forces of nature
What would have taken up to five years as a conventional project had been finished in an impossibly short space of time. Reto Rey, managing director of NÜSSLI International AG explains: ‘Completing this project successfully within eight months, including planning and construction, was an outstanding achievement and probably a world record.’ Aside from what was already a massive challenge, the engineers and construction workers also had to face the forces of nature. Wind speeds on the Caspian Sea often reach 45 metres per second (how otherwise would the world’s largest flag fly?) On top of that it was an unusually severe winter that year, which tested the project to the limits. Günter Wieching describes conditions on the building site: ‘We had bad weather from January through until March, and snow storms blew through the building. Temperatures dropped to minus ten degrees Celsius, and the wind chill made things even colder; it was no fun at all being outside on the facade. The work was unbelievably difficult.’ The membrane facade was fitted by several teams of rope access technicians working in two or three shifts. Erecting the membrane panels, which measured up to 280 square metres, was extremely difficult for the fitters. The consortium set new standards by what they achieved in Baku. The engineers involved believe they acquired a lot of valuable experience, and that they could perform similar projects even more efficiently in the future. The ESC 2013 in Sweden will be held at the Malmö Arena. But there is worldwide interest in flexible modular structures that are built neither for decades of use, nor are bound to a permanent location.

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Links:

• Baku Crystal Hall
• Eurovision Song Contest (ESC)

Northern Norway, otherwise known as Finnmark, is in fact further away from Oslo than it is from the North Pole. If you are still not sure whether you have really experienced winter before, then it’s in these parts that you can dispel your uncertainty as you touch an almost supernatural frost. But wait – wait! It’s really not as cold as you think! ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, there’s only bad clothing,’ explains the friendly and endearing lady at Norwegian Tourist Information, and I nod as if I have never heard such a thing said. Besides, she’s not entirely wrong. Thanks to an offshoot of the warm Gulf Stream, meteorological affairs at the northernmost tip of Europe are not quite as dramatic as the latitude might suggest. Warm ocean currents coming from the Atlantic keep the coasts navigable even in the relentless Norwegian winters. Granted, if you venture further inland you will soon enter the land of ice and darkness where even the Grim Reaper carries an ice-axe. But by then you will have crossed into Sweden or Finland, and will thus deserve, in the eyes of many a patriotic Norwegian, whatever fate awaits you.

From A to Alta
A closer look at the map reveals just how cleverly the Norwegians – or should we say the Vikings – delineated their nation back in the day, retaining the fjords, fish-rich coasts and North Sea oil for themselves while leaving the forbidding interior to others. But in Norway (which, with a little imagination, can be likened to a sperm cell with a bent tail), distances do not lend themselves to hurriedness. Even if you travel 70 mph on a snowscooter it takes time to get from A to B – having said which, B does not necessarily exist, whereas ‘A’ certainly does and is the name of a town situated on Moskenesoy, one of the Lofoten Islands.
There, and in Finnmark generally, even cars are wrapped up for winter; their engines are given an insulating covering on particularly cold days. Alta at the centre of Finnmark is home to about 19,000 people, and these include certain individuals who work for ALPINE. Take Marcello Gebhardt for example, engineer and project manager on the currently ongoing construction of a cable-stayed bridge. The Kafjord Bridge will improve infrastructure in Alta and its environs significantly, one of a number of measures designed to encourage people to come and live in the far north. The concrete, 300-metre-long single-pylon cable-stayed structure is due to be erected by April 2013; completion, including railings and corrosion protection, is scheduled for July of the same year. The pylon (that’s the technical name for the concrete tower to which the slanting cables are anchored) is eighty metres high and holds practically the entire weight of the bridge. Asked about the unusual summer and winter conditions Gebhardt tells us: ‘In winter we work under artificial light the whole time, which doesn’t just slow things down, it also disrupts your natural rhythm. Sometimes I get incredibly tired and it’s still only one in the afternoon.’ In summer Gebhardt suffers precisely the opposite. Stefan Ebenbauer, a qualified engineer who has been living and working in Alta since May 2011, has had similar experiences. ‘The harsh weather, painstaking logistics caused by geographical remoteness, communication difficulties because of differing languages,’ these are the things Ebenbauer finds most difficult. Then there are the challenges of the project itself: a cable-stayed bridge is one of the most complex engineering tasks there is. Building work is not made any easier by 60-mph winds in autumn and temperatures as low as –30° Celsius in winter. ‘But we’re managing it, thanks to a tremendously professional and experienced foreman from Germany and a team of highly skilled tradesmen that includes carpenters and steelworkers from Hungary,’ says Ebenbauer with satisfaction. Contact with locals is minimal. ALPINE employees speak English and, without a grasp of Norwegian, relations remain at the level of outwardness. ‘But one of our colleagues plays football for a Norwegian football team – that overcomes the language barrier,’ explains Gebhardt. Scoring goals connects.

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Aurora Borealis
The Roman scholar Tacitus mentioned the Sami people, Finnmark’s indigenous race, in around 100 AD. Even older are the prehistoric cliff paintings that today can be seen in an open-air museum in Alta, and which have been a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site since 1985. Alta goes back a long way. One of the region’s delights is eating freshly caught king crab. If you hold a diving licence you can go fishing for them yourself. Their royal name is well deserved: with a span of up to two metres and a weight of almost 15 kg, they really are the sovereigns of the crab world. Most visitors to Finnmark, however, are less interested in plumbing the depths and more attracted to the high heavens, where the aurora borealis can be seen, the Northern Lights that dance mystically in fluorescent swathes over the landscape in the dark months of winter, compensating at least a little for the weeks without daylight. Summer, on the other hand, is so bright that sleeping requires not Venetian blinds but Norwegian ones: in other words, curtains that don’t let the light through. A blindfold would also do the job.

Birds galore
Travelling through the remarkable landscape can be awe-inspiring. East of Alta is the Varanger Peninsula, where you see one colony of birds after the other, for which reason this stretch of coast is sometimes known as the ‘Bird Cliff Route’. People may be few and far between, but not birds, including Arctic species such as the Steller’s eider duck, which is wont to stay firmly in its habitat on the Bering Sea. The thick-billed murre breeds on steep, cliffy coasts. Some of the names sound exotic, some almost poetic, some downright insulting: three-toed woodpecker, Siberian jay, red-throated pipit. Next time you feel inclined to swear at someone and wish to avoid conventional animalistic designators of the bovine or porcine orientation, you could opt instead for ‘Siberian tit’, or, in its gentler American derivation but not without pejorative undertones, ‘chickadee’. Then again, this could be taken entirely the opposite way, so beware. Europe it may still be, but the euro crisis can seem far removed from these bleak parts. Climate and nature dominate – people and birds just have to get along.

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Links:

• www.visitnorway.com
• www.alta.com
• www.sorrisniva.no

London’s relentless growth and the pressures on its public transport system finally led the £14.8 billion project to start in 2007. Crossrail is due to open in 2018, linking railway lines that at present terminate on the edges of central London to provide a through service under the UK capital’s heart. Trains will run from Reading to Shenfield or Abbey Wood, linking Heathrow airport and the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf. Alpine BeMo is working on two stations here as part of BBMV – a long-established partnership with Balfour Beatty, Morgan Sindall and Vinci: the excavation of stations at Liverpool Street, in the City of London, and at Whitechapel in the historic East End. The former is in the main financial district, but Whitechapel, though barely 20 minutes’ walk away, is quite different. This is the old East End, where outsiders’ images persist of cheerful Cockneys talking in rhyming slang while dressed in pearly costumes; a place once associated with the notorious Jack The Ripper and the Kray twins, and with popular television shows from Till Death Us Do Part to Eastenders.
It is changing fast. Whitechapel has been home to successive waves of immigration, most recently from Bangladesh, and colourful market stalls of Asian clothes and fresh produce and the extended Royal London Hospital impart an air of busy activity. Whitechapel station is already served by London’s Underground and Overground lines, and Crossrail will turn it into an important interchange, making the area much more attractive for investment.

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Good for business
As Mujahid Ali, owner of a menswear market stall says: “I think Crossrail will be good for business. “There will be a lot more people coming into the area. It’s already changed a lot with the new Royal London hospital and it will get even busier with Crossrail.” On a very constricted site near Whitechapel market, engineers are at work on the Crossrail station, which will be built beneath the existing one. They started in January 2011 and are due to finish in 2015. They are excavating the station tunnels and its associated internal passages, escalator shafts and concourses using sprayed concrete lining, ultimately to a 300-400mm thickness to hold them place.
Martin Fischer, Alpine BeMo’s sprayed concrete lining coordination manager, explains that this technique is better suited to the multiple sizes and shapes needed in stations than is the TBM boring used for the running tunnels. He says: “Stations are quite complex structures, not straightforward ones like the running tunnels. In stations, you go around corners, up and down slopes of 30 degrees and there are tunnels everywhere,
“It’s like a Swiss cheese, with concourses and passages of different sizes, so you use sprayed concrete lining for these applications.” Geologically, this is straightforward as both stations are being built into easily-worked London clay. Mr Fischer says: “We use standard application Sprayed Concrete Lining Method and as London clay is soft ground, we have an excavator like those you see on the surface, but with special applications.
“After we have excavated one metre we then support it by spraying shotcrete, then do the next, always one metre at a time.”

Guiding the geometry
A specially developed surveying system monitors the work in real time guiding the engineers to the correct tunnel geometry. The stations must connect to the running tunnels and the surface entrances, both of which are being built by other contractors. When station excavations are complete, the tunnel boring machines will pass through and resume their work on the far side, so all tasks must be completed to rigid timetables to ensure smooth workflow without delays. Tunnelling creates settlement during which the buildings above could be damaged, “so we have borehole arrays installed below sensitive buildings from which we do compensation grouting and if something moves we inject grout, stabilise it and bring it back up where it was before,” Mr Fischer says. Constant remote measurements are carried out to detect any unacceptable movement, with one monitoring station even situated atop a nearby bank. Alpine BeMo’s chief geotechnical engineer Alfred Stärk says London clay “is pretty much perfectly well formed for tunnelling, it has no water and is easy to excavate”.
But there is something less helpful beneath it – the Lambeth Group. This can contain sand structures a couple of metres thick and up to 20m of confined water at high pressure. Excavating the ‘invert’ (the lowest part of the tunnel) can disturb the Lambeth Group, risking water entering the tunnel. “We survey ahead to see if Lambeth Group is rising and if we encounter sand with high water pressure then we drill vertically into it and depressurise the water,” he explains. These problems have not yet appeared here. “We have a good idea about most of the area, but the sand layers are not consistent, they are distributed randomly so we need to drill ahead of the excavation to see exactly what is there”.

Missing records
Also not fully known is what structures the tunnellers may encounter. As Dr Stärk explains: “London was the first city that built an underground railway, and in the 1860s nobody paid attention to making records of where these underground structures are. “At one stage nearly every building had a well. Those days are gone but the wells haven’t, and not all of them are recorded. At Liverpool Street we were tunnelling and suddenly there was a well that was not on any drawing.” That well was easily made safe, but the work at Liverpool Street (which links to nearby Moorgate station) is highly complex because the site is crossed by London Underground’s Hammersmith & City and Northern lines, by the Post Office’s disused rail line – now used for telecommunications cables – and by the long-abandoned Queen Victoria tunnel. “The Post Office line is two metres from our access shaft at Liverpool Street, we are building a station below the Northern line, but an escalator tunnel that goes above it, so there is a massive monitoring regime to control any movement in the tunnel,” Dr Stärk says. “We have triggers for movements permitted, and they are quite rigid and small; there is great deal of complicated geometry.” One further complex piece of work will be the Vallance Road crossover, to enable trains to change from the westbound to eastbound track at Whitechapel. With up to a 20m span it will, Dr Stärk says, probably be one of the largest structures ever built in London clay.

Long experience
It is essential that everything is built to last – Crossrail structures have a 120 years design life – so two of Alpine BeMo’s most experienced quality inspectors have been called in. Hermann Dettelbacher and Karl Fender have 70 years’ experience between them. Mr Dettelbacher says: “It is important to see if people are doing things right and safely, and if something comes up that could be done better or more efficiently then to talk about it.” Liverpool Street is more complicated than Whitechapel, as it has four tunnels leading off the access shaft and organising materials delivery is critical or, “you get a traffic jam in the middle, that is the challenging part”. But after decades of experience all over the world of tough geological conditions, Mr Dettelbacher says: “I like London clay! It is like a cheese, you just cut through it.” Crossrail is already boosting the East End’s economy. John Bryson, employment and inclusion manager at East Thames, one of the largest local providers of affordable homes, says: “The main thing Crossrail has done is make it easier for us to place apprentices as there has been a large volume of opportunities for them and there have also been many entry level jobs, so it’s been a real opportunity for local people. “Crossrail will attract more businesses to invest here; it will create local jobs for people, which will be great.” First though, the tunnel engineers must complete one of the most complex underground ‘jigsaws’ they are ever likely to be asked to solve.

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Links:

• ALPINE BeMo Tunnelling
• news orf.at
• Crossrail

There’s something to be said for feeling cosy inside your own four walls and saving energy at the same time. Not only are an increasing number of private house builders choosing wood: in the Canadian city of Vancouver, the world’s first timber skyscraper – 30 floors high – is currently under construction. Building with wood is in vogue, and not without reason.

Timber: an energy saver
Using wood protects the climate. “Wood binds in the CO₂ contained in emissions. In addition, when a building is demolished, you can reuse wood or simply burn it,” explains Martin Teibinger. He directs the structural physics department at Holzforschung Austria, the country’s largest research and testing institution dealing in wood. Wood does not have to be transported far to building sites, and it takes less energy to build with it than with steel or concrete. In recent years, timber and mixed construction has established itself as the standard for passive houses, three quarters of which have wooden shells.

“With its low thermal conductivity coefficient, wood also offers exceptional protection against different temperatures,” says the wood researcher. Until now people have concentrated more on protection against the cold, he adds, and have neglected the suitability of timber structures for summer use, which has brought new challenges: “Because bigger and bigger areas of glass are appearing, it can be hard to get rid of the heat in summer.” In a research house in Stetten, a town in the Weinviertel area of Austria, Teibinger and his team test the interplay between shade, ventilation and construction method, investigating which form of timber building is best suited to which climate zone.

A brisk new build
One of the other advantages of timber in building is how easy it is to work with. It isn’t without reason that most prefabricated houses are made of wood. “Regardless of the weather, you can premanufacture whole segments at the factory and then install them quickly and accurately on-site, shortening building times and saving money,” explains Christian Eisl. Emberger & Essl, the carpentry company he directs at Mondsee in Upper Austria, belongs to the ALPINE Group and offers a range of different wooden building types.

An example of their work is the conversion of the Mathiashof complex in Fuschl near Salzburg into a Caritas residential home, for which the company built a timber panel structure onto a farm building. The process of prefabricating the panels at the factory took six weeks, and assembling them on location, including intermediate walls and ceilings, took just three. “Those are exceptional figures,” claims Eisl proudly. He estimates that it would take around four times longer to build a masonry structure – which means 12 weeks. His carpentry firm won the Salzburg region’s Timber Building Award in 2011 for this project. Another of their buildings – Sonnenpark Aigen – was presented as an EU model project for a Green City.

A quick and dry building process
In practice, the quick and dry process of building with wood pays off: timber buildings can be entered and used immediately. The occupants can move in right away without any danger of moisture or mildew. That is why wood is especially suitable for raising lofts and building extensions, as well as for thermal renovations. “Wood is ideal for insulating buildings and saves money on heating bills,” points out master carpenter Eisl.

So what are the drawbacks? “Fire is no longer a greater risk these days,” explains wood researcher Teibinger. “You can prevent fires through careful planning and execution and by adhering to the regulations.” Furthermore, the way wood burns when it does can be predicted and controlled. Wooden structures also offer protection against noise. A wooden building can be used for at least a hundred years, provided proofing was taken care of during construction and provided the building is maintained, just as any building needs to be maintained.

Trend: wooden skyscrapers
The time is ripe for the next step, which is the wooden high-rise. According to Teibinger, two trends are currently emerging: “In urban construction, large-scale, multistorey buildings made of wood are appearing, while mixed approaches such as wood and concrete and wood and glass are also being used more and more.” The LifeCycle Tower ONE in Dornbirn, Vorarlberg, is the world’s first modular timber hybrid high-rise and incorporates prefabricated wood-and-concrete ceilings. A project of international renown, it represents a prototype for sustainable multistorey building based on a modular system. Because of Austria’s strict regulations, the tower will only rise to eight floors at first, but at 27 metres it will still be among the highest around – the tallest wooden structures in London and Berlin to date are each 30 metres high.

But what if wood were to run out one day? There’s no need to worry on that account, since forests are producing around a cubic metre of timber every single second, only around two thirds of which is felled, leaving the rest to expand stock. The amount of wood grown annually in Austria alone would be enough to build almost 789,000 new wooden houses …

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Links:

• Emberger & Essl
• The latest research news

Heavy traffic takes its toll on the asphalt
On Austria’s busiest sections of road, such as the Knoten Haid motorway intersection or Vienna’s southeast ring road, vehicles are counted by ASFINAG’s permanent counting stations. The stresses caused by heavy goods traffic are at their greatest from Monday to Thursday. The highest number of vehicles is to be seen on Fridays on Vienna’s southeast ring road at the Handeslkai counting station. This amounts to about 200,000 cars and about 12,000 HGVs (>3.5 tonnes) in 24 hours. To cope with such demands, the road surface needs to be extremely resilient.

Heavy goods traffic, in particular, takes its toll on the asphalt – recompaction leads to formation of a deepening in the road surface running in the direction of travel, otherwise known as rutting. This can result in aquaplaning – a frequent cause of accidents. Aquaplaning describes the floating of a tyre on the water film of a wet road. Water edges itself under the tyre contact area and leads to loss of grip. Vehicles can easily spin out of control, because, when aquaplaning starts, vehicle braking and driving forces can no longer be transferred to the road surface. In order to find the ideal asphalt composition for the respective requirements, new asphalt mixes for road construction are constantly being examined and developed in laboratories at the Bautechnischen Prüf- und Versuchsanstalt GmbH (bpv) (Testing and Research Centre for Structural Engineering) in Himberg near Vienna.

Special equipment for special tests
For several months now, the asphalt laboratory has been in possession of a “rut tester”. A special device with which asphalt mixes can be tested for their roadworthiness. The material test is conducted in a metal cabinet with a glass front, approx. 3 metres long and half a metre high. An asphalt plate of a standardised size (approx. 30 x 26 cm) is clamped in place, then a rotating steel disc with rubber coating is used to simulate “rolling over” – the term used for contact between the tyre and the road surface. “At an ambient temperature of approx. 50-60°C in the device, around 20,000 kilometres of driving are run off in 8 hours. On completion of the test, the depth of the rut that has formed is measured,” explains Karl Kappl, Research Manager for Asphalt at the Bautechnischen Prüf- und Versuchsanstalt GmbH (bpv). Above all, alongside the raw materials bitumen and rock, suitable material compositions are the deciding factor for rutting resistance.

High mechanical and physical loading of the asphalt
Apart from loads induced by traffic, the road surface is also exposed to extreme climatic conditions – heat waves in high summer and cold periods with temperatures below the -15 degree Celsius mark place additional strains on the surfacing. In summer, large temperature differences are also experienced within the surfacing. With the absorption of radiant heat and its dark colour, the temperature of the surface can rise to more than 60°C, while temperature in the underlying unbonded layers can be as low as 10°C, depending on the depth. Due to this variety of physical loads, the material must be particularly resilient.
In Austria, of the 2,175 kilometres of motorway, approx. 65% are of an asphalt construction and the remaining 35% concrete.

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Links:

• ÖAMTC > Aquaplaning
• ASFINAG
• bpv

E.W. Bullard, the son of the company founder, was interested in improving safety for workers and began developing a helmet that could protect them from falling objects. This development was based on the “doughboy”, a helmet that Bullard himself had worn as a soldier in World War I. Nowadays, protective helmets are no longer only worn for military purposes, but also to protect workers.

75th anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge – the first construction site with hard hats
The chief engineer on the Golden Gate Bridge, Joseph B. Strauss, shared a vision with E.W. Bullard that the workplace should be a safer environment for workers. After all, approximately 887,000 tonnes of steel and 600,000 rivets were used in constructing what was then the world’s longest suspension bridge, with a lot of work taking place at a great height. One problem they faced was falling rivets, which could cause serious injury. This prompted Bullard to transform the mining helmet into a durable industrial hard hat. During construction of the Golden Gate Bridge in the 1930s, the site became the first ever designated “Hard Hat Area”.

Safety helmets belong to the personal protective equipment (PPE) of every worker
Safety helmets have now become a matter of course on every building site. In the laboratories at ENHA, a German safety helmet manufacturer based in the Saarland, the design of safety functions is constantly being refined even further.

Development engineers are currently working on a helmet with integrated crash-box. The helmets have a double shell and elements between the shells, which can be practically destroyed in the event of impact. Conventional helmets usually only have an increased shell thickness of up to 5 – 6 mm in the head covering area. “In contrast, the function of the crash-box is similar to that of a crumple zone in a vehicle chassis,” explains Joe Engelhard, Managing Director and Development Manager at EHNA. “The head covering of the helmet consists of two shells with cylinders and pins in between, which screw together in the event of an impact, thereby decimating the effects of energy exposure on the head of the wearer,” says Engelhard, describing this technology, which is being employed here for the first time in the world. As much of the impact force as possible is absorbed and not transferred unhindered to the interior lining, as is the case with conventional helmets. This minimises injury to the greatest possible extent.

Highly efficient safety features in the interior
Furthermore, a new helmet shell has been developed with the main task of reducing impact energy, while keeping weight to a minimum. As with motor vehicles, the objective is not for the bodywork to remain undamaged after an accident or impact, rather that the helmet should deform – or even be destroyed – as intended. The greater the extent to which this happens, the lower the force on the head of the wearer.
In addition, a special suspension mechanism (DeFormaTec™) has been developed, which further reduces the impact energy in the event of a heavier impact on the helmet. This special piece of interior equipment represents a highly efficient safety feature that has been proven in many comparative tests.

Careful inspection of safety helmets
Many accidents can be avoided simply with the wearing of helmets. According to accident statistics for the construction industry from 2011 (AUVA – [German] General Accident Insurance Association), the most frequent head injuries are wounds and superficial injuries (75%), with fractures in second place. In particular, small objects falling from a great height represent a significant risk that can be counteracted effectively with a safety helmet.

In Europe, safety helmets are tested in accordance with DIN EN 397. Safety helmets belong to the personal protective equipment (PPE) of every worker and must be provided by the employer. They are indispensable in the construction, trade and industrial sectors, and protect against falling, dropping, thrown out, swinging and flying objects, which can be very dangerous.

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Links:

• ENHA Company
• Bullard Company
• 75 years Golden Gate Bridge
• DIN EN 397
• http://www.alpine.at/?p=21351 In 1948, there where the most expensive property in Austria will soon be sold, channel diggers encountered a hard, 15cm thick floor made from limestone and splintered tiles at a depth of 1.70 metres under the carriageway – an untold archaeological treasure. There where pedestrians strolled leisurely by, an inconspicuous metal plate in the ground and a steep staircase underneath served as the entrance to the Roman ruins for many years. Today, the archaeological site bearing witness to the very beginnings of the city of Vienna can be accessed from the Roman Museum on the Hohe Markt.

  Tribute to the historical figures of Vienna
  In terms of history, however, the Hohe Markt has even more to offer. Every Viennese schoolchild knows the “Anker Clock”, whose name is derived from the former headquarters of the ANKER insurance company. It is regarded as one of the most important examples of “Jugendstil” (art nouveau) and joins the two parts of the “Ankerhof” building between Hohe Markt 10-11 and 12 with a span of over 10 metres. A very popular painter and sculptor of the time, Franz von Matsch, was commissioned with its design. One special feature is that the 60 minutes are spread over a horizontal path, rather than a circle.
  The 12 “regents of the hours” – twelve effigies of famous Viennese historical figures, for example Charlemagne and Maria Theresa – pass through the four-metre clock-face over a twelve-hour period. The appearance of the copper figures, with a height of up to 2.80 metres, is accompanied by music typical of the respective era. At 12 o’clock, all the figures parade together to a melody from Haydn.

  Building site and tourist attraction with little space between
  “Up to 200 tourists marvel at the lunchtime spectacle”, reports HAZET project manager Leopold Bogner, who is responsible for building renovation work at Hohe Markt Number 12. “For this reason, the valuable clock could not be surrounded during construction work. It could only be provided with a protective roof”, Bogner explains. In the narrow city centre streets, the crane was therefore erected behind the tourist attraction, with assembly taking place on two consecutive nights between 11pm and 5am. The former Helvetia Insurance building from 1911 is being completely gutted, with only the supporting walls remaining in place. Roof reconstruction has proven to be very complex. In order to meet the strict requirements of the planning authorities, the roof is being dismantled piece by piece and re-erected one quarter at a time. This guarantees that the height of the building will be exactly the same following renovation.

  Ultimate luxury with 360-degree panorama
  Since the building is two stories taller than the surrounding properties, an unobstructed 360-degree view over the city of Vienna is guaranteed – the top-floor penthouses rank among the most luxurious ever built. All the apartments will be equipped with a spa area, the lift runs straight to your own four walls, and the fireplace can be lit or the air-conditioning started up by smartphone.
  This fashionable residential building with a prestigious address will bear the regal name of “Palais Principe”, probably derived from the “Via Principalis” in Vindobona, where the Roman legionaries once enjoyed their steam baths.

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  Links:

  • HAZET
  • About the Anker Clock
  • Complex renovation of the Anker Clock 2005
  • Vienna Museum
  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/uber-den-dachern-von-wien/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/licht-am-ende-des-tunnels/ http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/licht-am-ende-des-tunnels/#comments Fri, 18 Nov 2011 08:29:06 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=21027 The new tunnel guides traffic straight from the mountain into the city centre. Special safety precautions had to be taken before workers were able to begin drilling directly under Cochem’s historic city centre. Surveillance marks and special measuring instruments were installed in buildings located within the danger zone. Probes were used to register changes in the soil during work, allowing experts to intervene at any time. “The distance to the building foundations is mostly between 10 and 15 metres, but in critical areas as little as just 3.5 metres,” reports ALPINE employee Marco Reith. The massive steel structure was overhauled before drilling work commenced in the sensitive area.

  The drilling work took place in open and closed mode – the machine dug in “open mode” up to a certain point, then it worked in closed mode. This means that near the bore head a soft soil mixture is used to facilitate drilling. This is necessary because in some tunnel boring sections there is nothing but soft rock between the tunnel shaft and the ground surface above. The machine was operated day and night from the middle of August to the beginning of October, drilling the 500-metre long route through the “Oberstadt” district of town. Following the breakthrough in November 2011, the team breathed a sigh of relief and literally saw “light at the end of the tunnel”. “The drilling work was completed without any complications and we were well below the level of subsidence expected,” Marco Reith is pleased to account.

  The massive steel structures were the source of a number of extremely tense situations in the historic tunnel. In November 1948 there was a coal dust explosion in the driver’s compartment of a Type 50 2059 steam engine in the middle of the tunnel. D train 21 from Koblenz to Paris had 650 passengers on board. The entire driver’s compartment went up in flames after a jet of flame escaped from the firebox.

  The locomotive driver was no longer able to touch the brake valve and it seemed as if the train was unstoppable. In a spectacular feat the locomotive driver climbed out of the driver’s compartment and onto the metal siding of the steam engine, where he was able to reach the front air valve and managed to bring the train to a stop at the end of the tunnel. Locomotive engineer August Vochtel of Trier received the Medal of Bravery from the French Governor for saving the lives of all of the passengers on board the train!

  The Kaiser-Wilhelm-Tunnel cuts through a meandering loop of the River Moselle, thus sparing the Moseltalbahn railway line from an incredibly long detour on the route from Trier to Koblenz. The first trains are scheduled to travel through the tunnel on completion at the end of 2012. Then the old Kaiser-Wilhelm-Tunnel will be renovated.
  By the way: You won’t see the “light at the end of the tunnel” if you stand at one end of the tunnel and try to look through it. The Kaiser-Wilhelm-Tunnel may be as straight as an arrow, but it ascends a total of 14 metres during the course of its 4,205-metre long route.

  >> Press release covering the tunnel break through
  
  Tunnel boring machine at „New Kaiser Wilhelm Tunnel“

  „New Kaiser Wilhelm Tunnel“ broken through

  Videos source: YouTube

  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/licht-am-ende-des-tunnels/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/spielend-zu-mehr-sicherheit/ http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/spielend-zu-mehr-sicherheit/#comments Thu, 13 Oct 2011 06:55:52 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=20836 “Increasing safety through skilfulness and fun” was the motto behind management consultant Roland Haagen’s idea to develop the game. To create the game he got four experts in the construction field involved – ALPINE, Palfinger, doka and Skylotec – and a developer team from the Salzburg University of Applied Sciences. The game is designed for touchscreens on iPads, iPhones and Android phones and works using crowd control. Construction workers, that are independently working on the virtual construction site, are provided safety equipment from the player in the role of the foreman. Workers need to learn and understand how to use the equipment beforehand.

  The game concept was realized by project leader Stefan Randelshofer, research associate at the Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, and six students specialising in Multimedia Art and Multimedia Technology. The conceptual design stage took roughly six weeks and included numerous brainstorming activities – Randelshofer also got Josef Schinwald, Head of the Animation department and instructor for Game Design, involved to help with the complex design of the game.

  After an intense development phase that lasted about four months, the basic concept was presented to customers; detailed graphics and the final sound design were still missing. Approval followed, and then two students familiar with 2D and 3D design, a sound designer and three programmers took it from there. They worked in the computer labs at the architecturally aesthetic glass/concrete building in Urstein, making detailed graphics, testing the sound design and programming the game elements.

  As they developed the app they used an unconventional project management tool called the “scrum method”, which is based on the idea that most development projects are too complex to be planned with precision from the beginning. Three principles – transparency, verification, and adaptation – help to minimize complexity. This method requires many meetings – five to ten a day – and demands that project members be present at all times. “This project management method is usually only used by major software developers such as Adobe, Microsoft or the big game studios,” says Stefan Randelshofer, explaining this unconventional approach.

  After nine months of intense development work, the game was presented at the construction site of the Salzburg exhibition hall, being built by ALPINE. ALPINE employee Johann Motschnig, currently working on the construction of the new exhibition hall, was the first user to test the game outside of the lab: “I think it’s great,” he said, “It’s important to be repeatedly reminded about safety. If I said nothing had ever happened to me, I’d be lying.”

  ALPINE takes the safety of employees very seriously. The company offers many different internal courses on the topic of work safety, some of which train workers how to secure themselves (e.g. connecting and disconnecting safety ropes) in real situations.

  Download “Don´t Drop” ALPINE Version

  How to install Don’t Drop! for Android

  • Download Don’t Drop! to your phone (the file is saved to the internal memory or SD card).
  • Use the file manager to locate the file (Name.apk) and open it.
  • The app icon and name appear on the top of the screen and you will be asked if you want to install the application.
  • Confirm the installation. When the installation is complete you will find Don’t Drop! with your other apps and you will asked if you want to start it right away.

  www.fh-salzburg.ac.at
  www.doka.at
  www.palfinger.at
  www.skylotec.at

  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/spielend-zu-mehr-sicherheit/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/bauen-fur-menschen/ http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/bauen-fur-menschen/#comments Mon, 26 Sep 2011 14:45:26 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=20547 A hospital is a universe in itself. Adults, senior citizens and children, outpatients and inpatients, doctors, nurses and visitors populate the halls and rooms. Some of them come just for a short visit. Others stay a while longer. And some even come every day because it’s their place of work.

  Different needs
  A hospital or a clinic must meet a number of different needs. Patients should feel that they are in good hands, while the staff should be able to work as efficiently as possible. This places great demands on those who plan and build these complex buildings. The design must optimally support all processes and structures. To ensure this the planners must first study the processes before they can begin drawing the ground plan. The aim is to create a complete and functional “organism”.

  It took roughly a year of intensive planning work to plan the renovation of and annex to the Landesklinikum Weinviertel Mistelbach-Gänserndorf. The objective of the concept is not to increase size but rather to optimise functionality, paths and areas to create a hospital where everything is located within a short distance of each other. By 2017 the hospital is expected to have 550 beds, and create 200 new jobs. The State of Lower Austria is investing a total of 186 million euros in the project.

  Special challenges of the project
  The fact that the historic core of the regional clinic is to be restored and that the hospital needs to stay open during the entire construction period means the planners must face a number of additional challenges. Even so, planning work was successfully completed at the end of 2010, and the groundbreaking ceremony for the project was held on 27 June 2011. A consortium consisting of the companies ALPINE and VAMED, the Lower Austrian commercial property lender NÖ Hypo-Leasinggesellschaft and the architects Moser and Maurer are responsible for the project.

  Among other things, the plans include moving the main entrance, building a new surgical and intensive care centre, a family centre with a paediatric, gynaecological and obstetrics unit, an outpatients’ clinic for child and adolescent psychiatry, remodelling the outpatient and the first aid area, separating emergency and scheduled patients, designing a new, attractive outdoor area, and adding a parking level with 250 parking spaces. Other goals are to fundamentally improve the overall functionality in the hospital and incorporate clear structures to ensure good orientation for patients and visitors.

  When the work is finished, people in the region will have an innovative, state-of-the-art hospital to serve their medical needs.

  Photo gallery – the new “Weinviertel” State Clinical Center in Mistelbach-Gänserndorf:
  

  [Mit PicLens anzeigen]

  

  
  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/bauen-fur-menschen/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/echte-multitalente/ http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/echte-multitalente/#comments Mon, 25 Jul 2011 14:29:30 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=20239 Although the history of bridge building dates back to the stone age, bridges have lost nothing of their fascination over time. It’s simply breathtaking to look down from a height of one hundred metres onto a miniature landscape or imagine that, since June 2011, you can drive over a 42.5 km bridge in China. Here, too, the limits of technological feasibility are continuously being extended in a very impressive manner. Ever higher, ever further, ever more imposing.

  ALPINE is also currently involved in the construction of a staggering structure: the Unstrut Valley Bridge is being built between Erfurt and Leipzig (see also INSIDE 2.2010). On completion, it will be the second longest railway bridge in Germany with a total length of 2.67 km. Work is taking place at heights of up to 45 m. With the help of a formwork carriage, 46 sections of track are gradually taking shape.

  Première for an innovative device
  Where the carriageway has already been completed, the cap is currently being mounted. This is the name for the parapet that forms the closure to the track on either side. Alongside acting as a footpath and a mounting point for the guard rails and noise barrier, it also performs several other tasks. For example, it serves as protection for the sealing layer. The sections are concreted directly onto the bridge. All the material is moved by a revolving tower crane. This particular type of crane is being employed for the first time ever on the Unstrut Valley Bridge. It was introduced as recently as 2010 at the BAUMA (International Trade Fair for Construction Machinery, Building Material Machines, Mining Machines, Construction Vehicles and Construction Equipment).

  The special feature of this crane, representing a major technical innovation, is the crawler undercarriage. It makes the crane mobile. Until now, only so-called bottom-slewing cranes (crane tower and boom revolve on the carriage) could be moved easily and quickly. Special rails would have to be laid first for top-slewing cranes (boom revolves around the crane tower). The new system makes the job easier and reduces costs. “Our whole team is delighted and privileged to be the first users of this innovative device,” reports Richard Steinbauer, the employee in the Technical Equipment Division at ALPINE Bau Deutschland responsible for giant equipment. “No rail tracks get in the way of our work and we are making excellent progress. The feedback to the hire company is entirely positive.”

  Unstrut Valley Bridge photo gallery – crane with crawler undercarriage
  

  [Mit PicLens anzeigen]

  

  

  

  

  All-rounders for hire
  ALPINE also has its own state-of-the-art machinery. One example of a genuine all-rounder is the under-bridge inspection unit ABC 170 LS/190 LS. It facilitates the performance of inspection, maintenance and renovation work on edge beams and bridge undersides. Not only on traffic bridges, but also on narrow footbridges. During deployment, first the HGV with the unit is placed on the bridge and part of the equipment – similar to the mast element of a crane – is guided out over the bridge perimeter. Then the working platform can be extended underneath the bridge. It has an impressive reach of 19 metres. Operation is possible up to a wind speed of 45 km/h. This versatile piece of equipment is not only of use to ALPINE employees – the under-bridge inspection unit can also be hired simply and cost-effectively by third parties (see information sheet).

  Information sheet – under-bridge inspection unit

  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/echte-multitalente/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/safety-first/ http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/safety-first/#comments Thu, 30 Jun 2011 12:51:48 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=20067 The ALPINE team in Singapore, led by project manager Vivek Singhal, had a particularly pleasing cause for celebration at the beginning of May 2011: a total of two million working hours without an accident. The company has been working on two sections of the new Downtown Line of the city’s underground network.

  A real team effort
  ALPINE employs around 600 workers in Singapore. Four metro stations and tunnels with a combined length of 8.3 km have already been completed. By 2015, three more stations and several tunnels will be constructed. The subject of safety is an important concern for the project team during this process. Regular safety meetings and training courses are held with the aim of heightening employee awareness, highlighting potential risks and explaining important safety measures. During the course of an extensive campaign, a safety week, video presentations and a safety quiz were held for the whole team, among other things. Specially printed T-shirts, posters and stickers are used to remind employees – including those on the construction site – to exercise caution, show consideration for new or inexperienced colleagues, and avoid risks.

  Project Manager Singhal is particularly pleased with the effectiveness of these activities: “Two million accident-free working hours is a great success. A feat that we could only achieve with close and committed teamwork on all levels.”

  The success was celebrated with the entire project team and many guests on the construction site. Alongside speeches by the project team and the developer, awards were presented to especially safety-conscious employees. The entire management team acknowledged their commitment to safety in a written promise.

  High standards
  “Health and safety at work are taken very seriously at ALPINE,” emphasises Divisional Director Meik Müller, who is responsible for underground construction projects in the Asia region. “It is very important to us that safety standards are also our top priority abroad and employees receive appropriate training.” The fact that these measures have proved to be so effective in Singapore is undoubtedly a good cause for celebration.

  Picture gallery
  

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  Header photo: istockphoto.com/scibak

  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/safety-first/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/fair-transparent/ http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/fair-transparent/#comments Tue, 14 Jun 2011 09:42:30 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=19881 On 1 May 2011, the so-called “Wage and Social Dumping Prevention Act” came into effect in Austria. Its purpose is to guarantee commensurate remuneration for employees and fair competition for companies. For companies in the building industry, this means that more documentation than ever needs to be kept on hand for every employee. Personnel data acquisition has become more complicated. “Since May, developers and general contractors need not only register precisely which employees from which companies are working on their construction projects. They must also keep records in German with which the authorities can check the wages of workers employed in the event of an inspection. This applies not only to their own personnel, but also to those working for sub-contractors,” explains Dipl.-Ing. Manuel Irrschik, Managing Director of Ishap.

  Keeping track in the data jungle
  Ishap develops mobile documentation and archiving software and systems for companies in the building industry. The products IshapCARD and IshapBAU make it possible to register the details of every employee quickly and straightforwardly, and manage this data in a simple manner. For example, pictures can be taken with a smart phone of both the worker and his/her documents, and stored in the system. A photo ID card for the construction site can be printed out there and then. The software then automatically informs the responsible parties which documents must be recorded for every worker – depending on nationality. If necessary documents are missing or the validity of any of them expires in the near future, this is reported by the system. Hence, site managers and foremen can keep track in the data jungle and ensure that all the necessary information is available in a matter of clicks in the event of an inspection.

  [Mit PicLens anzeigen]

  

  

  

  Trailblazer in Austria
  ALPINE is the first company in the country to employ this system on all its Austrian construction projects and has herewith taken on a role as trailblazer in the field of personnel and wage documentation. “The benefits for us are clear: Now we can register the details of every worker quickly and then archive the necessary documentation securely,” explains Engelbert Schwank, Commercial Branch Manager of the region Building Construction East. “Official inspections are therefore speeded up, because all the data and documents for the respective construction project are available immediately on site. This is very important to us as a major contractor.” The Ishap system is beeing installed across the board in Upper Austria, Salzburg, Carinthia and Styria, with Tyrol and Vorarlberg to follow.

  “Hence, we have reacted early and rapidly to the documentation obligation,” underlines ALPINE CEO Dr Jörn Wisser.“We are well aware of the social responsibility of a company to ensure fair and transparent conditions of employment and payment. Moreover, we want to lead the way in the building sector, one of the largest employers of all, with a good example.”

  >> Ishap
  >> Wage and Social Dumping Prevention Act – WKO

  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/fair-transparent/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/ganz-in-weiss/ http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/ganz-in-weiss/#comments Mon, 09 May 2011 10:54:07 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=19174 A new footbridge has connected the Wien river and the U4 underground line since September 2010. It joins together Astgasse in the 14th with Fleschgasse in the 13th Vienna municipal district. It offers pedestrians barrier-free passage, and also connects cyclists with the Wien river bike path.

  Rudolf Brandstötter and Gonzalo Espinosa Ortega drafted the footbridge blueprint. They both received first place for their entry Link 27 in the Student Concrete Trophy 2007. The jury explained their decision as follows: “The independent draft combines a highly appropriate response to the location with an elegant solution. It not only achieves a symbolic effect, but also represents harmonious integration in the surrounding area.“ To keep maintenance costs low the building was designed as an integral bridge; i.e. it is constructed without supports or joints between the bearing structure elements.

  Construction time window
  Executing the plan required a great deal of creativity on the part of the ALPINE project team. For example, the prestressed concrete elements for the asymmetrical bearing structure were produced directly on site, despite the space restrictions. On a 45 x 10 m form table. Right in the middle of Vienna.

  After completion a crane was used to position the approximately 40 m long beams. First, however, they had to be lifted from the formwork and turned in mid air, a feat only possible through the use of two additional cranes. All of this work was carried out in just four hours. The time allotted for the project was not only affected by the metro operating hours, but also the weather: The cranes had to be set up in the river bed of the Wien, which is subject to extreme water level fluctuations in rainy weather. Construction planning thus also required close coordination with the ZAMG (Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics).

  Perfect white
  Above all, the new footbridge obtains its unique aesthetics from its brilliant white colour, which gives the construction a light, dynamic feel and truly stands out against a relatively grey metropolitan backdrop. But the colour presented the ALPINE team with an enormous challenge. “White cement is more difficult to produce than regular cement,” says construction engineer Martin Ofenböck. “In addition, prefinished cement samples showed that the desired colour effects could not be achieved by adding white cement alone.“

  After intensive research and discussions with suppliers and VÖZ (Austrian Cement Industry Association) they finally obtained the perfect mixture of cement, white cement and additional colour pigments. The bearing structure elements were produced at the same time in order to achieve homogeneous colour quality. Here the key was ensuring that the formwork was absolutely clean in order to prevent any type of contamination of the white cement.

  Therefore a number of challenges had to be met before the footbridge could span its white arch across the Wien. The fact that this work was honoured with the 2011 SOLID Bautech Prize on 6 April 2011 in Vienna is a positive confirmation for the dedicated ALPINE project team.

  Picture gallery „Steg Astgasse“

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  >> Link 27 – Competition entry
  >> 2011 SOLID Bautech Award – The winners

  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/ganz-in-weiss/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/sonnenschutz-fur-bauarbeiter/ http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/sonnenschutz-fur-bauarbeiter/#comments Thu, 21 Apr 2011 12:07:49 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=18819 Sun protection and skincare are generally not subjects that interest men. They prefer to leave applying creams to women. But the risk of sunburn during the spring has never been higher than in 2011. At the beginning of April the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) issued a warning in a press release stating that the ozone layer over the Arctic Zone has thinned more this year than in any previous year. This is why UV radiation could already be as intense in the spring as it normally is in the middle of the summer and may cause people with sensitive skin to experience sunburn in just several minutes.

  Sun protection is especially important for construction workers, who spend most of their time working outdoors and are especially busy when the weather is good. This is because our skin never forgets: Burns and skin damage can lead to sores or skin cancer years later. This is why the Bau-Holz Union and AUVA want to contribute to raising awareness through a joint campaign. A multi-language poster explaining the risks of intensive exposure to the sun and how to properly apply UV protection will be displayed at construction sites throughout the country. In addition, 35,000 UV safety glasses, 2,500 bottles of high-quality sunscreen and 1,500 UV protection T-shirts for apprentices will be distributed within the scope of the campaign.

  ALPINE is also participating in the campaign. We have been aware of the importance of sunscreen for some years. “We have provided all of our employees with UV safety glasses free of charge since 2006,” explains Deputy Works Council Chairman Manfred Deutsch. “Following a test run last year, we are making sunscreen available at our construction sites this year as well.“ The additional awareness raised through the national information campaign will hopefully ensure that the products made available are actually used. After all, even the toughest men have sensitive skin.

  >> National UV protection campaign at construction sites
  >> Informational poster “Using Sunscreen while Working on Construction Sites” (available for download)
  >> WMO press release

  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/sonnenschutz-fur-bauarbeiter/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/bauen-fur-die-kunst/ http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/bauen-fur-die-kunst/#comments Mon, 07 Mar 2011 13:11:09 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=18584 The struggles of the third battle of Mt. Isel on 13 August 1809 are spectacularly presented on over one thousand square metres of canvas. The panorama illustrates the real story behind the Tyrolean legend. Landscapes and people, the irrepressible urge for freedom and the powerful longing to push forward to the heavens. The gigantic painting is one of only four worldwide that remains nearly complete and unchanged in its original format and is one of the most popular attractions in Innsbruck.

  In order to move it from its original location in the rotunda at the foot of the Hungerburgbahn funicular railway, the panorama was opened along a seam; later it was wrapped in a huge, specially constructed transport roll with the painted side facing outward.  The roll was covered in plastic, loaded onto a 17 metre articulated lorry and transported to its new home at a cautious 20 km/h – pure suspense for lorry driver Rene Mair from Kufstein – the most valuable cargo he had ever transported was insured to the tune of 2.5 million euros, according to the Kronen Zeitung newspaper on 11 September 2010.

  The crane operators needed nerves of steel as well: The 12 metre long piece had to be lifted lengthwise through a 2 x 2 metre opening in the roof of the building. Six men with walkie-talkies coordinated the efforts to lift the painting. The panorama reached its new location in under 10 minutes.

  Constructing the museum was also a very demanding endeavour in more ways than one – the special topographic landscape, how the location on Mt. Isel is situated and the connection to the historically listed Kaiserjägermuseum required sure instincts. In addition, the lower half of the building features a round layout that perfectly showcases the panorama in its original beauty. “Tyroleans are accustomed to building on hillsides,” reports ALPINE construction engineer Elmar Leitner. “However, a round building with a great deal of exposed concrete is still a challenge.” The building has a 102 meter perimeter, is 16 metres tall and features a subterraneous link to the existing historic construction. It forms an ensemble together with the existing old building and the centrally located Andreas Hofer monument.

  The opening celebration for the Tyrolean Panorama will take place on 12 March 2011.

  >> Tyrolean State Museum
  >> Bergisel
  >> Tyrolean Panorama Opening Ceremony Programme

  Video:

  The restoration

  The move

  Image: Tyrolean State Museums / Creator: mmdesign

  Learn more about the topic of art and building in the 2/2010 issue of our company magazine INSIDE.

  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/bauen-fur-die-kunst/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/herausforderungen-in-londoner-city/ http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/herausforderungen-in-londoner-city/#comments Wed, 02 Feb 2011 08:21:51 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=18207 ALPINE BeMo Tunnelling, a subsidiary of the ALPINE Group, was commissioned to construct the Metro stations “Liverpool Station” and “Whitechapel” as part of a consortium. These Metro stations are part of the currently largest infrastructure project in Europe – “Crossrail” – with a total order volume of 17 billion Euro.
   
  The health and safety policy aims at reducing the number of industrial accidents and risks to zero. “Target Zero is more than just a health and safety policy. It’s a state of mind that covers the way we think and the way we work” can be read on the homepage of Crossrail’s principal.

  However, special requirements do not only apply to the construction site itself. “London’s Major Boris Johnson, a devoted biker and walker, has a personal interest in improving the situation for cyclists and pedestrians”, says project manager Christian Neumann, “which is why we must avoid accidents caused by cite traffic by all means”. The construction site above ground level will be enclosed so as to confine annoyance caused by noise and dust. This will do justice to the sensitive environment and the neighbours in this densely built-up urban area. This requires special cranes and special concrete mixing plants.

  Employees face logistic challenges due to the tight access shafts that supply the entire tunnel site, the critical traffic situation right in the centre of the London City and crowded spaces above the access shafts.

   The mining experts face yet another challenge because of the special soil, the “London Clay”. The soft London Clay – that may be likened to a harder kind of cheese – is easily excavated but requires immediate securing with shotcrete. Additional cement injections will prevent settlement of adjoining sensible buildings and movements in the vicinity of a labyrinth made of channels and underground railways.

  >> www.crossrail.co.uk
  >> Target Zero
  >> Crossrail

  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/herausforderungen-in-londoner-city/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/durchschlag-pinglu-tunnel/ http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/durchschlag-pinglu-tunnel/#comments Fri, 03 Dec 2010 08:52:35 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=17690 On November 13, 2010, ALPINE celebrated the cut-through in the Pinglu tunnel in the Chinese province Shanxi with Austrian and Chinese guests of honour and the entire tunnelling crew.  After a construction period of five years, this was a real success for the team around the Division General Manager at ALPINE BeMo Tunnelling, Meik Müller: “There isn’t a longer single TBM drilling in the entire world. In other words, with 25,386 m drilling length, the Pinglu Tunnel is currently the longest tunnel drilled with a single tunnel boring machine. To us, this cut-through is a milestone in mechanical tunnelling!”

  The Pinglu-Tunnel is part of a visionary water-conveyance-structure project (Shanxi Wanjiazhai Yellow River Diversion Project) that will provide a dry region of China with the water from the Yellow River. Due to the length of the sough, this project held a number of challenges.  Towards the end of the mining drive, workers had to daily travel 90 minutes before even reaching their work place. A complex ventilation system was necessary to continuously provide the tunnel with fresh air. The material was also subjected to enormous stress: “The trains transporting people and material into and out of the tunnel had to travel hundreds of kilometres daily”, Müller reports. “There seemingly was no end to the maintenance work.”

  Now, the project team can take a deep breath – an important section has been completed. The remaining works will only require a few more months. In 2011, the Pinglu Tunnel will be completed and will finally provide a formerly dry region with clear water.

  Picture Gallery Cut-Through Pinglu-Tunnel

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  Our 2.2010 issue of our company magazine INSIDE will provide more information on the Shanxi Wanjiazhai Yellow River Diversion Project.

  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/durchschlag-pinglu-tunnel/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/innotrans-2010/ http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/innotrans-2010/#comments Tue, 19 Oct 2010 08:12:47 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=17262 The biannual Innotrans is now considered the most important fair for the international railroad industry. In 2010, the attraction was greater than ever: More than 100,000 visitors from 110 countries flooded the fair ground in Berlin from September 21 – 24, 2010 to see the achievements, products and innovations of 2,242 exhibitors from 45 countries, to exchange information and to network.

  ALPINE was had a booth at the Innotrans 2010. The booth presented the broad portfolio of ALPINE-ENERGIE in contact line engineering for regional and intercity rail traffic as well as comprehensive competencies in railway construction. As a one-stop solution provider, ALPINE provides custom-designed package solutions and, where necessary, innovative special solutions.

  There was a great interest in the ALPINE booth that had a model of the Gotthard Base Tunnel on display. The ALPINE team – headed by Wolfgang Huemer (branch manager ALPINE Bahnbau), Peter Kramer and Gerhard Hofbauer (ALPINE-ENERGIE, business area manager for overhead contact line construction) – welcomed numerous interested visitors, various partners from abroad as well as prominent names in regional politics and economy. For two days, managing directors Roman Esterbauer (ALPINE Bau) and Helmut Schnitzhofer (ALPINE-ENERGIE) were also at the booth. New contacts have been developed and existing contacts intensified. In total, this was a very successful presentation at this important fair that provided new and interesting impulses for future development.

  The next Innotrans will be held from September 18 – 21, 2012.

  Picture gallery Innotrans 2010
  

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  >> Innotrans Website

  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/innotrans-2010/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/wohlfuhl-oasen/ http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/wohlfuhl-oasen/#comments Mon, 27 Sep 2010 10:13:04 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=16831 ALPINE has become a specialist: In 2010, not just one but two large Austrian wellness and health-related projects have been completed. And successfully too, as is evident already now – after all, on September 27, 2010, the Therme Wien (Thermal Spa Vienna) will open three months ahead of its planned completion date. The TAUERN SPA Zell am See – Kaprun will open as planned at the beginning of November.

  Therme Wien
  The modern city spa has been constructed on the area of the old Oberlaa hot springs; since the 1970’s, the sulfur-bearing water has provided recreation to the Viennese population. In the future, the Therme Wien will provide an even richer offering with approximately 4,000 m² water, 3,000 m² sauna and 4,500 m² wellness areas. With a total of 26 different-sized pools, the spa area will be subdivided into various thematic areas. Guests should be able to find tranquillity and relaxation or action and adventure, depending on their mood. Additionally, there are hair and cosmetics salons and an amply dimensioned sauna world, separated for ladies and gentlemen or mixed. The 6,000 m² health care centre “Therme Wien Med” is immediately connected to the spa and holds about 200 treatment and therapy stations for deficiencies in the musculoskeletal system. A fitness area is also directly connected with the spa and holds state-of-the-art power and endurance exercise apparatuses, three different exercise rooms for group training and a separate LadyFitness zone. The Therme Wien provides a unique offering to all sport and mobility enthusiasts.

  With this comprehensive offering, Therme Wien intends to establish itself as a holistic health and wellness centre, covering prevention, wellness and rehabilitation under one roof.

  The ALPINE project team would have earned some leisure time too – because the construction of the Therme Wien was quite a challenge. First, the event centre Kurhalle Oberlaa and the adjacent tennis courts had to be demolished. Subsequently, the soft ground required a pile foundation: The new pools have been constructed on top of approx. 450 ductile piles reaching up to 14 metres into the clayey ground. This required precision work: A slant of a few millimetres only would have adversely affected the water change-out in the overflow basins and consequently impaired water quality.

  All civil engineering works for the mega-project Therme Wien have been performed during full operation of the public bath. There was only a limited decline in the number of visitors because of the efficient planning and coordination of logistics. There was only a single complaint: “One of the guests didn’t understand how come the crane operator was able to see into the sauna’s open air area from his working platform high up on the crane”, construction site manager Andreas Rauscher tells with a smile. However, even after September 27, 2010, his and his team’s job isn’t fully finished yet. Only once the new spa has been opened, the old spa will be demolished and a two-story underground car park constructed in its place.

  TAUERN SPA Zell am See – Kaprun
  The finish line is close in the Salzburg Pinzgau region too: On November 8, 2010, Austria’s largest spa operator VAMED Vitality World, will open the new spa on time for the beginning of the winter season. This is another location where the highest standards are a must: The 48,000 m² area provides sufficient space for a four-star resort hotel with its own panoramic spa and a water and sauna world of more than 20,000 m² for daily visitors. Visitors will find seven differently designed indoor and outdoor pools, 13 different saunas, 17 beauty and treatment rooms, and a special “Kidstein” spa for children and high-end gastronomy. All this comes with a spectacular Hohe Tauern mountain panorama.

  ALPINE is involved as a partial general contractor and investor in this largest tourism project in Salzburg’s recent history and has superbly mastered all challenges posed by the Kaprun valley so far – e.g. underground with low bearing capacity and unfavourable ground water conditions. Additionally, important contributions were made to strengthen the regional economy during the construction period: Whenever possible, local companies were used for building works. 30% of contracts directly awarded by ALPINE have been assigned to Pinzgau companies, 46% to companies elsewhere in its federal state. The TAUERN SPA Zell am See – Kaprun also created 200 additional and all-season jobs and trainee spaces.

  Picture gallery: Therme Wien / TAUERN SPA Zell am See – Kaprun

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  >> Therme Wien
  >> TAUERN SPA Kaprun – Zell am See
  >> VAMED Vitality World

  The 1.2010 issue of our company magazine INSIDE provides more information on wellness and the power of water.

  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/wohlfuhl-oasen/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/innovation-im-bahnbau/ http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/innovation-im-bahnbau/#comments Tue, 07 Sep 2010 06:54:15 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=16685 It is part of the company’s philosophy to develop individual solutions for special projects and to continuously invest in further technological developments. This effort has resulted in a support-exchange system enabling the exchange of elastomer supports of railway mass-spring systems.

  The mass-spring system is a construction-engineering procedure used to minimise the transmission of vibration and noise emissions created by railway vehicles. It is used particularly in the construction of railway tracks in residential areas. Vibration insulation is achieved through the large and inert railway trough (open concrete trough) in combination with the elastomeric single rail supports.

  So far, the exchange of supports has been very difficult. As part of the construction of the Unterinntaltrasse (Lower Inn Valley Railroad) – currently the largest construction project in Austria – ALPINE has developed a system significantly simplifying the exchange of damaged supports and thereby extending the service life of the entire system. The exchangeability of the supports was part of the building owner’s (ÖBB) request. ALPINE has mastered this challenge with flying colours. Initial tests at the Unterinntaltrasse have achieved perfect results. This support-exchange system is now being made available to ÖBB and will enable a cost-effective and an easy maintenance of tracks.

  How does it work?
  To exchange a row of supports, 8 hydraulic presses lift the trough plate. By maintaining a predefined bending line and by not exceeding a maximum lift of 22 mm, the track substructure is not being damaged. To exchange elastomer supports beneath a track, which has been lifted off only a very limited distance, a mobile mechanism is required that can be simply and quickly centred on a bearing pedestal. This is achieved by using limit stops on both the support exchange vehicle as well as the bearing pedestal. The support exchange vehicle picks up the elastomer supports in the defined position. This allows lifting off of the elastomer support from the bearing pedestal and pulling it out from underneath the track. The limit stops also allow to reposition the new support precisely on the bearing pedestal.

  Image gallery
  

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  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/innovation-im-bahnbau/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/urbaner-hochstand/ http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/urbaner-hochstand/#comments Wed, 11 Aug 2010 13:25:41 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=16502 Currently, the project Central Railway Station Vienna is the most important infrastructure measurements and mega construction site of the Austrian capital and stretches across almost 11,000 acres. On the site of the former Southern Railway Station (Südbahnhof), a completely new city district will be developed and not only an important junction of the Trans-European railroad network. The adjacent BahnhofCity will house shops, restaurants, hotels and offices. An 800 acre park, 5,000 flats as well as kindergartens and schools will be developed within the immediate vicinity.

  The Southern Railway Station is being demolished since January 2010. Simultaneously, work has already begun at the Central Railway Station with up to 400 workers and up to 100 building machines in action. In December 2012, this transport depot will see its partial commissioning. The entire project is to complete by 2015 and then will serve as the central hub for 1,000 trains and 145,000 people per day.

  An information centre has been established at the fringes of this construction site to inform all neighbours and those interested about this project of the century where ALPINE is also involved as a consortium partner. Bahnorama allows an insight into construction activities and an outlook on the completion of the new central railway station. In addition to this exhibition, various events are planned as well as a coffee bar. The opening will be on August 19, 2010.

  The wooden look-out is, without a doubt, the highlight of the information centre. With 66.72 m it is Europe’s highest accessible wooden tower. It has been constructed in March already. The prefabricated modules of 15 metres each have been lifted and mounted by using a 400-ton crane with a 70-metre pivot arm. Not such an easy task in the densely built-up urban area.

  The material used was domestic, untreated spruce wood. Wood is an environmentally friendly raw material and easy to assemble and disassemble. However, implementing the vision of a wooden tower in the real world was not always easy: “When we have initially asked stress analysts they just told us to forget about it and use steel”, Hans Schartner of RAHM Architects tells in an interview. “However, we eventually did find a stress analyst and a master carpenter in a single person: Ing. Hans Matzinger. He encouraged us that it was possible to develop a wooden construction that meets today’s safety standards. He brought a book on high seats for hunters to our initial meeting.” So, you are dead centre if you think of an urban high seat when viewing the look-out at the future central railway station. Anybody may “hunt” the city from that vantage point: Two panoramic elevators make an exciting outlook possible for the less than sporty too.

  Photo gallery

  [Mit PicLens anzeigen]

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  >> Project Central Railway Station
  >> Tower blog

  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/urbaner-hochstand/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/sport-bewegt/ http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/sport-bewegt/#comments Mon, 12 Jul 2010 12:52:13 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=15885 Sport has become a mass phenomenon, an event industry – which in turn made it into an important economic factor. In industrial countries this sector contributes about 2% to the economic performance. In Austria, more than 7% of the GDP are achieved through sports. In Germany, professional soccer alone contributes 0.2% to the GDP. Hundreds of thousands of jobs are directly or indirectly connected with sports. This sector remains rather unaffected by the economic crisis – strong growth can be expected in this sector for the coming years as well.

  Money flows is not the only thing caused by sports and a wider sphere is influenced by it. There is no doubt that the speed of the social-cultural development of a city, country or region can be increased by large sporting events. Currently, all of Africa looks to the south of the continent in hope that the World Cup effects more than just South Africa.

  In South Africa, the World Cup has caused a significant improvement of its infrastructure – and with it a long-term benefit. For example, a large-scale programme to modernize and expand the country’s power supply infrastructure was begun. Telecommunications and transportation networks have been massively expanded. The first high-speed train line in Africa has been opened on time for the World Cup.

  Sportive points of interest
  The new construction and remodelling of soccer stadiums has given ten South African metropolises new landmarks. These sports stadiums have given the World Cup a definite look. Modern design, high technology and the region’s cultural tradition have been skilfully combined. For instance, the exterior of the largest stadium in Africa – the Soccer City in Johannesburg – resembles the African drinking vessel called Kalebasse. The stadiums in other locations have also become well known symbols and architectural points of interest, such as the Bird’s Nest in Beijing or the Allianz Arena in Munich.

  The Allianz Arena, constructed by ALPINE between 2002 and 2005, has become a Mecca for both soccer and architectural fans alike. The facade has been constructed with highly innovative technologies and by now is an attraction for both soccer fans and experts. It consists of about 3,000 air cushions made of merely 0.2 mm thin foil that can be illuminated in red, blue and white with about 4,000 specially developed lights. The membranes are self-cleaning, are continuously aerated and weigh only about a 30th of the weight of glass.

  Austria competes internationally
  Domestic companies play in the top international sporting league. Austrian products and know-how are in high demand in the sports and event industry. The eye catching facade of the Soccer City Johannesburg for instance is made of fibre glass concrete sheets made in Salzburg. The Vorarlberg Doppelmayr Group is the world leader in cable cars and has constructed cable cars in more than 80 countries. Even several Austrian companies are involved simultaneously in the construction and modernization of skiing regions in Turkey and Africa.

  ALPINE is also part of this world league in the construction of stadiums. In addition to the construction of the Allianz Arena, the construction of the Dubai Cricket Stadium is also one of the company’s prestigious projects. For the European Soccer Championship 2008, the Red Bull Arena in Salzburg and the Tivoli Stadium in Innsbruck were reconstructed by ALPINE as part of a consortium – and the Wörthersee Stadium in Klagenfurt was newly constructed. For the EURO 2012 event held in Poland and Ukraine, spectacular new stadiums are currently being constructed in Danzig and Warsaw.

  Sustainability in the construction of stadiums
  ALPINE faces new challenges in the construction of the new soccer stadium for St. Pölten. New sustainability benchmarks are being set for this stadium. It is to become the most environmentally friendly stadium in Austria and is to excel through particularly high energy efficiency. The ecological and renewable construction material is wood which is extensively used – the design’s optical impression is dominated by its wooden roof structure – it is to create a family friendly atmosphere.

  The planning provides for about 8,000 seats, five VIP lounges as well as a Business Club for more than 800 guests of honour. Additionally, there will be a restaurant with Fan Shop and its very own kindergarten. In spring of 2011, the construction will begin once the environmental impact assessment has been completed. The completion is planned for 2012. The net contract value of this project is about Euro 18.3 million.

  Visualization of the St. Pölten Stadium:
  

  [Mit PicLens anzeigen]

  

  

  

  

  

  Header photo: Allianz Arena Munich

  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/sport-bewegt/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/arbeitsplatz-mit-guten-aussichten/ http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/arbeitsplatz-mit-guten-aussichten/#comments Wed, 12 May 2010 11:25:20 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=15274 There is certainly no room for fear of heights: if you are sitting in Austria’s highest crane, you must not fear looking down. Easier said than done when you are 137 m above the ground. That’s how high the crane is that has been assembled for the construction of the new heat exchanger tower for the Austrian building materials manufacturer Leube in Gartenau/St. Leonhard (Salzburg). It is thus one of the highest cranes in the whole of Europe.

  But this is not the only characteristic that makes this crane so special. For example, it grew simultaneously in height with the heat exchanger tower even while in operation. The original height was just 80 m. Since the start of construction it has “climbed” twice, i.e. been extended upwards. For this, the crane had to be braced to the building at two points in order to sufficiently stabilise the crane tower.

  It may be a matter of predisposition whether you envy the crane operator who has to climb 280 rungs every day for the view from his cabin 130 m above the ground; but he certainly has an impressive job.

  Specifications:
  Model: Liebherr 550 EC-H 20 Litronic
  Hook height: 123 m
  Jib length: 41.50 m
  Lifting capacity: 20.0 t

  [Mit PicLens anzeigen]

  

  

  

  

  

  

  You can find more information about the assembly of cranes and the special safety precautions that must be taken in this respect in the issue 1.2010 of our company magazine INSIDE.

  >> Leube

  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/arbeitsplatz-mit-guten-aussichten/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/betontag-2010/ http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/betontag-2010/#comments Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:40:28 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=14994 Since 1998, the ÖVBB has been inviting to this congress every two years. By now, the event has established itself as an important communication platform for representatives of builders, construction industry, engineering offices and sub-construction companies. The Concrete Day 2010 reaffirmed the importance of this construction event: on April 22 and 23, a total of 2,000 participants from 16 countries (Austria, Hungary, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Switzerland, South Korea, Finland, Slovenia, Croatia, Lithuania, Greece, Hong Kong, USA, Italy) came to the Austria Center Wien to establish business contacts and to obtain information about the latest technological innovations and project highlights in building and infrastructure construction in Austria and abroad.

  ALPINE also was a successful participant of the Concrete Day 2010. As part of the sophisticated lecture programme, future-oriented construction projects – such as the construction of the ultra-modern cricket stadium in Dubai, the Viennese District “Viertel Zwei”, the Danube bridge Traismauer and the central part of the Gotthard base tunnel – were presented, and current developments in energy generation were discussed.

  Of course, ALPINE had its own booth on site, which had many interested visitors. There, the managing directors DI Dr. Peter Preindl (CEO), Ing. Roman Esterbauer and Bmst. Ing. Karl Gruber made an important investment in the future: they met 40 HTL and TU students from Salzburg, Upper Austria and Vienna, answered their questions and talked to them about the reality of the construction business.

  The next Concrete Day will take place in 2012 and, considering the durability of the building material that gave the event its name, it is likely that we can expect more repetitions of Concrete Day in the future.

  ALPINE at the Concrete Day 2010:

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  Interesting international building and infrastructure construction projects:

  [Mit PicLens anzeigen]

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  >> Website Concrete Day

  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/betontag-2010/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/bruckenbauwerk-mit-innovativem-charakter/ http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/bruckenbauwerk-mit-innovativem-charakter/#comments Sat, 17 Oct 2009 08:40:25 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=12023 An example of a new construction method: For the first time bridge piers are concreted with a special construction between two ships and not ashore. The water’s uplift carried the final concreted pier shells. Two pontoons were anchored about 40 m from the river bank and formed a floating pier construction site.

  The supporting formwork of the bridge is constructed piece by piece in the classic cantilever construction method about 20 m above the water. For the first time in Austria, ALPINE uses newly developed DOKA cantilever construction carriages for the construction of the supporting formwork.

  >> Video (wmv-Datei, 30MB)

  You´ll find the whole article in the printed customer magazine.

  Links:
  DOKA – The Formworks Experts
  Video: Kindly supported by ASFINAG

  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/bruckenbauwerk-mit-innovativem-charakter/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/viertel-zwei/ http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/viertel-zwei/#comments Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:14:00 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=11940 The 80 metre high office building HOCH ZWEI by the architects Henke and Schreieck and the neighbouring building PLUS ZWEI designed by architect Martin Kohlbauer caused quite a stir. Typical design elements of HOCH ZWEI are the concave-convex footprint and its transparent architecture, mostly using glass and steel. The angular design of the 33 m high PLUS ZWEI building forms a counterpart to the powerful HOCH ZWEI tower.

  You´ll find the whole article in the printed customer magazine.

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  Links:
  Architect Martin Kohlbauer
  Architects Henke und Schreieck

  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/viertel-zwei/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/donaubrucke-traismauer/ http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/donaubrucke-traismauer/#comments Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:42:39 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=11951 ALPINE works since autumn 2007 on the Danube bridge at Traismauer. It is the heart of a new road link between the Kremser dual carriageway S 33 and Stockerauer dual carriageway S 5. The contract section covers the Danube bridge itself and two foreshore bridges north and south of the river – a section of more than one kilometre in length.

  The new Danube bridge at Traismauer improves accessibility of Central Lower Austria and part of the so called Regional-Ring-North. It provides an efficient axis between Stockerauer dual carriageway S 5 and the Kremser dual carriageway S 33 and leads to the Westautobahn A1 (motorway).

  You´ll find the whole article in the printed customer magazine.

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  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/donaubrucke-traismauer/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/hafentor-wartet-im-wiener-hafen-aufs-einheben/ http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/hafentor-wartet-im-wiener-hafen-aufs-einheben/#comments Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:28:58 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=11802 ALPINE and Grund-, Pfahl-, und Sonderbau implements two measurements. Additionally, the flood control dam is reinforced which separates the Danube channel from the inner harbour. A gigantic harbour gate is being installed at the harbour entrance. Like a sliding gate it can be closed in case of a flood.
  The harbour gate has enormous dimensions. It is 30 metres long, 13.5 metres high, weighs (without mounting parts) about 203 tons and is made of pure steel. It is 2 metres wide to be able to resist the pressure from a flood.

  VAM GmbH & Co KG Anlagentechnik und Montagen manufactured the harbour gate. The gate is composed of four individual parts with weights of 52.7 – 40.4 – 40.1 and 70.4 tons. After manufacturing in the factory in Wels they were treated with corrosion protection at the company Bauschutz Linz.
  Then they were transported to the Viennese harbour by heavy-goods trucks. This is were they are currently stored.
  The gate parts will be lifted in place from December 14 – 21, 2009.

  [Mit PicLens anzeigen]

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  The Viennese harbour is the largest Austrian trimodal logistics centre and features simultaneous connections to ship, train and truck routes. About 12 m tons of goods and about 1.700 ships are handled annually.

  Links:
  VAM GmbH & Co KG Anlagentechnik und Montagen
  Wiener Hafen
  Grund- Pfahl- und Sonderbau GmbH

  Photo credits: VAM GmbH & Co KG Anlagentechnik und Montagen

  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/hafentor-wartet-im-wiener-hafen-aufs-einheben/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/allgemein/zwischen-architektur-und-konstruktion/ http://www.alpine.at/en/allgemein/zwischen-architektur-und-konstruktion/#comments Mon, 24 Aug 2009 10:53:08 +0000 presse http://www.alpine.at/?p=10746 Applying 2760 air-cooled membrane cushions to the plastic envelope of the Munich Allianz Arena built by ALPINE was no different. With 66.500 sqm this membrane envelope is the largest of its kind in the world. Additionally, 25.000 fluorescent tubes integrated into the cushions allow the soccer stadium to be lighted according to the colours of the competing clubs.

  However, aesthetics alone was not the decisive factor: Outstanding achievements in material research enabled these building envelopes to automatically adjust according to light and temperature characteristics and thereby create a comfortable living and working environment. These building envelopes influence light transmittance, energy balance (absorption, reflection, storage), indoor environment quality, characteristics of ventilation, acoustic and colour and thereby create a variable and adjustable unit.

  The Stuttgart based ILEK Institute (Institut für Leichtbau Entwerfen und Konstruieren – ILEK Institute for lightweight design and construction) actually is an interface between architecture and engineering. One of the research areas of the ILEK Institute is the “design of adaptive systems”. Excellent innovations resulted from using chemical and physical functional principles of multi-layered systems.
  The materials used in room and building envelopes consist of autonomous or controlled systems with different functions and different possible reactions. For instance, thermotrope layers as used in glass fronts as sun screens. These layers change their optical characteristics from transparent to translucent as temperature increases. In an autonomous and reversible process they switch from clear to a strongly diffusing and misty-white condition. This ensures a strong multiple scattering and diffuse transmission of light.

  Electrochrome material is placed in a gap between sheets of glass. It changes its colour when electrical charge is applied. This process can be reversed as well. This electrochrome material changes its transmittance of light depending on what amount of d.c. voltage is applied. This effect is utilized. Electrical charge is applied to a microscopically-small coating on a glass surface. This changes its colour.

  The transmission characteristics and energy absorption of a window module may also be changed with liquid crystals. Prototypes have already been produced to test the usability of infinitely variable elements on the basis liquid crystals. These prototypes are currently undergoing field tests.

  The exhibition
  „Sketches for the Future“ (until October 16, 2009)
  forschen // entwerfen // konstruieren (research // design // construction)
  by Werner Sobek, head of ILEK and professor at the Mies van der Rohe professorship at the Illinois Institute of Technology currently displays at the Wiener Ringturm. Sobek is a “researching, designing and constructing engineer”. In cooperation with other famous architects he has often drawn attention when presenting spectacular concepts. The same is true for his work as an architect and and his own projects and buildings.

  Link:
  ILEK – Institut für Leichtbau Entwerfen und Konstruieren (ILEK Institute for lightweight design and construction

  Image source:
  Post Tower Bonn, 1999–2000 © HG Esch, Hennef

  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/allgemein/zwischen-architektur-und-konstruktion/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/allgemein/alpine-kundenmagazin-struct/ http://www.alpine.at/en/allgemein/alpine-kundenmagazin-struct/#comments Tue, 16 Jun 2009 09:21:20 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=7409 What should a construction company tell you without getting tired after a few sentences only? We have asked the same question. We cannot entertain you with stars and spectacular events. The radio furnishes the most important news every day. Technical reports can be found in every professional journal. What is left to tell? Actually, it is very simple. Things, you simple have never heard before. Topics you always wanted to know more about. Minor details that will yet open up a surprising and wondrous world for you. And you will be surprised to see how much your life is influenced by construction.

  The magazine will provide surprising insights into the world of ALPINE. No matter whether your are a technical expert or simply interested. The many aspects and facets combined in the single terms “construction” are sufficient for an unending stream of editions. The group’s and its employees’ activities, technology, innovations or subjects like economy, sustainability and safety only serve as a central theme. Insights into foreign countries and cultures, the day-to-day life in exotic locations, many personal and lasting impressions or fascinating research projects are just an excerpt of what you can expect to find in this magazine. There is a never ending well of fascinating subjects.

  External and internal editors work with the ALPINE Department of Marketing and Group Communication to provide you with a variety and interestingly written subjects. The magazine’s layout was developed in-house and bears the company’s distinctive fresh and modern style. All issues are complete in-house productions. And they are produced with passion.

  The magazine is published twice a year and sent to customers, potential buyers and interested people.

  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/allgemein/alpine-kundenmagazin-struct/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/empire-riverside-hotel-alpine-bau-deutschland-ag-als-generalunternehmer/ http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/empire-riverside-hotel-alpine-bau-deutschland-ag-als-generalunternehmer/#comments Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:25:21 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=7343 The British start architect David Chipperfied has been commissioned by the owner families Fraatz and Bartels. The well-known St. Pauli district gets its own landmark with this 21-story, bronze-covered hotel tower. The construction of the Empire Riverside was like a crown on Willi Bartels’ life work – he died a few days after the inauguration of this hotel. The life of this man is closely connected with St. Pauli. Originally he trained to become a butcher and later on became a hotel owner and real estate giant. Already his father owned famous saloons along a street in this district called Große Freiheit (Great Freedom). Bartels expanded his empire by acquiring real estate, hotels and apartments as well as famous buildings like the “Dollhouse”, “Schmidt’s Tivoli” and the “Hotel Hafen Hamburg”. Now his grandsons run his business. St. Pauli is best known as a red-light and entertainment district although it also is an important residential area for worker, students, intellectuals and artists.

  Its name got St. Pauli only 180 years ago. Prior to that this district just outside the city of Hamburg was known as the “Hamburg Hill (Hamburger Berg)”. The residents of this district have been loud and colourful ever since settlement began in the 17th century – and has not been welcomed within the city walls. It was composed of those that couldn’t pay the fee that was due if you wanted to become a full citizen, of foul-smelling trades like fish-oil distilleries, noisy industries, barkeepers, prostitutes, cheap entertainment and the collection place for those haunted by the Black Death. Later on the rope makers (in Old-German> Reepschläger) moved into this district as well and gave this famous street its name: Reeperbahn. In 1830 St. Pauli’s boom began with the introduction of steam navigation. Many sailors came as the ships docked at the river Elbe near the “Hamburger Hill”. St. Pauli became an entertainment district. Bars and establishments mushroomed. Trade and the harbour provided the residents of St. Pauli with a living. In 1840 St. Pauli housed 98 barkeeper, 10 out of 13 dance halls in all of Hamburg and 150 registered prostitutes. The area around the streets Spielbudenplatz, Reeperbahn, Herbertstraße and Große Freiheit is locally referred to as “Kiez” (meaning the red-light district). In this area there is no closing hour for bars – according to governmental regulation. Beer halls, theatres and cabarets existed since the beginning of the 20th century. St. Pauli survived WW II almost without damage. In the 60s many Rock’n'Roll legends and even the Beatles performed in clubs at the Große Freiheit. Cabarets, vaudevilles, shows, clubs, bars and brothels live next to each other.

  Today, a modern quarter with apartments, hotels and office buildings is being created between the Hamburg harbour, Reeperbahn and the old warehouse district next to the premises of the former Bavaria-St. Pauli brewery. However, the original St. Pauli never dies and remains full of characters. And the live blood of it all is the Reeperbahn, this flashy, glittery boulevard between the old city gates Millerntor and Nobistor. It’s colourful, loud and headstrong.

  Empire Riverside Hotel / Film
  [See post to watch Flash video]

  www.alpine-bau.de
  www.empire-riverside.de

  Picture credits:
  www.mediaserver.hamburg.de/C. Spahrbier
  ALPINE Bau Deutschland AG

  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/empire-riverside-hotel-alpine-bau-deutschland-ag-als-generalunternehmer/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/projekt-y/ http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/projekt-y/#comments Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:23:42 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=7266 An earth wall at least 200 times their size. It seems impossible to avoid this barrier as they seem endless whether you look left or right. Breathing is hard from all the exhaust and ear-splitting noise makes them freeze. The top of this barrier is covered by a black plate and on this plat gigantic steel monsters the size of a skyscraper pass at breathtaking speed. The noise drowns their cries attempting to reach their fellows on the other side of the barrier.

  

  This is the fate of millions of amphibians when they move from their winter resorts to their spawning grounds or summer locations. Frogs, toads and salamander are part of the species of amphibians. Their ideal habitat is a very diverse, natural environment with a multitude of small habitats such as lakes, meadows, hedges, forests and marsh areas. More and more traffic routes cut the routes of amphibians. Streets are the most dangerous barrier for these animals. Traffic kills so many every year that numerous amphibious populations are threatened with extinction. Tunnel-Guidance-Systems are a means to permanently protect migrating animals. These consist of passages and a guidance system. They enable these animals to safely cross a street. Prof. Dr. Manfred Pintar, Export for the protection of amphibians at the University for natural resources in Vienna (Amphibienschutzexperte an der Universität für Bodenkultur in Wien) points out that “70-90% of amphibians could be saved in this way”. Permanently installed protective systems have another advantage in that they also protect young amphibians when they migrate. The same is true for the migration of amphibians in autumn and other migrating small animals. Migrating animals are very headstrong and want to use the shortest possible route. They do not like to be redirected. Therefore it is necessary to carefully study the migration routes of amphibians and to plan tunnel-guidance-systems accordingly. Some 30 to 50 km of protective devices for amphibians have been build during the construction of the PPP Project Y in Lower Austria.

  Picture credits: Arge NATURSCHUTZ
  www.amphibienschutz.at

  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/magazin/projekt-y/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/allgemein/7248/ http://www.alpine.at/en/allgemein/7248/#comments Tue, 09 Jun 2009 09:22:02 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/allgemein/7248/ Concrete has an advantage over wooden and stainless-steel container. Oxygen reaches the wine in very small quantities via the extremely small air spaces that exist in concrete. This causes a natural micro-oxidation and allows the wine to breath sufficiently while ageing. Although wood has air spaces as well it also gives the wine a flavour of roast and tannins. Concrete, on the other hand, preserves the natural and purse taste of a specific variety of wine. .

  “In the beginning we had to study all kinds of reactions wine has when in contact with concrete before we could develop the ideal type of concrete for the ageing of wine”, says graduate engineer Johann Ramsbacher and MD of Rauter GmbH, the Styrian manufacturer of wine-eggs. Wine has a sour ph-value. Consequently we had to develop a special mixture. Compared with the French model we improved the mould of the concrete-eggs and thereby the concrete’s surface characteristics. Three years ago Angela and Werner Michlits got excited about using concrete-eggs for the ageing of wine. Since then they successfully promote this bio-dynamic wine ageing and storage method in Austria. Last year the first Austrian wine “hatched” in concrete-eggs was bottled: the “Meinklang Sankt Laurent 2006″.

  A concrete-egg holds 900 litres, has wall thickness of 12 cm and weighs more than 1.7 tons. It is equally suitable for the ageing of red and white wines.

  Concrete is a modern building material and used in all areas of construction. The ALPINE magazine “struct” (first edition in autumn 2009) will provide more information on the use of concrete and ALPINE’s concrete research.

  Picture credits: www.meinklang.at

  Links:
  www.meinklang.at
  www.rauter.at

  ]]> http://www.alpine.at/en/allgemein/7248/feed/ 0 http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/die-stadt-linz-2009-als-kulturvermittlerin/ http://www.alpine.at/en/featured/die-stadt-linz-2009-als-kulturvermittlerin/#comments Tue, 09 Jun 2009 07:18:59 +0000 alpine http://www.alpine.at/?p=7236 Linz represents Austria in hosting Europe as the Capital of Culture for 2009. The city’s agenda must have truly European dimensions and be open to international artists just as much as for visitors after 2009 that everybody hopes will come again. Today, Linz provides an economically successful environment with many desirable qualities. It is a city on the go, a city looking for new objectives – a city of change. Linz as the Capital of Culture for 2009 is very much a part of this process. It is a project of lasting urban development, an incentive and driving force.
  Linz 2009 – European Capital of Culture

  ALPINE has a considerable part in the urban development of Linz and constructed numerous buildings.

  Lentos Museum of Art
  This building has been designed by the Zurich architect Weber & Hofer and was completed in 2002. Today, it is one of the most important museums of modern art in Austria. This museum of art is located at the banks of the Danube river between Nibelungenbrücke and Brucknerhaus. On 8.000 sqm of useful space it houses numerous works of art from paintings, sculptures, constructive art, paper an artistic photography. ALPINE had a 50% ARGE share in its construction.
  Lentos Museum of Art Linz

  Urban development of the area around the main station
  In December 2004 the main station designed by architect Wilhelm Holzbauer was inaugurated. It was constructed in only two years (ALPINE had an ARGE share of 50%). The railway’s customers elected it as Austria’s most beautiful train station for the third time. A new quarter has been created around this newly constructed train station. It’s most visible characteristic is the three towers: the Terminal Tower (with 98.5 meters the highest tower in Linz), the Power Tower of Energie AG (72 metres high) and the Knowledge Tower (Wissensturm) (63 metres high)..

  In 2007 the Terminal Tower received the DIVA Award for exceptionally innovative projects. The Social Security Administration and the Tax Offices of the city Linz and Urfahr moved into this 24-floor building with 122 parking lots.

  The Zurich based planner Weber + Hofer designed the Energie AG Power Tower. This tower features an energy façade and is flanked by a two-story building with a green flat root. This building provides 20 000 m2 of useful space for more than 500 employees. The two-story underground garage provides space for 248 cars.

  Since September 2007 the public library’s main office and the adult education centre are housed in this 16-story Wissensturm (Knowledge Tower) that features a floor-space of 15,400 m2. Architects Kneidinger/Stögmüller provided the basic concept for this tower. The building management of the city of Linz provided the detailed planning.

  In 2004 the Landesdienstleistungszentrum (State Administrative Service Centre) was completed. On six floors it units 30 departments of the State of Upper Austria. The requirement to make this building easily accessible was solved by its proximity to the main station and a bus terminal located right in its ground floor.

  Picture credits: Linz 09 / Copyright: Robert Striegl

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