Schiestlhaus

Schiestlhaus is a mountain shelter (Schutzhütte) operated by the Österreichischer Touristenklub (ÖTK) in the Hochschwab group of the Northern Limestone Alps in Styria, Austria. Situated at 2,156 metres above sea level in a saddle about 600 metres north-east of the Hochschwab summit, it lies on the Nordalpenweg and Nord-Süd-Weitwanderweg long-distance trails. The hut is named after Leopold Schiestl, who served as president of the ÖTK from 1870 to 1880. The original Schiestlhaus was built in 1884 and expanded between 1895 and 1913. For nearly a century it provided basic shelter for mountaineers, supplied by porters and pack animals until 1973 and by helicopter from 1974. By the late 1990s the old building had deteriorated, prompting plans for a replacement. Because the ÖTK could not finance the project alone, it was developed as a pilot and demonstration project for sustainable architecture under extreme conditions, supported by various funding bodies. Construction of the new hut began in 2004 and it opened in 2005; the old hut was dismantled. The new Schiestlhaus is recognised as the first high-alpine passive house. Its design, based on a study by Marie Rezac at TU Wien, was executed by an ARGE of POS architekten (Ursula Schneider, Fritz Oettl) and Treberspurg & Partner Architekten. The building combines a concrete base with two timber upper floors, large south-facing glazing, 64 m² of solar collectors and 78 m² of photovoltaic panels with 7.4 kWp. It uses passive solar gain, waste heat from the kitchen and guests' body heat for heating, collects rainwater in a 34 m³ cistern, treats wastewater with a biological plant and UV disinfection, and relies on a plant-oil combined heat and power unit for winter and peak-season energy. All materials and equipment had to be transported by helicopter or carried by volunteers because the site has no access road or material cable car. The hut is run by Christian Toth, who has been the Hochschwab innkeeper for over 30 years and is described as the logistical brain of the first alpine passive house. The team includes Katka and Manuel at the bar, and Steffi and Kathrin in the kitchen. Schiestlhaus offers accommodation in dormitories and rooms, washing facilities without showers, drying rooms, a breakfast buffet and high-quality food and wines. It is open seasonally, typically from mid-May to late October; outside opening hours a winter room is available for up to eight people. Reservations are accepted only by telephone. The hut has attracted media attention from outlets such as ORF, Kleine Zeitung, Der Standard, Kurier and international media, and its sustainable construction has provided insights applied to other alpine locations.

The Schiestlhaus is a mountain hut of the Österreichischer Touristenklub (ÖTK) in the Hochschwab group. It is the first high-alpine passive house. The hut stands at 2,156 m above sea level in a saddle about 600 m north-east of the Hochschwab summit, on the Nordalpenweg and Nord-Süd-Weitwanderweg. In 1884 a shelter was built a few metres east of today's building and expanded between 1895 and 1913. It was named after Leopold Schiestl, president of the ÖTK from 1870 to 1880. Until 1973 the hut was supplied by porters and pack animals; from 1974 also by helicopter. A material cable car built in 1976 was destroyed in its first winter. Because of the poor structural condition of the old hut, a new building was considered around 2000, but the ÖTK could not finance it alone. It emerged that funding from various bodies for a pilot project of a passive house in the high-alpine area would make financing possible, so the project of the first alpine shelter built as a passive house was undertaken. The project was highly ambitious due to the exposed location; the building must withstand not only low temperatures but also wind speeds over 200 km/h. Since the Schiestlhaus has neither an access road nor a material cable car, all building materials and equipment had to be transported by helicopter; some parts were also carried to the site by volunteers. Initial resistance from the landowner (Forstverwaltung Meran) against construction at the current site was overcome in lengthy negotiations. Construction began in 2004 and the new hut opened in 2005; the old hut was dismantled. The architecture is strictly designed according to functional requirements. The concept is based on a study by Marie Rezac at TU Wien; the general planner was an ARGE of POS architekten (Ursula Schneider, Fritz Oettl) and Treberspurg & Partner Architekten. The base floor is concrete, the two upper floors are timber construction. To optimise solar energy use, the south side features large glass areas, 64 m² of solar collectors and 78 m² of photovoltaic cells with 7.4 kWp. The interior room layout was also planned for low energy consumption. During periods of low occupancy and prolonged bad weather, only the necessary parts of the building are heated. The low outside temperatures even in summer require high thermal insulation of the walls; these are multi-layered and achieve a U-value of about 0.13 W/(m²·K). The wall construction was clad externally with larch wood and later replaced with aluminium panels. Waste heat, especially from the kitchen, is used via an exhaust air heat exchanger; therefore radiators are only needed in the drying room and bathrooms. Since there is no spring in the vicinity, rainwater is collected from the roof, stored in a 34 m³ cistern in the base floor and treated with UV disinfection and a sand filter. In addition to the photovoltaic system, the Schiestlhaus is equipped with a plant-oil combined heat and power unit to ensure energy supply in winter and during high season. Because the Schiestlhaus lies in the catchment area of the II. Wiener Hochquellenwasserleitung, particularly high demands were placed on wastewater treatment. Due to the low outside temperatures, biological treatment of wastewater with subsequent disinfection (with UV light) must take place in the base floor of the building. Access is from Seewiesen (950 m) via the Voisthaler Hütte in 4½ hours; from Gasthaus Bodenbauer (884 m) via the G'hackte in 4½ hours (a secured path, sure-footedness required; in spring and early summer high-alpine experience and equipment are necessary due to snow); via the Trawiessattel and Graf-Meran-Steig in 5 hours; from Weichselboden via the Edelbodenalm in 4½ hours. The Hochschwab summit (2,277 m) is 30 minutes away; Ringkamp (2,153 m) 1½ hours; Zagelkogel (2,255 m) 1¼ hours. Transitions to other huts: Voisthaler Hütte (1,654 m) in 1¼ hours; Häuselalm (1,526 m) in 3 hours; Sonnschienhütte (1,526 m) in 4 hours; Aflenzer Bürgeralm (1,809 m) in 4 hours.

• 2005

  New Schiestlhaus opens; old hut dismantled.

• 2004

  Construction of the new passive-house hut begins.

• 1976

  Material cable car built but destroyed in its first winter.

• 1974

  Helicopter supply begins.

• 1973

  Last year of supply by porters and pack animals.

• 1913

  Second major expansion of the old hut.

• 1895

  First major expansion of the old hut.

• 1884

  Original Schiestlhaus shelter built, offering 20 sleeping places.

A pioneering sustainable mountain hut offering high-quality hospitality in a remote alpine setting.

• Dormitory and room accommodation

• Breakfast buffet

• Alpine cuisine and wine selection

• Winter room for up to eight people

1. 1Home - Das Schiestlhausschiestlhaus.at
2. 2Über uns - Das Schiestlhausschiestlhaus.at
3. 3Schiestlhaus - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Schiestlhaus - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org