Housing Complex in Sistrans, Austria

In 2008, a new residential complex was constructed in Sistrans, Austria, using prefabricated timber construction with KNAPP’s WALCO V connectors. The project, developed by Schafferer Holzbau and designed by Teamk2 architects, set a benchmark for cost-efficient and sustainable social housing.

The complex consists of two multi-family buildings with five units each and four row houses, all meeting passive house standards. During planning, questions were raised about whether social housing in this construction method could be both affordable and marketable. The results were clear, all units were sold before construction was complete.

Key outcomes included:

Passive house performance with excellent energy efficiency (15 kWh/m² annually).
Prefabricated timber frame construction enabled a fast build time of just nine months.
Efficient building services including solar thermal panels, shared gas condensing technology, and unit-specific ventilation with heat recovery.
High-quality living design with row houses and apartments oriented for natural light, garden access, and family-friendly layouts.

The buildings use a combination of melamine resin panels and silver-gray spruce cladding for varied façades. Beneath the surface, heavily insulated walls, mass timber floor slabs, and air-tight construction delivered the required performance to meet passive house certification standards.

This project demonstrates how WALCO V connectors support both structural efficiency and modern sustainable housing goals, enabling large-scale timber projects to combine speed, durability, and energy performance.