However, the topic of serial refurbishment is not entirely new, at least in Austria, as the first pilot projects were already realised in the early 2000s. Unfortunately, this model, which is based on standardisation, digitalisation, and prefabrication, has never progressed beyond pilot status and therefore never reached the intended series production stage. Initiatives from several parts of Europe, such as the Netherlands, Germany, and Estonia, are demonstrating “Serialised Refurbishment 2.0” very successfully in a new attempt. In Germany alone, 50 residential buildings have already been serially refurbished in recent years, 25 are under construction and the pipeline of further projects is well-filled. Around 150 residential buildings currently in preparation impressively demonstrate that the leap from individual pilot refurbishments to serial refurbishment can succeed this time and thus make an important contribution to the rapid resolution of the refurbishment backlog in the building sector that prevails throughout the EU. The potential for serial refurbishment in
Austria and the opportunities for the Austrian construction industry? Due to the building typology and the tradition of timber construction, the potential is generally high but targeted initiatives and a (funding) framework that favours the longer term are needed quickly. This focus on “sustainable technologies” provides insight into current European initiatives for serial refurbishment and reports on the status quo in Austria.