Building technology hotspot Pinkafeld

Pinkafeld, January 28 2025 - The importance of cooperation as the key to sustainability was one of the key topics at this year's Tech Talk, which thus defended its reputation as one of the most successful events organised by the alumni association alumni Hochschule Burgenland. 70 experts from business and research - many of them graduates of the university from the years 1994 to 2004 - met to discuss the status quo and future developments in building technology. The major role played by AI-supported technologies in the industry was confirmed by all sides.

Building bridges between research and practice

Graduate Theresa Kohl, CEO of DiLT Analytics, spoke about interdisciplinary AI concepts for the buildings of tomorrow. According to the expert, an interdisciplinary approach between software technology, data science and building technology is crucial. The development of trustworthy AI solutions holds great potential for optimising complex building operations. The success of machine learning in combination with symbolic AI is confirmed by research results from 19 projects. One of these, the "Self2B" project to optimise operations for large non-residential buildings, enables scalable fault detection and diagnosis for HVAC systems and was carried out in collaboration with the Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft.

Cooperation as the key to sustainability

Gernot Wagner, COO at PORR BAU GMBH, Christian Heschl, head of the degree programme at Burgenland University of Applied Sciences, Martha Bißmann, climate change expert at Clean Energy and Thomas Winter, CEO at Apleona Austria GmbH, then took part in a panel discussion.

There was consensus on the following key statements:

• Cooperation between companies, research institutions and the public sector is essential in order to implement sustainable solutions.
• Cross-industry collaboration promotes innovation and accelerates the transformation in the construction and energy sector.
• Sustainability requires both technological and organisational innovations in order to be economically viable in the long term.

Cutting-edge technology for sustainable buildings

Christian Heschl, Head of the Master's degree programme in Building Technology and Facility Management at Burgenland University of Applied Sciences, has gained a great deal of experience in working with AI technologies in teaching, research and collaboration with business partners in recent years. As practical examples, he spoke about calculating the COP value (coefficient of performance) of a heat pump or analysing the timing of systems.

His key messages:

• The right use of AI creates low-threshold access to complex data analyses and processing.
• AI agents simplify the monitoring and optimisation of building systems and thus enable more efficient and sustainable operating processes.
• Innovative technologies promote interdisciplinary collaboration and maximise the sustainability potential of modern buildings.

Great interest in future topics

The organising team of the alumni University of Burgenland association, led by the dedicated graduate Lukas Bader, authorised signatory at PKE Gebäudetechnik GmbH in the field of energy and sustainability management, was delighted with the great success of the event. Around 70 guests, including current and former lecturers, graduates from the years 1994 - 2024 and industry experts from planning, building automation, energy and sustainability management accepted the invitation to the Pinkafeld campus. "It's great to see how well-received the event is. It offers an ideal platform to exchange ideas with former lecturers and to maintain and expand the network," says Lukas Bader at. The next Alumni Tech Talk will take place on 15 January 2026.

Studying at the Burgenland University of Applied Sciences

Bachelor's degree programme in Building and Energy Technology: The Bachelor's degree programme aims to train specialists who deal with the planning, installation or ongoing operation of technical facilities in buildings. The main aim is to create cosy and comfortable environmental conditions for the users of a building while being as energy-efficient, resource-conserving and ecological as possible. The Building and Energy Technology degree programme can be studied full-time, part-time or extended part-time - details here.

Master's degree programme in Building Technology and Facility Management: As a pioneer of building technology education in Austria, the degree programme combines technical innovation with practical expertise. The many years of experience, the future-orientated curriculum, the close networking with the industry and the state-of-the-art laboratory infrastructure at Burgenland University of Applied Sciences create the ideal basis for your professional development in this dynamic professional field. More information here.

Enquiry notes:
Mag.a Martina Landl │ Head of Marketing & Communication │ Hochschule Burgenland GmbH │ Tel: +43 (0)5 7705 3520 │ E-Mail: martina.landl@hochschule-burgenland.at