On February 3, the ground-breaking ceremony at the Theresian Military Academy in Wiener Neustadt marked the start of the expansion of the campus. In the presence of Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner, Chief of Staff Rudolf Striedinger and the Mayor of Wiener Neustadt, Klaus Schneeberger, the starting signal was given for the construction of new accommodation buildings in modular timber construction and a service building in conventional solid construction at a military ceremony.
During the planning phase, particular attention was paid to the use of sustainable building materials. The army’s investment amounted to around 36.5 million euros.
“The prospective officers undergo long, demanding and challenging training that requires maximum physical and mental exertion. Our soldiers devote all their energies to the security of the Republic of Austria, which is why it is important to me that modern accommodation and catering facilities are available during the short recovery periods. To this end, a comprehensive new construction and renovation program is currently underway in the Austrian Armed Forces, which will be continued with the two new buildings at the Theresian Military Academy,” said Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner.
The accommodation building will be constructed using modular timber construction, largely in industrial series production. In this form, the new accommodation building will provide space for 220 people. In addition to double and single rooms, there will also be two barrier-free accommodations. The service building will be built in conventional solid construction and will serve as a canteen for more than 600 people. It will also house workshops such as a saddlery, tailoring, shoemaking and carpentry. Photovoltaic panels will be installed on the roof of both buildings in line with the aim of making all Austrian barracks self-sufficient and providing ecological added value. The new buildings are due to be completed in October 2024.
In order to do justice to the sustainable concept, the cleared areas at the military academy will be replaced by plantings at a ratio of 1:3. In total, an area of around 8,500 square meters that is currently lying fallow will be reforested. The plan is to plant trees of different sizes and seasonal varieties.
