Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner presented the next steps towards the construction of a new large barracks on the “Obere Fellach” garrison training area near the Hensel barracks in Villach together with Governor Peter Kaiser, Provincial Councillor Martin Gruber and Mayor Günther Albel.
“In good agreement with the state, we have decided to take this step towards the construction of a new large barracks. This guarantees that Villach will remain an important and modern military location in the future – for our armed forces and its soldiers,” says Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner.
“The new construction of a large barracks in Draustadt is a strong sign of the future and an important indicator in the challenging times currently characterized by the coronavirus. The construction project is not only of great importance for the Austrian Armed Forces and its soldiers, it is also associated with many jobs and is therefore a strong driver for the Carinthian economy,” emphasizes Governor Peter Kaiser. “Villach has always been a garrison town,” says Mayor Günther Albel. “A new, modern large barracks is therefore an important commitment to security policy. As a city, we are delighted that our soldiers will have modern accommodation. We will be happy to contribute to the necessary new access road in order to consistently divert traffic away from local residents.” Barracks offer soldiers plenty of space
The new barracks will offer more than 1,000 soldiers from Pioneer Battalion 1 and Command Support Battalion 1 space on a total of 88,000 square meters of floor space, 7,000 of which will be in listed refurbishment buildings. The future barracks will provide space for 260 computer workstations in specially designed office areas. Ultimately, troops from three barracks will be brought together in the new one. New building in line with the latest standards
All new buildings meet the highest ecological requirements without barriers. For example, the new barracks achieve the lowest energy standard thanks to alternative energy systems with large-scale photovoltaic systems and heat recovery systems. Water consumption is significantly reduced by using rainwater as service water. Industrial waste heat and biomass provide CO2-neutral heating. The future barracks will thus be equipped for 14 days of self-sufficient operation. 
Protecting local residents
The new barracks will also take the needs of local residents into consideration in the future. A new access road from the Drautal-Bundestraße will reduce the volume of traffic and relieve congestion in built-up residential areas. Costs
The costs for the new parts of the barracks to be built amount to 120 million euros. The next step will revitalize and modernize the remaining buildings of the Hensel barracks. The cost target for this construction phase is net construction costs of around 50 million euros. A more precise estimate will be made once the planning has been completed.
