Short company profile: bauXund - build healthy!

"bauXund forschung und beratung", which translates "build healthy research and consulting" is a Vienna (Austria) based consulting company specializing in environmental and health issues in the construction sector. The fields of work of bauXund are the diverse aspects of sustainable construction in large-volume building construction.

bauXund focuses on the following areas:

• Building certification (klimaaktiv, ÖGNI, ÖGNB, EU taxonomy; https://bauxund.at/leistungen/gebaeudezertifizierung/) and specialist planning services for these audits, such as life cycle assessments of building materials, climate risk analyses, creation of demolition concepts, various measurements, etc.
• Building ecology support through chemical and product management (https://bauxund.at/leistungen/chemikalienmanagement/)
• Pollutant investigation of existing buildings in accordance with the Recycling Building Materials Ordinance (https://bauxund.at/leistungen/schadstofferkundung/) and pollutant demolition support, as well as
• applied research: https://bauxund.at/leistungen/forschungsprojekte/

bauXund was founded in 2003. After more than 20 years, bauXund therefore has a wealth of experience in implementing the above-mentioned services. We have successfully supported around 1,000 construction projects with more than 3 million m² of gross floor area during this period. Further references (clients, projects): https://bauxund.at/referenzen/

Building assessments (DGNB/OeGNI, OeGNB, klimaaktiv, EU taxonomy) are a central focus of our work. This begins with consulting in project development on the diverse aspects of sustainable buildings and determining the location of the project by means of an initial audit assessment (“precheck”). Based on this, the audit objectives and the necessary implementation steps are integrated into the planning and tendering of the construction services. Their implementation during the construction phase is of central importance. Finally, all evidence is collected by bauXund as auditor for the preliminary and later for the final certificate and forwarded to the audit body.

Important specialist planning services in building audits include the calculation and optimization of the life cycle costs and the life cycle assessment of buildings. We also consider the preparation of a climate risk analysis and a vulnerability assessment for the property and the building to be very important in order to secure the value of the investment. (https://bauxund.at/leistungen/klimarisikoanalyse/)

Building ecology chemical and product management is another focus of our work. This can be part of one of the above-mentioned building audits with the specific criteria listed there, but it can also be a stand-alone measure to ensure the avoidance of pollutants in new construction and renovations. The latter include the City of Vienna's “OekoKauf Wien” criteria for ecological construction and the federal government and the BIG´s (Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft) “naBe” sustainable procurement criteria. As a premium option, bauXund offers the “bauXund schadstoffgeprueft” (“bauXund tested for harmful substances”) seal of approval (https://bauxund.at/leistungen/schadstoffgeprueft-pruefsiegel/). More than 20 years ago, bauXund developed a methodology for chemical and product management for large-volume building construction to avoid the use of substances that are harmful to health and/or the environment, and has been continuously refining it ever since. Relevant pollutants include VOCs/organic solvents, SVOCs/plasticizers, SVHC, formaldehyde, HFCs, PVC, biocides, heavy metals, and allergy-triggering substances in construction products such as adhesives, paints, varnishes, primers, insulation materials, wood-based materials, and floor coverings. On request, further ecological tests such as the use of eco-labeled products and proof of origin for wood products from sustainable forestry (FSC, PEFC) can be integrated into the testing and approval process. This service begins with the development of ecological goals during the planning phase and their anchoring through the setting of criteria in the tender. It continues in the construction phase with product testing and approval as well as on-site inspections. Optionally, indoor air measurements can be carried out to verify the quality achieved.

The investigation of pollutants and contaminants in existing buildings is another key area of work for bauXund. The Recycling Building Materials Ordinance (RBV; Federal Law No. 181/2015) as the legal basis stipulates that all pollutants in building materials such as asbestos, PCBs, PAHs, CFC insulation boards, etc. must be professionally removed and disposed of. The investigation of pollutants and contaminants offered by bauXund is the key preliminary work required to identify these pollutants and locate them on plans. For demolition projects where more than 750 tons of construction and demolition waste are generated, more extensive documentation is required than for projects generating less than 750 tons of waste. However, even for these demolition or dismantling works, a pollutant survey must be carried out in accordance with RBV §6 to ensure that hazardous and non-hazardous waste is separated.

bauXund supports the client and the demolition company by providing additional hazardous substance removal support to ensure that the removal of hazardous substances is carried out efficiently and comprehensively. This allows the installed materials, which are then free of hazardous substances, to be reused or recycled in the best possible way in line with the principles of the circular economy.

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