University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences ViennaAustria
Thomas Ertl is a Professor at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), leading the Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control. His research focuses on urban water systems, emphasizing sustainable drainage, climate change adaptation, and nature-based solutions. He has coordinated 55 projects, including international initiatives in Albania and Austria, addressing stormwater management, wastewater heat recovery, and sewer infrastructure resilience. Key Projects : Analysing re-activated watercourses for urban resilience (2024–2028) Resilient rainwater management in Austria (2024–2028) Assessing pollutant emissions in Albania (2024–2027) Research Themes : Building Information Modeling (BIM) in wastewater systems Uncertainty analysis under climate change Stormwater pollution and heat island mitigation Awards : 2018: Goldene Ehrennadel des ÖWAV 1993: Best student award at AGIT 93 His recent publications highlight multidisciplinary approaches to wastewater energy recovery, spatial compatibility of nature-based solutions, and prioritization of stormwater management sites. He has supervised numerous theses and contributed to media discussions on urban climate resilience, including articles in Austrian outlets like futurezone.at and Der Kurier.
Prof. Ronald Blab is a distinguished academic at TU Wien's Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, holding the position of Professor in the Institute of Transport Sciences. His research focuses on advanced road engineering topics, including pavement design, material science, and infrastructure management. He leads projects on performance-based design approaches and innovative testing methods for pavements, such as multi-directional Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) analyses. Notable contributions include work on bonded concrete overlays, unbound block pavement systems, and winter service infrastructure resilience. Blab has authored over 400 publications and supervised numerous theses, with recent work emphasizing sustainable materials and structural longevity under dynamic loads. He holds an honorary doctorate (Dr. h.c.) and has been pivotal in advancing Austrian engineering standards. His research integrates computational modelling, field testing, and lifecycle cost analysis for infrastructure solutions. Key projects include the implementation of lifecycle cost assessment (LCCA) in Austrian pavement design and the development of design catalogs for regional road networks. His academic leadership extends to lectures on winter maintenance strategies and the rebranding of TU Wien's Civil Engineering Faculty to emphasize environmental engineering.
Prof. Lukas Eberhardsteiner is an Assistant Professor at TU Wien's Department of Road Engineering, part of the Faculty of Civil Engineering. His research focuses on pavement engineering, material science, and infrastructure resilience. He leads the Network Lab and contributes to the TU Wien Academic Press. His work emphasizes asphalt modification, thermal behavior analysis, and pavement testing methodologies. Key affiliations include the E230-03 Research Department for Road Engineering. He has supervised numerous theses on topics like climate-resilient asphalt, self-healing materials, and pavement design standards. Notable collaborations involve projects funded by industry partners and international conferences. Recent research highlights include studies on heat island mitigation in urban asphalt, microstructural analysis of bitumen, and seasonal variation in pavement deflection measurements. He advocates for performance-based design approaches in Austrian road construction.
Herr Irrenfried Christoph serves as an Associate Professor at the Department of Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer within Graz University of Technology. His research focuses on fluid dynamics, heat transfer, and computational modeling, with applications in natural ventilation, aerodynamics, and turbulent flow analysis. University: Graz University of Technology Department: Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer Research Trends: His recent publications emphasize wind-driven ventilation systems, centrifugal polymer separation, and turbulence modeling in high Prandtl number flows. Key methodologies include Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS), computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and experimental validation. Scientific Awards: No awards or honors were explicitly mentioned in the provided texts.
University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences ViennaAustria
Anna Maria Drexel serves as an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Soil Bioengineering and Landscape Construction within the Department of Landscape, Water and Infrastructure at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU). With her Dipl.-Ing.Dr.nat.techn. academic credentials, she has established herself as a leading researcher in landscape construction, historical building research, and monument preservation within cultural landscapes. Her academic journey began with a Diplom in Landscape Ecology and Design in 1988, followed by professional practice in landscape architecture from 1988-1993, a doctoral degree in 1998, and appointment as associate professor in 2000. Professor Drexel's research focuses on landscape construction techniques, historical building research, and monument preservation in gardens and cultural landscapes. Her work specifically addresses landscape construction tradition and history of craft, open-space planning and garden design, historical gardens, construction technique and craft, cultural landscapes and constructions, and the history of garden technics. She has received the BOKU Teaching Award in 2016 for her innovative Paving Design Award project. Her publications demonstrate a consistent focus on sustainable technologies, structural engineering, building cultural heritage, and historical landscape architecture, with particular emphasis on stone wall construction and historical transport routes in Vorarlberg region. Her extensive publication record reveals significant contributions to cultural heritage documentation, particularly in the areas of historical stone walls, avalanche protection barriers, and transport routes. The research shows a clear pattern of methodological development in cultural landscape inventory systems, with increasing sophistication in documentation techniques and preservation strategies. Her work bridges historical research with contemporary landscape architecture practice, demonstrating how traditional construction techniques can inform sustainable modern practices. Among her notable achievements is the BOKU Teaching Award 2016, which she received as part of a team for the innovative Paving Design Award educational project. This recognition highlights her commitment to engaging teaching methods that connect students with practical landscape architecture challenges. Professor Drexel has supervised over 20 Master's theses on diverse topics including sustainable landscape construction techniques, historical stone wall documentation, cultural landscape preservation, and innovative approaches to landscape architecture. Her research projects, numbering over 20, have been primarily funded by Austrian Federal States (excluding Vienna), with significant contributions from the Anniversary Fund of the Oesterreichische Nationalbank. Current projects include the Historical Roads Austria - Montafon Region: Via Valtellina study (2023-2025) and the Wall Inventory Bizau 2021 (2021-2023), demonstrating her ongoing commitment to documenting and preserving Austria's cultural landscape heritage.
University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences ViennaAustria
Priv.-Doz. Dipl.-Ing.Dr. Ulrike Pitha is a Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Soil Bioengineering and Landscape Construction , University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna. Her work focuses on Vegetation Technology , Green Infrastructure , and Sustainable Landscape Construction , with expertise in integrating bio-based solutions into urban planning. Academic Affiliation : Department of Landscape, Water and Infrastructure Key Research Areas : Urban Microclimate Regulation, Stormwater Management, Permeable Pavement Systems, Nature-Based Solutions Her recent 15 publications (2012–2025) span topics like green roofs , vertical greening systems , greywater treatment , and climate-resilient urban design , emphasizing environmental engineering , plant-soil interactions , and sustainable materials . She has contributed to scientific panels (e.g., Innovationsnetzwerk Funktionsfassade, Regentropfen Society) and supervised 15+ theses (2008–2025) on urban greening, turfgrass resilience, and pollutant reduction. Pitha’s community engagement includes media appearances (ORF, Die Presse) and editorial roles in journals like BIOTOPE CITY JOURNAL and Sustainability , ensuring her research bridges academia and societal impact.
University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences ViennaAustria
Julia Backhausen-Nikolic is a Lecturer at the Institute of Landscape Architecture, Department für Landschaft, Wasser und Infrastruktur, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna. Her work focuses on urban open space development and design pedagogy. Education : 1990-1999 - Degree in Landscape Planning and Management from BOKU Vienna Her research emphasizes sustainable landscape planning , student design competitions , and public space innovation . She explores methodologies for environmental assessment and the role of design challenges in academic training. Recent publications highlight trends in urban design competitions (2015-2023) and pedagogical frameworks for landscape architecture education. She contributes to practical knowledge transfer through projects like the Entstehungsprozess urbaner Freiräume (2010) and Vision Rheintal_Freiraum (2004-2006). Julia actively engages in community services , including co-organizing academic events like the X-LArch conference series (2006, 2009). Her collaborations often involve interdisciplinary teams within the Institute of Landscape Architecture.
University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences ViennaAustria
Assoc. Prof. Johann Peter Rauch is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Engineering Biology and Landscape Construction , University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU). His work bridges soil bioengineering , vegetation technology , and sustainable infrastructure , focusing on climate adaptation, erosion control, and nature-based solutions for hydraulic structures. Education: Doctorate in Agrarian Sciences (2005), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna. Research Themes: Vegetation dynamics on slopes/dams, climate-related infrastructure risks, life-cycle assessment of bioengineering materials, and invasive species management. His recent publications emphasize vegetation’s role in stabilizing transport corridors , urban green spaces , and riverine landscapes , with fieldwork in Austria, Georgia, El Salvador, and Brazil. He has presented at 91+ international conferences, including keynotes on engineered ecosystems and climate-resilient design . No formal awards are listed in the provided data.
University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences ViennaAustria
Roland Wück is a Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Landscape Architecture at BOKU Vienna. His work focuses on integrating sustainable practices into landscape design through student competitions, urban park planning, and climate-adaptive solutions. He has held this position since 2005. Research Interests: Climate-Responsive Landscape Design Sustainable Urban Development Public Space Redesign Ecological Planning Innovative Teaching Methods Community-Driven Projects Notable Trends in Research: His recent work emphasizes the role of student competitions in fostering innovative landscape architecture solutions, particularly in climate adaptation, sustainable parks, and urban regeneration projects across Austria and Europe. Scientific Awards: 2024: Ars Docendi Sonderwürdigung für institutionelle Lehrentwicklung (Projekt: Plan Your BOKU) 2023: BOKU Nachhaltigkeitspreis - Kategorie 'Bildung für Nachhaltige Entwicklung' 2015: 1. Preis Teaching Award BOKU 2013: 1. Preis Teaching Award BOKU Grants and Community Service: Wück leads numerous research projects funded by Austrian municipalities and EU institutions. He actively participates in organizing committees for the ÖGLA Landschaftsarchitekturpreis for students and contributes to knowledge transfer through public presentations and media engagements.
University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences ViennaAustria
Bernhard Scharf is a Senior Scientist at the Institute of Soil Bioengineering and Landscape Construction at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), where he has worked since 2012. His research focuses on developing sustainable solutions for urban environments through green-blue infrastructure, climate adaptation strategies, and innovative landscape technologies. He holds a degree in landscape planning with distinction (2001) and has established himself as a leading expert in urban greening technologies and climate-resilient infrastructure. Dr. Scharf's research interests span Green Blue Infrastructure, Climate Adaptation, Sustainable Landscape Technology, Circular Soil systems, Urban Mining of materials, and Rainwater Management. His work addresses critical urban challenges through the development of indigenous seed mixtures, facade and roof planting systems, gravel turf technologies, and urban sustainable drainage systems (SUDS). He investigates how vegetation technology and material research can create functional urban ecosystems that provide essential services while adapting to climate change impacts. His recent publications reveal a strong trend toward quantifying the performance and economic value of green infrastructure. Research focuses on developing measurement methodologies for ecosystem services, creating circular soil systems, and evaluating the thermal performance of green infrastructure for urban heat mitigation. His work bridges engineering, environmental science, and urban planning to develop practical, evidence-based solutions for climate-resilient cities. Wiener Ingenieurpreis 2017 Energy Globe Österreich im Bereich Wasser 2016 Schorsch 2016 Architekturpreis Best small area Pavillon at EXPO Milano 2015 (as member of team.breathe.Austria) Studium der Landschaftsplanung mit Auszeichnung abgeschlossen 2001 Dr. Scharf has secured significant research funding from multiple sources including the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), Federal Ministries, EU programs, and private companies. He has led numerous projects including 'Machine learning evapotranspiration estimation,' 'resilientRAIN,' and 'Development of the StreetTREE tree-planting method.' His work emphasizes practical applications that can be implemented in urban settings to address climate challenges. He collaborates extensively with interdisciplinary teams across multiple departments at BOKU and with international partners. Dr. Scharf is actively involved in developing and testing innovative technologies through the Institute of Soil Bioengineering and Landscape Construction. His work includes the development of hydroactive paving systems, moss-based bio-tech-filter facade technology (MossDule project), and vertical greening systems. He contributes to the 'GreenUrbanClimate' research initiative and works closely with the Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control on integrated water management solutions. His research often involves field testing and real-world implementation of nature-based solutions for urban environments.
