Wood, with its ecological value, has been at the center of the activity of the Austrian company Team 7 for over 40 years. Also in the recent construction of the new headquarters at Ried im Innkreis: all told, this is the most important step in the firm’s history. Begun in 2021 and completed in 2023, the new construction called for investments of about 47 million euros, of which 31 million have gone into the space Team 7 World. The operation is an emblem of continuity for the family company.
The corporate management now also includes Stefan Emprechtinger, together with Hermann Pretzl, the director in charge of production. Vision and mission have always converged in Team 7, keeping faith with principles of sustainability, quality, bespoke design and control of the entire chain of production. Values that are now clearly visible, thanks to the new architectural design by the studio Matulik and its implementation on the part of Wiehag, specialized in wood constructions. And thanks to the company that has chosen to remain at the same site inside the city, converting uncultivated terrain. The facility covers 6100 sqm, in an approach of multifunctional organization, energy regeneration and environmental protection.
The numbers are not only about corporate performance: 5500 cubic meters of wood utilized for supports, frameworks, roofing and outdoor cladding, of which 1000 cubic meters have been sourced from the company’s forest, with the rest arriving from regional sites. The volume of wood utilized is regenerated every 100 minutes in Austria, and permits long-term storage of about 2500 tons of CO2.
“The trees absorb the carbon dioxide from the air, and through photosynthesis it is transformed into oxygen and carbon – says Georg Emprechtinger, owner and CEO of Team 7. – The carbon remains stored in the wood. While the trees we have planted to replace those harvested continue to grow, our building functions a bit like a second forest.”
The entire energy supply of the building (offices and production) comes from renewable sources. An avant-garde energy plant – equipped with heat pumps, boilers, biomass heating (also from the production of furniture) and an emergency generator – covers requirements of heating and air conditioning. Everything is produced in autonomy, completely avoiding the use of fossil fuels.
Well-gauged systems of natural shade, nocturnal ventilation through windows, photovoltaic systems, green rooftops. It goes without saying that for the materials utilized the company has turned to those that can be reinserted in the production cycle in the future, relying on regional partners to reduce transport distances as much as possible. A sustainable lifestyle with no compromises, offered by Team 7 in all the spaces of the new headquarters. Starting with the point of sale organized on two levels for a total of 1200 sqm – the company’s largest store in the world.
