This is not just any passive house that we have built; this is the Austria House at Whistler, the site of the alpine and Nordic sporting events of the 21st Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.

Traditionally the Austria House is a popular venue for people from the international worlds of politics, the economy, sports and the media, and therefore it is also an effective advertising medium for Austrian tourism, hospitality and quality. Enabling this social occasion, in addition to broadcasting the latest reports from the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF), is the central role of the Austria House. With over 250 square metres of floor space, the Austria House also houses the broadcasting studio of the ORF.  The Austria House will be opened on 10th February 2010 and will be a platform for events and representation until the end of the 10th Winter Paralympics (12th to 21st March 2010). The APG is a partner of the ÖOC (Austrian Olympic Committee) and together they have designed a house logo which will be used by the APG for the entire marketing campaign. The Austria House is built by the APG and will also be run by them in co-operation with the ÖOC. In addition to the APG, the ÖOC and the ORF will also use the building for the duration of both the Winter Olympics and the Paralympic Games.

TURIN 2006 – strong partners

• TOP figure: 1.83 million viewers
• Olympic broadcasting studio: approx. 630,000 viewers daily, with top figure of 1,179 million viewers; the broadcasting studio of the Austria House, which looked out over Sestriere, was the ORF’s central hub for reporting on the Olympic Games and offered daily broadcasts from the Austria House with studio guests, numerous commentaries, analysis, live broadcast of the most important sites and daily summary reports. The daily live report from the "Olympic studio" at the Austria House of the ÖOC attracted the most interest from ORF viewers. The daily report from 8-9 pm was watched by 629,000 viewers on average, which is a market share of 21 percent. Some "Olympic studios" were watched by as many as 1,179 million viewers.
• After Montreal in 1976 and Calgary in 1988, this is the third time that the Olympic Games will have taken place in Canada - from 12th – 28th February 2010.
• Vancouver will host the Olympic sports of ice hockey, short-track speed skating, curling and figure skating. Speed skating will take place in the nearby suburb of Richmond while the snowboarders and freestyle skiers will contest medals in the "Cypress Mountain" district of west Vancouver (approximately 30km away). Alpine and Nordic competitions will take place at Whistler, about two hour's drive from Vancouver. In the same area the "Whistler Sliding Center" will hold the bobsleigh, toboggan and skeleton competitions.
• The location of the Austria House 2010 will also be at Whistler.
• No sporting events worldwide attract more people than the Olympic Games.
• This major worldwide sporting event unites and inspires people regardless of age, nationality or gender, and therefore attracts a broad target audience, making the Olympic Games very attractive as an advertising platform.
• The Olympic Rings symbolize the world-embracing community of sport, and as a brand and symbol they are better known than McDonald's, Disney, or the Red Cross.
• The APG is a partner of the ÖOC. Together they have designed a house logo which will be used by the APG for the entire marketing campaign.

Use the benefits of co-operation with the APG and the ÖOC - employ the Olympic ideals, as well as the positive image of the Olympic Games for your company and your products.

• 1.6 million tickets will be sold for the Olympic Games
• 250,000 tickets will be sold for the Paralympic Games
• Events take place over the 17 days of the Winter Olympics
• Events take place over the 10 days of the Paralympic Games
• 5,500 Olympic athletes and officials
• 1,350 Paralympic athletes and officials
• 25,000 volunteers
• 80+ countries take part in the Olympic Games
• 40+ countries take part in the Paralympic Games
• 10,000 accredited media representatives
• 3 billion viewers worldwide

Facts and figures:

• Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games 2010 at Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia, Canada
• Olympic Games: 12th – 28th February 2010
• Paralympic Games: 12th – 21st March 2010
• The Austria House is constructed as a passive house. The house will have 250 square metres of floor space, and will be a state-of-the-art building using ecological construction materials.
• The Austria House is constructed using solid wood construction. This is a joint project between the APG, "Quality made in Austria", and the company Dürfeld Log Construction Ltd. at Whistler.