How can tradition and innovation merge? The story of the Agricultural School Freistadt and its transformation into GLUATNEST shows how a vision can evolve and adapt to new challenges over the decades. What once served to fight hunger has now become a lighthouse project for sustainable energy and innovation.
Education against hunger – the founding of the Agricultural School
In the post-war years, Austria faced an enormous challenge: hunger and poverty shaped daily life for many people, especially in rural areas. At that time, Freistadt’s mayor Leopold Tröls and Deputy Governor Johann Blöchl – later known as the “Father of the Mühlviertel” – recognized that agricultural education could be the key to food security. Their vision was clear: to equip young people with knowledge and modern farming methods, making agriculture more productive and sustainable. This vision led to the founding of the Agricultural School Freistadt – an institution that educated generations of farmers and profoundly shaped the Mühlviertel region.
Structural change after Austria’s EU accession
With Austria’s accession to the European Union in 1995, agriculture underwent a profound transformation. Small family farms, which had long defined the Mühlviertel region, faced growing challenges: market pressure, new standards, and changing subsidy models led to a shift toward larger and more economically efficient operations. As a result, the number of young people pursuing agricultural careers declined – and with it, the number of students at the Agricultural School Freistadt. Eventually, the historic school had to close its doors – becoming a symbol of the far-reaching transformation that agriculture itself was experiencing.
A building with history takes on a new purpose
The end of the school did not mark the end of its significance. Decades after its founding, the building was brought back to life – as GLUATNEST, a center for innovation, collaboration, and sustainable development that seamlessly connects with the site’s rich history. What once equipped young people with agricultural knowledge now fosters forward-thinking technologies, creative ideas, and sustainable energy concepts.
GLUATNEST as a symbol of change and innovation
GLUATNEST represents a new kind of value creation – based on sustainable materials, innovative energy solutions, and a spirit of collaboration.
“Using sustainable materials such as steel and wood, we have created a center for innovation and exchange – breathing new life into the building,” explains Klaus Pichlbauer, CEO of INNOVAMETALL.
The vertical extension of the building, the use of photovoltaic modules on roofs, façades, and access walkways, and the integration of smart energy storage make it a model project for resource-efficient construction.
A new form of independence
While the former agricultural school once promoted independence through self-sufficiency in food, GLUATNEST today stands for independence through energy autonomy. The energy generated from PV systems, micro gas turbines, a biomass boiler, and heat recovery systems exceeds the site’s own energy demand. The locally produced solar energy from the PV installations on the roofs and façades of GLUATNEST and the INNOVAMETALL production hall supplies not only the building and factory itself, but also supports a comprehensive energy ecosystem. Eighteen electric vehicles, an 800 kWh storage system, and two micro gas turbines ensure that the generated energy is used to its full potential.
A tradition that lives on
What once began as a fight against hunger has become a mission for sustainable development and energy independence. The vision of Leopold Tröls and Johann Blöchl lives on – in a new form, but with the same goal: to create a better future for generations to come. GLUATNEST proves that tradition and innovation are not opposites, but a perfect match.
Conclusion: Where farmers were once trained for a better future, a new model for sustainable, energy-efficient enterprise is now taking shape. The Agricultural School Freistadt may have closed its doors – but its spirit continues to live on in GLUATNEST.
