South Tyrol. Alpine Technologies.
Technologies with a Long Tradition South Tyrol’s alpine DNA 3 Mountains and Outdoor Sports Hi-tech: competitive on the international market 5 Alpine Agricultural Technologies Research and sustainability 17 Alpine Building Proven know-how and effective architecture 20 Alpine Safety and Civil Defence Saving lives through innovation 28 Alpine Mobility Clean, sustainable and efficient 32 Concentrated Know-How at the New Technology Park Synergy and innovation in the Alpine technology sector 35 Networks and Partners Responsible institutions and public bodies 36
Technologies with a Long Tradition
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There are few places in the world where Alpine technology can find such fertile soil as in South Tyrol. Here, on the sunny side of the Alps, where 60 per cent of the surface area is over 1,600 metres above sea level and the massive rock towers of the Dolomites dominate the landscape, people have always learned to defy adverse conditions and overcome natural boundaries. This was the case for the very first mountain climbers who, since the end of the eighteenth century, have conquered each and every one of the region’s 350 three-thousand metre summits. This was the case for the farmers who were able to eke out a meagre existence from even the steepest mountain pastures and who developed a canny form of agriculture, adapted to the landscape and climate, that persists even today. And this was naturally also the case, from the beginning of the twentieth century, for the numerous South Tyrolean pioneers in the construction of aerial ropeways who, with their technological innovations, brought the mountain closer to the valley, thus ushering in South Tyrol’s transformation into a major outdoors destination.
The creativity and innovative spirit that permitted earlier generations to survive and prosper in the area’s Alpine valleys did not disappear with the development of the trilingual province into one of the wealthiest regions of Europe. On the contrary: today this “Alpine DNA” has resulted in the emergence of market leaders and innovative niche providers within a very wide range of Alpine technologies – from winter sports technologies to outdoors and sports equipment, from special machinery for Alpine farming and forestry to Alpine safety solutions, from civil defence to sustainable building and mobility. Alongside the enterprises themselves exists a constantly growing network of scientific institutions and related events that underpin South Tyrol’s worldwide leading role in these areas.
Beast – the snowcat from Prinoth (Leitner Technologies). Senales Valley (1) 2
The vineyards of S. Maddalena. Bolzano (2)
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A Market on the Doorstep One of the most important elements in the success of the region’s range of strengths is the market on its doorstep. Enterprises in South Tyrol who work in Alpine technologies not only see their brands benefit from the image transfer of the destination, but also possess an optimum environment for the development of new products as well as a direct link to their customers. This location bonus is particularly visible in the mountain and outdoors sector: a majority of the six million or so tourists who come each year do so because of the wealth of sporting activities and nature that can be experienced in South Tyrol. In addition, each winter sees investors and operators from emerging winter sports markets coming here to study the trends of tomorrow. The region is popular throughout the year as a venue for the international sporting circus. Apart from its function as a test market, the region’s Alpine environment clearly illustrates the particularly fragile equilibrium of our planet. It is no coincidence that many of the Alpine technologies now being developed here in the twentyfirst century are related to the green economy. For, where there was once scarcity and want, it is today climate change and its consequences that are the stimuli for outstanding innovative achievements – not just for South Tyrol, but for the whole world.
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Skiers. Kronplatz (3)
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Mountains and Outdoor Sports
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All of the skills required to establish and operate modern winter sports centres and a full all-yearround offer in the sectors of Alpine sports, tourism and leisure can be found today in South Tyrol, where the Colle (Kohlern) cable car became the world’s first cabin lift system for passenger traffic more than a century ago. South Tyrol’s mixture of world market leaders, niche providers and start-ups is giving rise to high-tech creations as well as innovative products and services. An academic training and research establishment, the enterprise networks of the TIS innovation park, and trade fairs and events that bring the top figures in the industry together in South Tyrol all promote the role of this location as a driving force in the area of mountains and outdoor sports. This also applies in finding answers to the major future challenges faced by the sector, whether in terms of sustainable energy concepts or alternative offers in view of climate change.
Areas of expertise:
Facts & Figures
• Ski resorts • Snow and piste preparation • Alpine mobility • Alpine sports • All-year-round tourism and recreation offers
• A location for market leaders in the areas of outdoors and sports, cable cars and lift systems, ski-piste construction and sustainable snow production • 48 enterprises and 1,471 employees working in Alpine winter technology • Exports of 235 million euro (7 % of South Tyrol’s export volume) • Around a quarter of South Tyrol’s gross domestic product comes directly or indirectly from winter tourism or industries
Climber Martin Riegler on the route known as "Non ci resta che piangere." Sella group (1)
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while on the outside there is ultramodern technology from Leitner ropeways. This joint product by the South Tyrol aerial ropeway manufacturer and the Bavarian car manufacturer can be admired from winter season 2012/13 onwards in the Hochzillertal ski area.
Leitner Group Where the South Tyrolean landscape is at its harshest is where the world’s most comprehensive provider of mountain and winter technology grew up and still feels at home. More than 120 years after its foundation, the Leitner Group from Vipiteno is active worldwide in the areas of cable-car systems (Leitner ropeways, Poma), snow groomers and tracked utility vehicles (Prinoth), as well as artificial snowmaking facilities (DemacLenko). Besides the winter sports business, which today forms some 70 per cent of its turnover, the Group has in the last decade also established itself as an important player in the future industries of urban transport systems (MiniMetro) and wind energy (Leitwind).
Salewa Group Its distinctive headquarters in Bolzano (Bozen) in the form of a rock crystal is considered an emblem of the healthy and sustainable development of mountain sports: it is home not just to high-quality jobs, but also to a company kindergarten and one of Italy’s biggest artificial climbing walls. The Salewa Group, which has for over two decades been part of the Bolzano business group Oberalp, is Europe’s leading multi-specialist in mountain sports equipment. Its offering ranges from outdoor clothing, tents and sleeping bags to climbing and ski touring equipment. The portfolio of the Group, which is active in over 30 markets, includes well-known brands such as Dynafit, Silvretta,
Floating Luxury This must currently be the most luxurious way of soaring over the mountains: inside the new BMW 7-series gondola you have leather seating, a sound system, a navigation system and heating,
Michl Seeber Chairman of the Leitner Group
Previously a successful building contractor, in 1993 Michl Seeber bought the traditional aerial ropeway constructor Leitner, based in Vipiteno (Sterzing). Today Leitner is a major group, internationally active, with turnover of 800 million euro. Along with cable-car systems it also produces snow groomers and artificial snowmaking facilities and its technology has been further developed for urban transport systems and wind-power plants. With its move into the biomass sector Seeber has positioned his group as a player in the global market for renewable energy.
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Ciampinoi gondola. Selva di Val Gardena (2)
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Doppelmayr Italia The Austrian world market leader in the area of cable-car construction has been active since 1968 on the Italian market from the strategically advantageous location of South Tyrol. In the 1980s its Italian subsidiary established a joint enterprise with the South Tyrolean cable-car constructor Hölzl; in 2002 the two companies merged together with the subsidiary Agamatic to become Doppelmayr Italia. With 50 employees working in manufacturing, its plant in Lana also produces specific short-run components within the holding company as well as being a competence centre in the field of aerial tramways and the patented Funifor ropeway system. Doppelmayr Italia’s largest order, an aerial ropeway on Mont Blanc – currently in construction – is being realised in its entirety from South Tyrol.
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Pomoca and Wild Country. As well as the innovative strength of its products, supported by a test team of famous mountaineers, the company has its own international project group to address issues of social responsibility and sustainability.
snowmaking products: not just snow cannons, but bespoke, ready-to-use facilities including supply and control systems.
TechnoAlpin The subsequent founders of TechnoAlpin put their first snow cannons together using hay blowers and agricultural spray jets. Today, the technologically sophisticated artificial snowmaking solutions of the company, set up in 1990 in Bolzano, provide snow in 42 countries. This world market leader now offers a complete range of indoor and outdoor artificial
Manufacturing of cable deflection component for cableway station at Monte Bianco, Doppelmayr production hall. Lana (3) The assembly phase of propeller machines for artificial snow production, TechnoAlpin production hall. Bolzano (4)
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360° Expertise in Winter Sports (5) Whether for sophisticated sports equipment, tried-and-tested artificial snowmaking systems, smart ski area management, major international events or sustainable energy concepts, South Tyrol is a driving force in the area of winter sports.
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Reusch The slogan of this German manufacturer of winter sports and goalkeeper's gloves is “Love your sport,” and both Bode Miller and Christian Abbiati of AC Milan swear by its products. Since 2009 Reusch has been managing its international sales from its Bolzano office. The decisive factor was the proximity to important target markets and the region’s leading role in Alpine technology, where this official outfitter to well-known national ski federations and top international goalkeepers is at home marketing its high-tech products. 6
Clean Technology With its Clean Motion formula, piste-grooming vehicle producer Prinoth (Leitner Group) has made a clear statement against climate change and developed the world’s first Euromot-III-B standard snow groomer. What does this mean? Compared with other similar vehicles, nitrogen output is reduced by 50 per cent while emissions of fine particulates drop by 90 per cent.
Microgate The radio-controlled time measurement systems from world market leader Microgate are precise to the millisecond. Whether for the World Cup slalom, Tour de France or Giro d’Italia – numerous top international competitions rely on the accuracy, flexibility and reliability of these South Tyrolean products.
Environmentally Friendly Snow Production It is important to treat resources with particular care in sensitive Alpine regions. Intelligent and efficient management is making this more and more of a reality in South Tyrol’s ski areas, especially in the production of artificial snow. Constant innovation is continuously reducing the energy consumption of snow cannons, with the products of South Tyrolean manufacturer Nivis attaining practically zero consumption. As regards water, too, ski resort operators are now taking more care, with a trend towards rainwater-fed storage basins designed to be as natural as possible while supporting multiple usages. With the support of feasibility studies, international projects and a working group within the Alpine Technologies cluster at TIS innovation park, South Ty-
rol’s ski-resort operators are also looking for ways to optimise their entire approach to energy management. A pioneer in this regard is the ski area of Carezza which, together with the Swiss resort of Arosa, is introducing Alpine Climate Ski Resorts: these are pilot measures forming part of the Interreg project for energy saving and energy production from renewable sources. Red Tiger It is already being tested at the venue for the XXIII Winter Olympics in 2018 in South Korea: engo 230 Red Tiger is the name of the flagship product from the Engo company. This machine is designed for professional use at ice sports events, reflecting over 30 years of experience in the production of ice treatment machines.
Microgate showroom. Bolzano (6) 7
The engo Red Tiger resurfacer during the course of a test. Brunico Ice Rink (7)
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Skipp A family company from Montagna (Montan), it has made a name for itself in the niche of racing accessories. Besides plastic poles that ensure the safety and delimiting of pistes, it is above all Skipp’s slalom poles that are famous. With their impact resistance and special screw tip, Skipp slalom poles are just as at home at well-known World Cup races such as Kitzbühel as on the training runs of the Chinese ski team. Torggler Rodelbau From successful sled racer to world-class sled manufacturer: this is the success story of Peter Torggler and his company Torggler Rodelbau, formed 25 years ago. Particularly in racing, his products practically have a monopoly; almost all the top racers from 20 countries trust in these sleds from South Tyrol, which are well-known for their high quality materials. Other products made by this company based in Latzfons are leisure sleds, touring sleds and sports sleds.
Georg Eisath Chairman, Latemar Karersee GmbH “It is important for me that the original qualities of our beautiful homeland are not lost and that nature is not harmed.”
Event snowTOUR South Tyrol Do you want to learn more about the snow and winter technology made in South Tyrol? The snowTOUR South Tyrol information and best-practice event over several days allows international ski resort operators, destination managers, specialist staff and investors to get to know South Tyrolean flagship projects and develop contacts with entrepreneurs in the industry. Info: www.snowtour-suedtirol.com
When the ski area outside his door was threatened with closure, Georg Eisath decided to stake everything on saving it. The commitment and vision of the co-founder and former CEO of world market leader TechnoAlpin helped make the Carezza-Karerpass Ski Arena at the foot of the Dolomites into a leader in the area of sustainability. Eisath took account of the sensitive landscape and invested in modern facilities. His next objective is to use highly innovative technologies to cut the energy consumption of operations in his Alpine Climate Ski Resort by around 30 per cent. um 30 Prozent zu senken.
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Olympic Commissions South Tyrol’s winter sports outfitters traditionally feature in the Olympic starting line-up. That also holds for the XXII Winter Games being held in the Russian town of Sochi in 2014. With snow groomers from Prinoth, artificial snowmaking systems from TechnoAlpin or lift systems from the Leitner Group, South Tyrol winter sports technology will be contributing to the success of this major sporting event. Not just market leaders, but also specialists will be taking part, such as Vita, which has built two reservoirs in Rosa Khutor for ensuring snow on the Olympic pistes,
or Stahlbau Pichler, a Bolzano company internationally known for its sophisticated structural steel constructions and façades. Its innovative project saw it awarded the planning of the curling and ice hockey halls in Sochi. Nivis Energy-saving snow production: this is the achievement of Nivis, a company based in Vipiteno, thanks to its patented injector nozzles, which replace the traditional compressor. After many years of development, the Nivis injector principle is now also available as a snow lance under the Ecostick name.
UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup 2013, Eisturm. Rabenstein, Passeiertal (8)
Events Showcase for Innovations Many decades of know-how in South Tyrol in mountain and outdoor sports ensures that it is transformed into an international meeting place several times a year. Fixed dates are the two trade fairs, Alpitec and Prowinter, both organised in tandem every two years by the Bolzano Trade Fair. While Prowinter is now an important place to exchange contacts between local and foreign companies active in ski rental and associated services, Alpitec offers a specialist public regular updates on current Alpine winter technology and aerial ropeway operations in ski resorts – not just in Bolzano, but also in Beijing. Together with ISPO (the trade fair for sports articles and fashion), the Chinese branch of Alpitec has developed into a major meeting point for visitors from all over Asia. International Mountain Summit The International Mountain Summit (IMS), held in Bressanone (Brixen), is both a festival and a magnet for mountain enthusiasts from all over the world. Once a year top international personalities, mountain climbers, decision-makers in the Alpine sector and other movers and shakers meet at this gateway to the Dolomites for a week of lectures, discussions, congresses and shared experiences of nature and rock. Sponsoring The annual ambitions event in Merano (Meran) addresses the relationship between sport and business. This supraregional, multilingual forum presents itself as a European reference event for the sports business, bringing together decision-makers from the worlds of economics, politics and sport.
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Tourism and the Market
The Call of the Mountains South Tyrol’s scenic beauties do more than allow businesses specialising in mountain and outdoor sports to get closer to their target markets. When seeking qualified staff, the region’s numerous outdoor possibilities are often crucial in convincing enthusiastic young people from all over Europe to work here. The common theme in the many different stories of these incomers is that here, they find that there is no longer a conflict between their work and their private interest in the great outdoors. Solid Education and Training Local specialists are critical to the sector: they have the mountains in their DNA, so to speak, and often also have a solid education and training in many
different areas. Above and beyond South Tyrol’s experts in event and tourism management, its Free University of Bozen/Bolzano produces trilingual graduates working in such areas as design, information technology, management and innovation, industrial and mechanical engineering, innovation engineering and sustainable energy and technologies. With 20 per cent of the university’s students coming from abroad, this represents an additional external supply of brainpower for the jobs market in South Tyrol. Firms also appreciate the dual training culture, which has a long tradition in South Tyrol. This is reflected in the high quality of teaching as well as the innovative study model involving two technical study courses where students learn at the University and in parallel receive training in enterprises.
Heiner Oberrauch Chairman of the Oberalp/Salewa Group, Bolzano “We are competing for the best talents. South Tyrol is an attractive place to live and work for young people from all over Europe who love outdoor activities and mountain sports.”
The entrepreneur’s career is just as precipitous and unusual as the Salewa company headquarters located at Bolzano South. In 1990 this avid mountain climber and ski-touring expert took over Salewa with his Oberalp Group, turning the mountain sports specialist into a globally active business with revenues of approximately 170 million euros. As a complement to his Loden Erlebniswelt, which is located in Vandoies (Vintl) in the Pusteria (Pustertal) Valley and comprises a manufacturing plant, a shop and a museum, in 2013 he opened Capriz, a speciality cheese dairy next door, where visitors can learn about and experience the whole cheese-making process.
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Robert Fliri, a former design student at the University of Bolzano/Bozen, invented FiveFingers®, known also as a barefoot shoe and produced by Vibram (9)
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UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site in the Heart of the Dolomites
An Active Populace
Impressive witnesses to our geological history, a magical backdrop and above all a mecca for climbers: the rock massifs of the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, arose from algae and coral reefs. The notion that any climber worth their salt must come here at least once dates from the beginning of the nineteenth century, when pioneers from all over Europe conquered summits such as Marmolada (Marmolata) or the Tre Cime (Drei Zinnen) for the first time. Today too there are innumerable climbing tours offering sporting challenges and unforgettable scenery, at all levels of difficulty. This is also the case in winter, when impressive frozen waterfalls and rugged rock formations await serious ice climbers.
While the average European spends the weekend going out or lazing around, South Tyrolean locals usually shoulder their rucksacks. Skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing or tobogganing in winter, climbing, mer: growing up in the outdoor paradise of South Tyrol means a love for the mountains and for sport is in the blood. At least 10 per cent of the 513,000 inhabitants are members of an Alpine club; the 508 sports associations of this small province boast 84,000 members. Being outdoors is more than just a hobby for these people, with their strong links to nature: it is an integral part of their lives. South Tyrol is thus ideal for companies to investigate trends in the outdoors sector, just as it is the perfect test market for their products.
Reinhold Messner Extreme mountaineer and museum creator “Being really innovative simply means going where others have not yet gone.”
In his latest adventure, which he characterises as his “15th eight-thousander”, South Tyrolean mountaineering legend Reinhold Messner has placed his life’s passion at the centre of a unique museum project. In five locations, the Messner Mountain Museums (MMM) reveal his knowledge, experience and stories of encounters between Man and Mountain. Individual museums address the topics of Glaciers, the Myth of the Mountain, Mountain Peoples, Rocks and Alpinism in the Dolomites.
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Snowboarder at Kronplatz (10)
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South Tyrol – An Outdoor Paradise (11) The figures speak for themselves: decades of technical, economic and organisational know-how and an attractive all-year-round offer make this Alpine province a competence centre for mountain and outdoor sports.
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A World-Class Ski Carousel Skiers can glide between the huge, steeply rising rock formations of the Dolomites. Dolomiti Superski, the world’s largest ski carousel, offers access to 1,200 kilometres of runs with just one ski pass. This is made possible through the linking of twelve ski regions in South Tyrol, Trentino and Belluno, including such top ski areas as Alta Badia, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Val Gardena (Gröden) and Plan de Corones (Kronplatz), as well as smaller, family-friendly areas such as Gitschberg-Jochtal, Obereggen/Latemar and the Alta Pusteria (Hochpustertal) Valley. Thanks to the widespread installation of artificial snowmaking systems, all offer almost 100 per cent guaranteed snow in good weather: the
Dolomites enjoy sunshine eight out of every ten days. Beginning in 2013 it is also possible to use just one pass in summer: the Dolomiti Supersummer Card is valid on all lift facilities in the participating areas. There is also a wide variety of culinary highlights, sporting activities and cultural attractions on offer. Sporting Highlights Any location attracting outdoor fans means that the professionals will not be far behind. Whether in summer or winter, the numerous major events held in South Tyrol throughout the year ensure it has a high profile in the international sporting community. Winter highlights include the Ski World Cups in Val Gardena and Alta
Badia, the Biathlon World Cup in Anterselva (Antholz), the Cross-Country World Cup in Dobbiaco (Toblach), the CrossCountry European Cup in Val Gardena and the popular Gran Fondo Val Casies (Gsiesertal Lauf) race; while in summer the Maratona dles Dolomites bike race, which averages 8,500 participants from 35 countries, takes centre stage. On New Year's Eve there is the traditional Bolzano Bo Classic Run, which in 2012 saw one Olympic medal winner and three world champions participating. Other popular events are the Dolomiti Superbike mountain bike race in the Pusteria Valley, the Tre Cime Alpine Run and the Bressanone Mountain Marathon. Maratona dles Dolomites. Bike marathon across the spectacular passes of the Dolomites (12)
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Alpine Agricultural Technologies Agricultural know-how in the formerly agrarian region of South Tyrol has a tradition that is both long and deep. There are today two main areas of focus, depending on the altitude: in the valleys, in Europe’s largest contiguous fruit growing area, there exists an internationally appreciated knowledge of all matters relating to apples and the production of wine. Further up the slopes and in steep Alpine locations, men have long learned to till the land in difficult conditions, paying special and careful attention to nature. This competence will be in ever greater demand in future in the light of climate change and the increasing trend for cultivated areas to expand upwards, both in and beyond the Alpine regions.
These competences are reflected in industry in a wide variety of machinery and technological accessories. South Tyrol is the European leader in the area of lifting platform technology for fruit growers, while tracked vehicles for steep locations, equipment for plant spraying and protection are all internationally in demand, as are attachments for narrow-track tractors and mulching equipment “made in South Tyrol”.
The considerable experience and spirit of invention of local farmers has for almost four decades now been accompanied by the pure and applied research at Laimburg Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, which is known throughout Europe. The Free University of Bozen/Bolzano, too, researches matters of Alpine agricultural technology, with academic specialists also learning about the strengths of South Tyrol’s agriculture.
Facts & Figures • 241,952 hectares of land in agricultural use • 20,212 agricultural enterprises of which 4,779 are involved in winegrowing, 5,275 in apple cultivation and 8,314 in animal husbandry • South Tyrol contains Europe’s largest contiguous fruit-growing area and grows half of all the apples produced in Italy
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Farmer harvesting hay.Val d’Ega (1)
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Silver Bull Two technicians and a marketing professional are the driving force behind the Silver Bull brand’s innovative lifting platforms with harvest systems. Its stated aim is to become the market leader in the Alpine region: to achieve this, its products combine functionality, high quality and stability, not to mention an attractive design. Geier 2
Seppi M.
Bermartec
Since its 1939 establishment in Caldaro (Kaltern), the guiding principle of the Seppi M. company has always been to make work easier for farmers. In the 1970s this traditional company made a name for itself far beyond South Tyrol as a pioneer in mulching technology, with its innovative machinery also enjoying export success. Today some 75 per cent of the company’s production – mulching equipment, grinders and stone crushers used in agriculture and forestry – is exported.
Since 1996 this Lana-based company has been developing, planning and manufacturing lifting platforms and harvesting machines under the Knecht brand name. Whether up on steep slopes or down in the valley, their special articulated steering makes these machines especially stable and agile, while the sophisticated battery drive of the Knecht Pro range is also highly environmentally friendly.
With its innovative tools for extreme situations, this company based in Marlengo (Marling) manufactures tracked vehicles designed for use in steep locations and has attracted worldwide interest. Intensive development and a sound modular design make these machines suitable for a wide range of needs and applications. Frutop
the sector. Current projects include the European Union’s OriginAlp project, which investigates the quality of products from mountain farming compared with conventional products, while new testing methods are developed to determine their origin. The Vegemont project is intended to develop a climate map using a mathematical model that can in future be consulted by farmers to see which vegetables can be cultivated where they are. One current point of interest is the development of innovative mechanisation solutions for working on steep slopes. Farmers are invited to join a working group to ensure that their wide knowledge and experience also contributes to the research. The importance attached to sustainability and ecological thinking at Laimburg is also shown by its research into winegrowing. The aim is a “soft” approach to farming that seeks alternatives to herbicides and less intrusive mechanisation.
Hail and other weather damage rank among the greatest risks facing fruit farmers. The core business of Frutop is to offer comprehensive security and advice in this field. Based on hail protection, this enterprise from Terlano (Terlan) has now developed a system that also protects the fruit against sun and wind damage. Alpine Research Centre With some 400 research projects a year, Laimburg Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry is an important knowledge pool for
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Geier 39S – tracked vehicle for working steep vineyards.Varna, Bressanone (2) Laboratory for feed analysis. Laimburg Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry (3) 4
Production of rotors for mulching equipment, Seppi M. Company. Caldaro (4)
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Qualifications Offering a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural and Agro-Environmental Sciences, a master’s degree in Fruit Science and Energy Engineering Sciences as well as a PhD in Mountain Environment and Agriculture, the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano is engaged in producing a highly qualified generation of agricultural specialists. Research is also a major activity, for example in the area of agricultural machinery: recently a prototype for a tractor intended to work on steep terraces was developed together with local wine producers and a machinery manufacturer.
Livestock show, Agrialp Fair. Bolzano (5)
South Tyrol boasts a long tradition of agriculturally oriented education, which is offered in several technical schools as well as on the 5-year course at the Agricultural College in Ora (Auer).
Events Meeting Points for the Sector Held in Bolzano every two years, Agrialp shows off the latest developments in agricultural technology. With 400 exhibitors and nearly 40,000 visitors at the last event, this Alpine agricultural exhibition is the most important meeting place for the sector in South Tyrol, covering the entire range of lowland and highland agriculture. A fixed date for apple experts is the Interpoma Trade Fair, where trends and new developments in the sector are presented in the midst of Europe’s largest contiguous apple-growing area. Visitor numbers evince South Tyrol’s international reputation in this area, with over 40 per cent coming from abroad – 61 different countries at the last count.
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Alpine Building A harsh climate, scarce resources and a strongly rooted sense of the land and soil: this is the background to the emergence of a building culture that has made South Tyrol a pioneer in sustainable and energy-efficient building. Ideas that are currently in vogue in view of climate change and the threatened exhaustion of fossil fuels have been practised for centuries here, in the form of the traditional farmhouse: smart, energy-efficient building with natural materials, all designed for several generations.
Clusters and working groups in the TIS innovation park are also helping to bundle and develop the wide range of practical and technological know-how in this sector, with research establishments such as EURAC or Fraunhofer Italia offering test laboratories and scientific assistance to enterprises. Specialist trade fairs, such as Klimahouse, which has now also expanded to central and southern Italy, demonstrate South Tyrol’s leading role as a location in the field of Alpine building.
Areas of Expertise
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This heritage, the abundance of wood and a long tradition in woodworking all combine to make South Tyrol, with the ClimateHouse brand, Italy’s centre of expertise for energy-saving houses: it is one of the world’s leading regions in the strongly growing market for timber buildings. Wood as a raw material is also seeing the emergence of internationally sought technologies and innovative niche products.
ClimateHouse. Trodena (1)
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• woodworking • timber construction • energy-efficient building • façade construction Facts & Figures • 337,000 hectares of forest, equivalent to 45% of the region’s surface area • over 21,500 people in South Tyrol employed by the forestry and timber industry • Over 1,400 enterprises along the value added chain for wood • 5,000 certified ClimateHouses
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A naturally grown building culture (2) Sustainable and energy-efficient building has a long tradition in South Tyrol: cleverly designed buildings for several generations, made with natural building materials, can also defy the adverse weather conditions of the Alpine winter.
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A Potent Raw Material
Almost half the surface of South Tyrol is covered by forest. Spruce, larch, pine, fir, stone pine or sycamore – the production and processing of wood, a natural and regenerating raw material, has a long tradition. Even today, the total number of those working in forestry and timber takes third place only to tourism and the production sector. There are over 1,400 enterprises active along the value added chain, from forest to final product and from sawmill or board-making industries to timber merchants, carpenters and joiners. South Tyrolean craftsmen are among the best in Europe when it comes to their extensive and specific know-how of woodworking. Wood, as a natural raw material, possesses visual appeal and engenders a sense of wellbeing: these characteristics also in-
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spire its use in innovative and sometimes unusual niche products. Microtec Apart from the quality and tradition of its craftsmanship, the timber industry in South Tyrol is also a leader in technology. A good example is Microtec, a world market leader in the intelligent recognition of
the optical and structural characteristics of wood. For more than 30 years this company, based in Bressanone, has been seeking to develop hi-tech solutions to rationalise production processes in the timber Industry. The latest product of its constant efforts is the first industrial-standard computer tomography for round timber, capturing the internal characteristics of the trunk in all three dimensions to permit a virtual evaluation of the wood. Seik The carriage systems of this company, based in Trodena (Truden), offer solutions where conventional cranes cannot be used in building projects or timber transportation: on extreme slopes, in narrow ravines \
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kilometres. Seik systems are used in forestry applications, helping reduce damage to stock, from the Alps to the Malaysian rain forest. Recyclable Noise Protection: this is the advantage of the Silence noise-protection wall jointly developed by five South Tyrolean enterprises. The product, made from local wood without the addition of chemicals, achieves excellent results in sound absorption and insulation, blends harmoniously into the landscape and, following a long working life, is 100 per cent recyclable.
Headquarters of Damiani-Holz & Ko (project: Modus Architects). Bressanone (3) Microtec’s workshop. Bressanone (4)
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Made of Wood
Optimal energy-efficiency, a good CO2 balance, a high degree of prefabrication and short lead times: it is no coincidence that timber buildings are currently experiencing a revival throughout Central Europe. South Tyrol’s rich heritage in building with wood is also reflected in the pioneering role of local entrepreneurs and planners in this field. Together with Bavaria and Austria, South Tyrol is one of the world’s leading regions in the use of this sustainable building method. Rubner Formed three generations ago as a sawmill, the company is an international group with 1,500 employees today. The processing of wood as a raw material, however, is still very much at the centre of the Rubner family business. With five strategic business areas – industrial timber, timber construction engineering, commercial construction, wooden building construction and wooden doors – the Rubner Group represents 32 companies in 20 European locations. The company HQ is still in Chienes (Kiens), in the Pusteria (Pustertal) Valley, where the experience of wood in all its dimensions has since 2012 been the focus of a centre of competencies that is unique in Europe.
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The motto of the 10,000 m3 Rubner centre of competencies in Chienes is “Feeling and Understanding Wood”. An annexe to the company headquarters, built in 2012, it allows planners, architects, private clients and other interested parties to share the enthusiasm and experience for wood as a natural raw material felt by one of Europe’s leaders in the construction of timber buildings and wood processing. Part of the centre is dedicated to a corporate research laboratory for analysis of the behaviour of wood under extreme conditions.
sustainability are always fundamental, whether for bespoke timber buildings, energy-saving passive houses, prefabricated buildings, roofs or raising structures, including at LignoAlp’s main office, which since 2012 has had the ClimateHouse Work & Life quality seal. The wood processed comes solely from sustainable production: this green company even produces its own energy, with two photovoltaic systems, a combined heat and power plant and thermal recycling of wood offcuts.
LignoAlp The two South Tyrolean enterprises of Damiani and Holz & Ko bring nearly 100 years of woodworking experience to the LignoAlp brand, a market leader in Italy in high-quality individual timber constructions. Environmental protection and
Sawmill in Val d’Ega (5)
Alpine Buildings / Made of Wood 23
Ligna Construct Ligna Construct, based in South Tyrol’s Ultimo (Ultental) Valley, demonstrates how tradition and innovation can be combined. With its development of a solid, glue-free wooden wall from crosswise nailed boards, this family business, now being run by the fourth generation, has established itself on the market for solid timber structures using the dry construction method. This method is no longer confined to the Alpine market: it has also proven itself in urban areas and earthquakeendangered zones.
"Like a UFO … … ready to take off” is just one description of the innovative Fincube eco-house. The basis for this practical “apartment cube”, which can easily be erected and dismantled on unused surfaces, is a product of German designer Werner Aisslinger. His idea, originally conceived for urban areas, has together with South Tyrolean entrepreneur Josef Innerhofer now been further developed for rural areas. The Fincube is produced by two South Tyrolean craft enterprises, Lobis (carpentry) and Prast (cabinetmaking). Rothoblaas Based in Cortaccia (Kurtatsch), South Tyrol, this enterprise supplies individually cut technological solutions for the timber construction sector. Its product range includes fixing systems for timber constructions as well as machines and tools for carpenters, equipment for the realisation, sealing and sound insulation of roofs, disposal systems and protective equipment. Intensive research and development has helped
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the company to achieve a presence on 18 markets, including Russia and South America.
Platform for Alpine Architecture Alps, technology, architecture – these are the areas of focus for the alpitecture-Code platform. International architects and interdisciplinary specialists have since 2009 been meeting once a year in South Tyrol to discuss current challenges and develop new methods and models for architecture in the Alps. The event organisers are EOS (Export Organisation Südtirol) and ap35.
Modern Mountain Refuges Innovation does stop not at the timberline, as shown by the rebuilding of three run-down South Tyrolean mountain refuges, the Edelraut, Schwarzenstein and Weisskugel huts. A call for planning bids organised by the authorities sought contemporary interpretations of this symbol of high-altitude Alpine building. The required solutions had to take into account architecture, landscape protection and sustainability. Each of the three winning projects combines these criteria in an individual way: between them, the three new huts will set new standards for building in highaltitude Alpine environments.
Backcountry houses in the Passiria Valley (6) 7
Company headquarters of Rothoblaas. Cortaccia (7)
Alpine Buildings / Made of Wood 24
Proven Energy Efficiency
The ClimateHouse brand and the ClimateHouse Agency have in the last 15 years established the province of South Tyrol as Italy’s centre of expertise in matters of energy-efficient building. Thanks to measures such as optimised insulation, compact building methods and the use of solar energy, the energy requirements for each ClimateHouse can be kept under 50 kWh/m² a year; depending on the class, the energy requirements can be reduced to the standards of the ClimateHouse Gold passive house. Legal requirements for new buildings and a wider public awareness mean that there were some 5,000 certified ClimateHouses in the province in 2012; the ClimateHouse Agency has certified a further 700 in the rest of Italy. Individual ClimateHouses also exist outside Italy, with for example the first ClimateHouse Gold in Spain.
Certification is for one of three energy requirement categories (Gold, A, B). There are also specific certifications for hotels, wineries, office buildings, bungalows and housing complexes. These must meet further sustainability criteria in addition to the energy consumption for living or working. This also applies to the ClimateHouse nature certification, which takes additional account of the energy used in building materials. Sustainably Produced Wine A ClimateHouse Wine certification guarantees: “This winery is a place of energy-efficient and sustainable working and thinking.” The first winery to be so recognised was the Pfitscher estate in Montagna, which was rebuilt to celebrate its 150th anniversary in the form of an architecturally appealing passive house. It also meets the sustainability requirements under the remaining criteria for wineries, including the resources used in the wine production, packaging and transport, the comfort in health terms of the rest and work spaces and its management transparency.
Events Green Trade Fairs With no fewer than six events addressing the topic of the green economy, the Bolzano Trade Fair has positioned itself as a voice of the culture of sustainability. The starting point and as yet unchallenged number one is the Klimahouse event, with South Tyrol’s know-how of energy-efficient building and renewable energy at the centre of attention. In view of the large demand (459 exhibitors and 40,000 visitors at the last count), the organisers have exported their successful formula to central and southern Italy as Klimahouse Umbria and Klimahouse Puglia. Other green trade fairs include Klimaenergy (renewable energy for business and public sector use) and Klimamobility, the specialist fair for sustainable mobility. A new face is Klimainfisso, which from 2013 will be presenting innovative and energy-efficient building materials and accessories for windows, doors and façades.
Matteo Thun Architect and designer “Wood is in my view the building material of the twenty-first century.”
Integrating the genius loci – the soul of a place – into his work is one of Matteo Thun’s main trademarks. It is also a feature of the internationally acclaimed Vigilius Mountain Resort hotel project in South Tyrol. A native of Bolzano (Bozen), this architect and designer is a pioneer of sustainable design and is considered an ambassador for wood as a building material. This timeless raw material always plays a vital role in his projects, whether in his careful renovation of huts up on mountain pastures, in his low-energy prefabricated buildings or in his furniture designs.
Alpine Buildings / Proven Energy Efficiency 25
into building at the Energy Forum on Solar Building Skins, held in Bressanone at the end of 2012.
Sophisticated Façades
Stahlbau Pichler Some 25,000 tonnes of steel processed each year, 70,000 m2 of façades and a total of 2,500 projects realised are the impressive results of 30 years of activity by steel structure and façade specialist Stahlbau Pichler. The company’s activities range from demanding architectural projects by such star architects as Zaha Hadid or Massimiliano Fuksas to industrial buildings, infrastructures, bridges and complex special designs. Its numerous showcase projects include the Bergisel ski jump by Zaha Hadid, the striking Salewa company headquarters in Bolzano and the new Sky Link steel bridge at Frankfurt Airport.
The harsher the environment, the more important the outer skin of a building. This is another reason why the Alpine land of South Tyrol has established itself as a genuine knowledge centre for façade technology. Alongside leading manufacturers such as Frener & Reifer and Stahlbau Pichler, South Tyrol is also home to building firms, planners, installers and principals with a high level of knowhow of the design, construction and energy management of building façades. TIS innovation park blends this knowledge in its Building Façades working group, while the Institute for Renewable Energy at EURAC provides research results on the energy management of building skins. The use of façades as installation surfaces for solar cells is one area of study: international researchers and developers discussed the latest findings regarding the integration of photovoltaic systems
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Frener & Reifer “Starting where the others stop” is the motto and guiding principle of the Bressanone façade specialist Frener & Reifer. An impressive example of how far bespoke constructions of glass, metal and other materials can go is provided by the top and bottom stations of the new Wildspitze cable car, which features Austria’s highest café. The curved, full-length panoramic glass façade offers unique views over the surrounding glacier environment at an alti-
tude of over 3,400 metres. The planning and realisation of the complex building skins in an extreme climatic environment was only possible thanks to the company’s intensive theoretical research and many years of experience.
Michael Reifer and Stefano Prosseda (Construction cluster at TIS innovation park) in the laboratory for product development of the Frener & Reifer Company. Bressanone (8)
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Façade of the Naturalia Bau headquarters; the building has Gold+ certification from ClimateHouse. Merano (9)
Alpine buildings / Sophisticated Façades 26
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Academic Offers The Free University of Bozen/ Bolzano is meeting the growing demand for experts in renewable energy and energy-efficient building with two tailor-made offers. The 3-year doctorate in Sustainable Energy and Technologies at the Faculty for Natural Sciences lets students produce relevant research work in a multidisciplinary scientific environment; the doctorate (in English) includes an obligatory spell abroad. The 2-year part-time ClimateHouse master’s degree is on the other hand intended for planners and architects who wish to deepen their knowledge of renewable energy and energysaving planning techniques.
Alpine Collaboration in Research As a major player in Alpine building, South Tyrol is deeply involved in related international research and co-operation projects. Via TIS innovation park the region is also taking part in the EU-sponsored AlpBC project, under which strategies and measures are to be developed to maintain and further develop the Alpine building culture towards ecological and territorial sustainability. The EURAC Institute for Renewable Energy also conducts wideranging international co-operation in research: one example is the European Union’s Enerbuild project. Together with the Constructions cluster at the TIS innovation park and a dozen
other project partners from all over the Alpine region, the special characteristics of passive houses have been further investigated using buildings from Slovenia to France as objects of study.
Woodcarving workshop, with exhibition area (project: Bergmeister and Wolf architects). Pontives, Gardena Valley (10)
Alpine buildings / Sophisticated Façades 27
Alpine Safety and Civil Defence High-alpine habitats do not merely have scenic beauties to offer: they also conceal dangers such as avalanches, falling rocks and extreme weather conditions. Strategies and competencies have evolved over the generations in South Tyrol to cope with these vagaries of nature. Know-how of alpine safety and civil defence is accordingly well-developed: the local rescue system is recognised as an international leader, drawing on a network of some 15,000 voluntary civil defence workers, while South Tyrolean companies have a broad offering in terms of equipment, analysis and planning. There are particularly strong scientific inputs from the EURAC Research Centre and its Institute for Mountain Emergency Medicine, a world first. EURAC also has wide-ranging know-how in remote sensing, an ever more important field in evaluating and monitoring the consequences of climate change. The major challenges caused by this in the Alps, with phenomena such as more serious landslides, rock falls and landslips offer this sector plenty of opportunities for innovation and start-ups. Since 2010 the Civil Protection and Alpine Safety cluster at TIS innovation park has been bundling energies and advancing new ideas.
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Areas of Expertise • alpine rescue • civil defence and disaster control • alpine emergency medicine Facts & Figures • Over 15,000 active civil-defence volunteers • Excellence in air emergency and an integrated model for civil defence emergencies • Over 30 companies in the TIS Civil Protection and Alpine Safety cluster
Rock stabilisation measures near Hochklausner Tunnel on the A22 Brenner motorway (1)
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Securplan Preventing crises and emergencies through their early recognition and being prepared in the event of emergencies: the Merano enterprise Securplan aims to achieve at least one of these two goals for its customers. For almost two decades now, these experts in risk management have been active in the fields of fire protection, safety at work and crisis, emergency and disaster management. One of their projects is a comprehensive emergency manual including an evacuation plan for the Pitztal Glacier in Austrian Tyrol, which can only be reached by funicular railway. 2
Riskprotect Alpenbau
Innovative products with attractive design: Bolzano manufacturer Riskprotect is well known for its range. The new feature of its climbing set is the patented connector that in emergency replaces the second karabiner and gently brakes the fall, thus preventing serious injury.
This successful South Tyrolean civil engineering company specialises (among many other things) in avalanche and rockfall protection, as well as in building maintenance.
Excellence in Emergency Management South Tyrol’s integrated model for civil defence emergencies has attracted international attention. The Regional Emergency Call Centre has for almost 10 years now been co-ordinating all emergency medical and rescue services, mountain and cave rescue, fire protection, dog teams and lifeguard services under the uniform call number 118. It can also rely on a wide network of volunteers, including 306 voluntary fire brigades and 55 mountain-rescue groups organised by the Alpine Club and the national mountain-andcave rescue service. Although South Tyrol’s air-emergency service and its reference organisation Aiut Alpin are internationally recognised for their hi-tech, specialist and organisational expertise, the ground-
based emergency service is under constant development. This highly efficient dual-rescue system has proven its value in numerous difficult interventions.
Raffael Kostner and Davide De Paoli, mountain rescuers for the Aiut Alpin Dolomites air ambulance. Pontives, Gardena Valley (2) 3
Road to the Mendel Pass, SS 42 (3)
Alpine Safety and Civil Defence  29
Alpine Emergency Medicine
Mountain-eering
Special rules apply to emergency medicine at high altitudes. Investigating this area further and disseminating the knowledge gained are two of the core tasks of a world first, the Institute for Mountain Emergency Medicine at the EURAC Research Centre in Bolzano. Among the main subjects studied by the institute, founded in 2009, are cold traumas, the epidemiological recording and treatment of injuries and acute illnesses in inaccessible areas and the associated rescue and transport risks.
Formed in 2008, this engineering and consultancy firm based in Bolzano with a branch in Pergine in the Valsugana, Trentino, is a spin-off of the University of Trento and a start-up at TIS innovation park. It specialises in analysing natural hazards and snow and water in the mountains. One product of its intensive research work is SnowMaps, the first software in Italy for the calculation of the quantity of snow and rain masses in the mountains. This allows among other things a precise estimate to be made of the danger of avalanches or of meltwater quantities.
Less than Five Minutes
Hermann Brugger Director of EURAC’s Institute for Mountain Emergency Medicine “Each innovation and each research achievement brings us a step further, but no-one should believe that we will find a definitive and generally applicable answer to every question.”
is the time taken to erect the Mastertent Rescue from manufacturer Zingerle Metal. The simple modular system allows an entire tent city to be easily created from these robust, quick-assembly tents. Getting a roof over people’s heads fast has proven its value in all sorts of use, from natural disasters to military interventions.
Even before his 2009 appointment to the post of director of the world’s first Research Institute for Mountain Emergency Medicine at EURAC, Hermann Brugger was considered the expert in emergencies in Alpine high-altitude locations. He had already made a considerable contribution to the development of the new field of Alpine emergency medicine. He carried out pioneering work in complex research projects and publications, overturned the then-prevailing doctrine as regards the chances of survival in avalanche situations, and discovered previously unknown medical procedures for treating avalanche victims.
4 Doctors and mountain guides from Nepal undergoing mountain-rescue training organized by EURAC’s Institute of Mountain Emergency Medicine and the South Tyrol Alpine Club’s mountain-rescue service (4)
Alpine Safety and Civil Defence 30
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Rescue in Emergencies Involving Chemicals
Risk Assessment Using Remote Sensing
The H12 model permits the precipitation of uncontrolled harmful chemicals by spraying water in very fine aerosol form over a wide area by means of high-speed turbines. Developed jointly by TechnoAlpin, a world market leader in artificial snowmaking equipment, and safety expert Securplan, the product was devised in a complex research project with two major enterprises: it is the only system on the market whose effectiveness is scientifically proven.
The Institute for Applied Remote Sensing at EURAC is concerned with alpine safety in other forms. Modern technologies such as earth observation satellites or multi-risk evaluation methods are among the techniques used in developing methods to allow more precise evaluation of risk and vulnerability in the context of natural hazards and potential climate changes. Possible adaption measures and avoidance strategies are also developed with the appropriate decision-makers.
Safe Summits
Kofler Fahrzeugbau
Some 30 member enterprises have since 2011 come together to form the Civil Protection and Alpine Safety cluster of TIS innovation park, which is also the lead partner for Interreg’s Summit project. The aim of the project, which is being realised together with the South Tyrol Mountain Rescue service of the AVS (South Tyrol Alpine Club), the University of Innsbruck and the regions of Austrian Tyrol and South Tyrol, is the safety and individual responsibility of outdoor sports enthusiasts in the Alps. One means to this end is the usage of technological innovation and the better evaluation and communication of risks.
This specialist in the project engineering and manufacture of special vehicles for fire services and civil defence adapts standard products to individual needs. Its offering covers fire engines, fire tenders, vehicles for special uses, tunnel rescue, fire-fighting containers, industrial vehicles and forest fire-fighting equipment.
Event
Booth of the Kofler Fahrzeugbau Company, Civil Protect Fair. Bolzano (5)
Meeting Place for Civil Defence Workers Every two years at the Civil Protect specialist trade fair in Bolzano, civil defence experts from all over Italy can gain an overview of new products and innovative technologies in areas such as vehicles, equipment, communication systems and logistics. An important part of the fair is the accompanying specialist congress, at which current major topics are discussed in detail.
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Alpine Mobility As in many other parts of the world, ways are being sought in South Tyrol to limit emissions and promote sustainable mobility. Awareness of the causes and consequences of climate change is particularly marked in this Alpine region, with its sensitive ecology and landscapes, and South Tyrol is therefore currently investing heavily in sustainable mobility concepts.
straightforward connections between poor districts and the urban transport network, allowing the favelas to slowly grow together with the rest of the city. The term “Green Mobility” has also seen Italy’s Green Region develop its other public transport networks in recent years, providing an incentive to leave the car at home: for example, through the creation of intelligent connections between the individual means of transportation like trains, buses and cable cars, running every half hour, or through the combination of local trains with bike rentals. User-friendly packages and tickets like the Südtirol Pass, a unified digital system for South Tyrol’s entire transportation network that was introduced in 2012, also increase acceptance. Simultaneously, there has been a gradual increase in the proportion of emission-free individual and bus traffic. Over 30 local enterprises in the Electromobility working group of the TIS innovation park are developing concepts and products in the field of electro-mobility in the Alps, while a large-scale hydrogen technology project has led to South Tyrol becoming an important station on the Munich– Modena hydrogen highway.
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Both new and proven technologies are finding application here. Worldwide interest has been aroused by the development of traditional aerial ropeway technology for urban short-haul traffic: systems that were intended for the transport of materials and subsequently of people in high-alpine areas are now also promoting CO2-neutral mobility in cities. In megacities such as Rio de Janeiro, South Tyrolean lift facilities are helping defuse social tensions by making possible
Enterprises in the sector are working closely with public institutions, TIS innovation park and scientific partners such as the Fraunhofer Institute on the implementation of the strategic objectives of South Tyrol’s mobility policy. Their commitment will not just mean an improvement in the quality of life and air, or simply a boost for tourism. The production, maintenance and support of these new technologies also offer major potential economic gains for old and new players in the sector.
View of the Renon Cable Car valley station and the train station. Bolzano (1)
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Areas of Expertise • rope-driven urban passenger transportation • E-mobility, in particular in the field of hydrogen technology Facts & Figures • Electro-mobility in the Alpine Regions working group at TIS innovation park (approximately 30 members) • H2-South Tyrol: hydrogen production and distribution on the Munich–Modena hydrogen highway
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Bike paths in Bolzano (2)
Leitner Ropeways
TC Mobility
Products developed for an alpine environment are now increasingly providing answers to mobility problems in urban areas: people movers, the catchall term for rope-driven city traffic solutions, are an efficient, pollution-free and flexible way of moving large numbers of people over short distances. With its MiniMetro brand, the South Tyrolean Leitner Group is a world leader in this field. There are some 60 people movers from South Tyrol in use around the world, including funicular railways, inclined elevators, endless rope systems and aerial tramways. Recently opened services include the Squaire Metro at Frankfurt Airport and the MiniMetro at Cairo Airport. Leitner has set a new technological standard in the first automatically detachable MiniMetro in Perugia, which has been operating since 2008.
Bolzano entrepreneur Maurizio de Concini worked for 20 years in the vehicle industry, where he helped manufacture exhaustreducing conversion kits for engines. In 1999 he succumbed to his fascination for electromobility and went into the production of electric bikes. Today, TC Mobility’s Frisbee and Dinghi brands have made it No. 1 in Italy in this sector while, under the name S.A.V., E-bikes can also be made to order to the customer’s specifications. The products are particularly popular in their hometown, with over 4,000 people in Bolzano – 4 per cent of the population – using a Frisbee or a Dinghi.
The intermediate station of Ried Cable Car. The valley station of the cable car connects directly with the railway network (3)
Alpine Mobility 33
It is not just electric bikes that are now replacing cars and motorcycles in South Tyrol, in particular for short journeys. The continuous expansion of cycle paths between and within the region’s 116 municipalities has in the last decade led to a rapid increase in bicycle traffic. This is particularly the case in the main city of Bolzano, where numerous measures have encouraged the shift onto two wheels based on a master plan for bicycle mobility produced by the South Tyrolean Ökoinstitut (Eco-Institute). The results are clear: today nearly one third of all journeys are made by bicycle, making Bolzano one of the bike-friendliest cities in Italy and an example for the rest of Europe.
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An Important Element
Solar Fuel
for the expansion of sustainable mobility here is the H2-South Tyrol project, a facility for the production and distribution of hydrogen near the Bolzano South exit of the expressway. This major project, now in operation, has made Bolzano into an important station on the Munich–Modena hydrogen highway. The planned production of 1.5 million cubic metres of hydrogen a year is enough to supply up to 50 buses or 1,000 cars. This could save 525,000 litres of petrol or 440,000 litres of diesel and thus some 1.2 million kilograms of CO2. The implementation of hydrogen technology in South Tyrol is the work of the Institute for Innovative Technologies (IIT), a notfor-profit body that was formed in 2001 as an interface between the public administration, research establishments and the local economy.
for electric vehicles has been available at the Bolzano railway station in South Tyrol since the beginning of 2012. Up to eight E-bikes may be charged for free at the first public photovoltaic charging station for electric bikes with electricity generated from solar power. This solar filling station was developed by the Bolzano enterprise E-Move, which is also setting up E-stations in other parts of the region. On the Move – 100% CO2-Free Since 2011, service technicians of the local power supply company in the South Tyrolean community of Moso (Moos) have been able to charge their E-cars with electricity generated by the company’s hydroelectric plant in Moso.
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Bolzano Train Station (4) Charging station for electric bicycles. Piazza Stazione, Bolzano (5)
Alpine Mobility 34
Concentrated Know-How at the New Technology Park Currently in construction on the site of former aluminium works in the commercial zone in Bolzano South is a technology-and-knowledge park that is also intended to play an important role in the advancement of Alpine technology. The twelve-hectare site will from 2015 onwards see the arrival of research institutes and university institutions together with ideas workshops from innovative enterprises in South Tyrol’s key green sector. The park thus provides an intensive exchange of experience and knowledge and allows for the utilization of synergy between all players in the sectors of renewable energy and energy efficiency, food technology, Alpine technology as well as automation as a cross-discipline. The technology park will be divided into two sections. The two main buildings (two restored transformer halls of the former aluminium works, which will remain preserved as an important industrial monument from the 1930s) will become the location of the research and university establishments. The most important actors to research,
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develop and offer services here will be the Fraunhofer Innovation Engineering Center (IEC), the European Academy of Bozen/Bolzano (EURAC), the Institute for Innovative Technologies (IIT), the ClimateHouse Agency, Laimburg Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry and the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano. The second complex of the technology park is dedicated to business areas for enterprises from the major sectors, which can be arranged in modular form according to need. With common infrastructures and services, cultural and sports facilities, recreation areas and green areas, and even temporary accommodation for scientists in residence, the park will offer plenty of space for networking as well as for social relationships and quality of life. TIS innovation park will operate the new technology park; interested companies may contact Business Location Südtirol – Alto Adige (BLS) regarding relocation.
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Façade of a former Alumix factory building (1) Construction work for the new technology park in Bolzano (2)
Technology Park 35
Networks and Partners • European Academy (EURAC): a research and further-education centre, founded in 1992, where researchers from all over Europe work in the fields of Autonomies, Mountains, Health and Technologies. Of particular interest for specialists in Alpine technologies are the Institute of Mountain Emergency Medicine, the Institute for Applied Remote Sensing and the Institute for Renewable Energy. ≥ www.eurac.edu • Free University of Bozen/Bolzano: this trilingual university represents an important pool of qualified personnel. The Faculty of Science and Technology in particular conducts intensive research into Alpine technologies. There are also faculties of Economics and Management, Computer Science, Education and Design and Art. ≥ www.unibz.it • Fraunhofer Italia: the Fraunhofer organisation, which has 60 institutes and over 18,000 scientific staff, has an Italian subsidiary, formed in 2009, that specializes in application-orientated research on behalf of enterprises. The focus is on mobility, energy, construction, and information and communication technologies (ICT). ≥ www.fraunhofer.it
Contact Points for General Information • Laimburg Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry: this internationally connected research institution has the aim of increasing the competitiveness and sustainability of agriculture in South Tyrol, with the focus on plant health and quality, species and agro-biodiversity as well as farming at altitude. ≥ www.laimburg.it • Bolzano Trade Fair: this trade fair, serving the entire Alpine area, has positioned itself as the most important place to exchange contacts between companies from the German-speaking world and Italy. The fairs and congresses concentrate on Alpine business topics in particular. ≥ www.messebozen.it • TIS innovation park: TIS innovation park is a centre and driver for innovation, co-operation and technology transfer, with four enterprise networks in the area of Alpine Technologies: the Sports & winterTECH cluster, the Wood & Technology cluster, the Constructions & Facility Management cluster and the Civil Protection & Alpine Safety cluster. ≥ www.tis.bz.it
• Institute for Innovative Technologies (IIT) (IIT): The Bolzano Institute for Innovative Technologies (IIT) functions as a point of convergence for the public administration, research establishments and the local economy. Its task is to organise and realise projects concerned with the research and application of new technologies. ≥ www.iit.bz.it • KlimaHaus-Agency: Bolzano’s KlimaHaus (ClimateHouse) Agency is a public body for the certification of buildings with regard to their energy use. The agency also promotes training and further education for all those involved in the construction industry as well as initiatives for raising public awareness in respect of energy efficiency, sustainability and climate change. ≥ www.klimahaus.it
Networks and Partners 36
Business Location Südtirol – Alto Adige (BLS): South Tyrol’s business location agency offers advice to local and foreign enterprises with regard to all location issues, seeks suitable business sites and premises and brings them into contact with organisations, service structures and trade associations. ≥ www.bls.info • Bolzano Chamber of Commerce: This autonomous body, constituted under public law, represents the interests of business, conducts economic research and provides promotional activities and services for local enterprises. It is also involved in such areas as continuous training, start-ups and mentoring, the promotion of export and sales, an innovation service and an arbitral tribunal. The Bolzano Chamber Of Commerce also performs official tasks such as keeping the commercial register, registering patents and trademarks and the collection of documents related to the export trade. ≥ www.handelskammer.bz.it
Publishing Details © Business Location Südtirol – Alto Adige, Bolzano 2013 Concept: Business Location Südtirol – Alto Adige Art Direction: Studio Lupo & Burtscher ≥ www.lupoburtscher.it Design: Studio Lupo & Burtscher, CH Studio Assistance and Implementation: Nike Auer Photo Credits: Florian Mohn (3) Michael Maili, MMArts (5) Andreas Marini (13) Planinschek (16) MH-Photostudio (24) Francesca Lotti (25) EURAC/Marion Lafogler (30) Ivo Corrà (all the remaining images) Illustrations (8, 9, 15, 21): Elyron Editing, Copy Editing, Proofreading, Translation: Ex Libris Genossenschaft ≥ www.exlibris.bz.it Research and Editing: Susanne Pitro / Ex Libris Cooperative Cover Photo: Passmuseum Timmelsjoch Photo credit: Alexa Rainer Architect: Werner Tscholl Printing: Longo, Print and Communication Printed in Italy
Business Location Südtirol · Alto Adige Passaggio Duomo 15 39100 Bolzano Italy P +39 0471 066 600 F +39 0471 062 852 ≥ www.bls.info ≥ service@bls.info
Passaggio Duomo, 15 39100 Bolzano T +39 0471 066 600 F +39 0471 062 852 ≥ www.bls.info ≥ service@bls.info